The Teacher I Never Expected
“Most people see a Rottweiler. I see a teacher.”
Gunner has never read a leadership book. He has never managed a company, studied a strategic plan, or sat through a board meeting.
And yet, he has taught me some of the most enduring lessons of my career.
He notices what others miss. He knows when to move and when to wait. He trusts deeply, adapts quickly, stays present, and never confuses activity with purpose.
After more than three decades of leading organizations and people, I did not expect one of my greatest leadership teachers to have four paws.
But that is exactly what happened.
More Than the Dog in the Stories
Gunner is a Rottweiler, a working partner, an adventure companion, and an extraordinary observer of the world around him.
Through training, trails, challenges, and ordinary days together, I began noticing how he moved through the world — with patience, presence, resilience, and unmistakable loyalty.
Eventually I realized I wasn't simply watching Gunner.
I was learning from him.
That realization became Lessons From My Dog Gunner®.
Working Gunner
Observing Gunner
GUNNER BEING GUNNER
The Origin
Lessons From My Dog Gunner® grew from a simple realization: ordinary moments can reveal extraordinary things about how we lead.
Gunner became the catalyst for stories, conversations, programs, and ideas that connect everyday experience to the choices leaders make at work.
The dog makes the lesson memorable.
What we do with the lesson is the point.
What Gunner Reminds Me
Be Present
Gunner is never halfway in the moment. Presence comes before influence.
Pay Attention
He notices changes long before they become obvious. Observation changes judgment.
Adapt
An obstacle rarely means stop. Sometimes it simply means find another way forward.
Earn Trust
Trust is built through consistency — by showing up the same way when it matters most.
Where the Lessons
Became a Journey
What began with Gunner now reaches far beyond our walks together — into keynote stages, leadership workshops, executive conversations, podcasts, articles, and Trail Notes™.
Different stories. Different challenges. One ongoing question:
What might we see differently if we paid closer attention?
That is the trail Gunner and I continue to explore.
Ready to Continue Along the Trail?
Gunner's lessons are only the beginning. Explore the Leadership Trails™ they inspired — or start a conversation about bringing the experience to your organization.