Last November, I adopted Bodhi after fostering him for just a month.
This look gets me every time. Somewhere between fostering and adopting, Bodhi stopped looking at me as a temporary caretaker and started looking at me as his person.
Going into the experience, I thought I understood what I was signing up for.
More walks.
More responsibility.
More dog hair.
What I did not anticipate was gaining a shadow who follows me from room to room (and I mean every room), a barking security system that alerts me to every perceived threat in the neighborhood (even those in the middle of the night when I am fast asleep), and a personal trainer who insists on maintaining a daily walking schedule regardless of my plans or the weather.
I also did not expect a rescue dog to teach me some surprisingly valuable lessons about leadership, networking, career growth, and human behavior.
Like many people, I thought the biggest challenge would be training.
What I learned instead was the difference between training and trust.
The Behavior Was Not the Real Issue 🏡
When Bodhi first came home, my focus was on training.
How do I reduce his reactivity?
How do I improve his behavior on walks?
How do I help him feel comfortable in unfamiliar situations?
Like many people, I initially focused on the visible behaviors.
But over time, I realized something important.
The behavior was not the real issue.
Trust was.
The more secure Bodhi felt, the calmer he became.
The more predictable our routines became, the less reactive he became.
The more confidence he had that I would help him navigate situations, the less he felt the need to handle every perceived threat himself.
That lesson applies directly to leadership.
Many leaders focus on accountability, performance metrics, processes, and outcomes.
Those things matter.
But trust is often the foundation that makes all of them possible.
When employees trust their leaders, they are more likely to:
- Share concerns before they become problems.
- Admit mistakes.
- Bring forward ideas.
- Collaborate openly.
- Stay engaged during difficult periods of change.
Without trust, people often spend more energy protecting themselves than contributing their best work.
The Food Motivation Lesson 🍖
One thing I learned quickly is that Bodhi is highly food motivated.
Frankly, so are many professionals.
I have seen executives attend networking events for the buffet, employees arrive early for catered meetings, and conference attendees strategically position themselves near the dessert table.
The lesson is not really about food.
It is about motivation.
Whether you are leading a team, building relationships, or training a rescue dog, understanding what drives behavior is often more effective than trying to control it.
Some people are motivated by recognition.
Others by growth opportunities.
Others by flexibility, autonomy, compensation, purpose, or meaningful work.
The strongest leaders spend less time assuming what motivates people and more time learning what matters to them.
Trust begins when people feel understood.
What Actually Builds Trust?🤝
Many people talk about trust as if it is some mysterious quality.
In reality, trust is built through repeated actions.
In leadership, trust grows when you:
- Follow through on commitments.
- Give credit to others publicly.
- Address difficult conversations directly.
- Admit when you do not have all the answers.
- Communicate consistently during uncertainty.
- Listen without immediately trying to solve every problem.
In networking, trust grows when you:
- Reach out before you need something.
- Introduce people who could help one another.
- Share useful information and resources.
- Stay in touch even when there is no immediate benefit.
- Show genuine curiosity about others.
The strongest professional relationships are rarely transactional.
They are built over time through consistent interactions.
The Job Search Trust Gap 🎯
This lesson also applies to job searching.
Many candidates focus entirely on proving they are qualified.
But hiring decisions are not based solely on qualifications.
They are based on confidence.
Can this person do the job?
Can this person lead others?
Can this person be trusted with responsibility?
Can this person represent the organization effectively?
Trust starts forming long before the interview.
Your resume builds trust by:
- Clearly showing impact.
- Demonstrating progression.
- Highlighting measurable results.
- Aligning your experience with the role.
Your LinkedIn profile builds trust by:
- Showing consistency with your resume.
- Demonstrating industry engagement.
- Highlighting your expertise.
- Reflecting who you are today, not who you were five years ago.
Your interview builds trust when:
- Your stories are authentic.
- You speak confidently about challenges and lessons learned.
- You focus on outcomes rather than job duties.
- You communicate clearly and honestly.
Trust is often the deciding factor between two similarly qualified candidates.
Why LinkedIn Matters More Than Ever 📱
One lesson I have learned through my work with executives is that trust increasingly begins online.
LinkedIn’s algorithm has shifted significantly in recent years. AI has been great in creating content, but after being bombarded with AI-driven posts, LinkedIn is looking for authenticity.
Today, personal content generally performs better than corporate-style content because it encourages meaningful conversations.
People connect with people.
Not press releases.
Not polished marketing statements.
People.
That does not mean you need to share every detail of your life, but don’t be afraid to share a funny story if it will get your point across.
It means allowing others to see how you think.
Trust-building content includes:
- Leadership lessons.
- Industry observations.
- Conference takeaways.
- Lessons learned from challenges.
- Personal experiences that connect to professional growth.
- Thoughtful comments on industry trends.
Even posting once per week and engaging with others several times per week can significantly increase visibility and familiarity.
And familiarity often becomes the foundation for trust.
The Unexpected Adjustments 🐾
When Bodhi would not stop licking his foot, I improvised. A travel neck pillow turned out to be the perfect temporary solution and proved that sometimes the best fixes are not found in the pet aisle.
Some adjustments I expected:
- Walks
- Vet / grooming appointments
- Feeding schedules
- Training sessions
Some adjustments I did not expect:
- Waking up hours before my regular time because my dog is staring at me.
- Carrying treats in every jacket pocket.
- Having a 22-pound supervisor monitor every move I make.
- Explaining occasional barking during Zoom calls.
- Celebrating successful walks the way executives celebrate quarterly earnings reports.
- Turning around mid-walk because a squirrel apparently represented a significant national security threat.
The funny part is that I initially thought the biggest changes would be for him.
In reality, many of the biggest adjustments were mine.
Leadership works the same way.
We often focus on changing other people.
The most effective leaders understand that growth frequently starts with adjusting our own expectations, communication style, and approach.
What Bodhi Reminded Me 💡
Bodhi’s first mobile grooming appointment was a success. I chose a mobile groomer because I was not sure how he would react around other dogs in a traditional grooming environment. Sometimes the best solutions are the ones that meet someone where they are.Before adopting Bodhi, I thought success would come from teaching the right behaviors.
What I learned was that behavior often improves when trust comes first.
The same principle applies to leadership.
The same principle applies to networking.
The same principle applies to career growth.
People perform better when they feel safe.
Teams perform better when trust exists.
Relationships grow stronger when consistency replaces transactions.
A few months ago, I thought I was fostering a dog.
Today, I am rearranging my schedule around walk times, carrying treats in my pockets at all times, and celebrating victories such as walking past another dog without an international incident.
And somewhere along the way, Bodhi reminded me of something many leaders forget.
People perform best when trust comes before expectations.
If you focus on building trust first, many of the outcomes you are chasing tend to follow naturally.
If you focus on building trust first, many of the outcomes you are chasing tend to follow naturally.
Of course, your employees, networking contacts, and future employers will probably not reward you by enthusiastically greeting you every time you walk through the front door.
But if they do, please let me know your secret.