5 Ways To Become Top Dog At Work

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During National Service Dog Month, we’ve invited a few of the canine contributors at Dell to share their insights with us on Direct2Dell – as told to their humans. First up is Coach who enables Dale Duty to assist Dell attorneys with patent litigation matters and intellectual property special projects management.

Dell employee service dog Coach sits near his human in the office

Pack leader. Alpha. Head honcho. Your own Dell badge? Sounds too good to be true? Not at all.

I’ve accomplished all of that and more during my time at Dell which is why I’m here to share my secrets on how to become top dog at work.

What will it take?

Bravery. Courage. Snacks. Empathy. Everything.

You have to work hard when life gets ruff. If you think you have what it takes and are ready to unleash your potential, follow these steps and you’ll command respect wherever you go.

1. Define Goals

When you come to work, have a clear vision of what needs to be done. Know what is on your plate and be okay with having to re-prioritize tasks to maximize productivity. Before you wreck yourself, check what matters most to contribute to the success of the organization.

2. Anticipate The Needs of Others

Being top dog isn’t just about being the top dog; it’s about being pack leader. Your success as top dog will depend on the success of everyone around you. If a colleague is struggling, offer support. Beyond that, don’t be a poodle. Stand strong and be there for your pack.

3. Bark, Don’t Bite

When work gets ruff and tension is high, don’t pick a bone with those around you. Refer to Top Dog Tip #2 when you’re ready to chew someone out; literally. If you have a problem with someone or something, speak up. Focus on solutions and not problems.

4. Stay Head Of The Game

If you’ve managed to follow tips 1 – 3, your next step is to sniff out the competition. Take a few hours a week to research what your competition is doing and study what works and doesn’t work. Work with your team to anticipate trends and ways to position your organization as disruptors.

5. Never Give Up

I once witnessed Earl (the younger service dog I’m training to take over for me) try to chase his tail. To this day, he has not managed to catch his tail and while he looks ridiculous, there’s an important lesson to be learned from his persistence. Believing you can do something is half of the battle. While I don’t recommend chasing your own tail, top dogs know that giving up is not an option. Follow tips 1-4 to avoid being seen as a poodle and be positioned as top dog.

Dell Service Dog CoachCoach is a 65-pound, full-blood boxer named in honor of The University of Texas’ baseball coach Augie Garrido. Although many service dogs assist Dell employees around the globe, Coach made company history when he became the first service dog to have his own badge. Coach accompanies Duty to meetings with inventors and engineers developing Dell’s latest technology, and enables him to get the most out of his career.


Hear more from Coach and his human in this video:

About the Author: Dale Duty

Dale is a Sr. Patent Paralegal and assists Dell attorneys with Patent Litigation Matters, IP Special Projects Management, and is Chairman of the Dell EUC, EHO & ESS Patent Sub-Committees.
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