We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Iris Grimm a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Iris, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

I present the Dog-Gone Leadership program where we blend the wisdom of dog leadership with practical business insights to create more effective, successful, and harmonious workplaces. Unlike the industry standard, which often focuses on traditional leadership training methods, our program is inspired by the natural dynamics observed in human-dog interactions. Here is how this program is different:
1. Human-Dog Parallel: We draw parallels between how dogs respond to leadership and how humans do the same in the workplace.
2. Practical Application: This unique approach ensures that leadership is not compartmentalized but becomes a consistent way of applying and being, practiced and reinforced in all areas of life. By seeing immediate results, participants are motivated to adopt and adapt these strategies in both settings, fostering continuous growth and development.
3. Holistic Development: We don’t just focus on professional growth but also on personal development.
4. Engaging and Fun: I believe that learning should be engaging and fun. Dog-Gone Leadership matches that.
And no, this program is not about treating people like dogs. It enhances their awareness and adaptation of excellent leadership in all areas of life.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I have been dedicated to the field of executive coaching and leadership development for over 24 years. My mission is to guide business leaders not only in thriving in their roles but also finding genuine fulfillment in their leadership journey.
Around the same time when I started my business, we also brought our first dog into our family. It was my German shepherd Cito and with him, my deep connection with dogs began. Training him in protection, scent tracking, and obedience ignited a passion for understanding and sharing the unique dynamics of the human-dog bond. This led to organizing workshops for dog owners, raising funds for rescue groups, and even home visits to assist fellow dog enthusiasts. My volunteer work with various rescue groups has involved fostering dogs, nursing them back to health, training them, and raising money for their care.
Combining my two passions—leadership development and dogs—I created Dog-Gone Leadership. This unique leadership training program in companies engages people in fresh and innovative conversations about effective leadership. What makes this program so impactful is its dual focus: teaching better leadership in the workplace and enhancing how we lead our dogs at home.
Dog-Gone Leadership aims to achieve three key goals:
1. Revolutionize Workplace Leadership: Shift perspectives on effective leadership, boost engagement, raise retention, and drive success.
2. Enhance Home Leadership: Foster harmonious relationships between people and their dogs, ensuring both are happy and well-adjusted.
3. Promote Dog Adoption: Inspire more people to adopt shelter or rescue dogs, transforming these resilient animals into their best selves and experiencing reciprocal growth in leadership.
I present this program in group settings within companies seeking to elevate their leadership culture. Additionally, I integrate this approach into my one-on-one executive coaching, allowing clients to include their dogs in their leadership journey.
What sets Dog-Gone Leadership apart is its grounding in empathy, firmness, harmony, responsibility, energy management, multi-level communication, and equality. It touches both the head and heart, expanding perspectives and enriching lives in profound ways.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

When I acquired my first dog, a German shepherd we named Cito, we were committed to training him as best as possible. As I mentioned before, we got involved in the sport called Schutzhund (German for “protection dog”), a 3-discipline sport of obedience, scent tracking, and protection. Wanting to learn as much as possible, we signed up with various dog trainers, including police dog trainers. Over the years, we learned a lot about different types of training, dog psychology, and behavior. Additionally, Cito also was certified as a therapy dog visiting schools and senior living homes, bringing joy to their residents.
Once Cito got older and retired from the sport, I wanted to stay active around dog training. So I got involved with rescue groups. Next, I organized a workshop for dog owners to raise money for rescue groups. It helped people find solutions to create a more harmonious life with their dogs. Out of that, more people called me and asked me whether I could visit with them and help them with their dogs in their homes. This is how https://itsnotthedog.com was born.
When I meet with dog training clients to help them understand leadership better, I often include stories from the workplace. And when I coach business leaders to thrive in their roles, I often share stories from dog training. So over time, I merged the two disciplines, and this is how Dog-Gone Leadership was created.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Pet-friendly workplaces are an excellent fit for the Dog-Gone Leadership program. These companies recognize the benefits of having dogs around for various workplace-enhancing reasons, knowing that many employees love or have dogs. By being pet-friendly, they show a commitment to an employee-focused culture that aims to support performance and success in every way. Incorporating Dog-Gone Leadership elevates this culture, enhancing the pet-friendly environment and making it a win-win for everyone.
However, any business that cares about its employees and wants to enhance the leadership and atmosphere in their offices in a unique way can benefit from this life-changing program.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://irisgrimm.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IrisGrimmDogGoneLeadership
• Linkedin: https://linkedin/in/IrisGrimm
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@IrisGrimm