Eddy von Schooling

We’re dog people in the Schooling household. Oh sure, we’ve had cats over the years (RIP Liza, Cleo and Sasha) but as far as we’re concerned there’s nothing like the unconditional love that emanates from a canine companion. 

At one stage we had four dogs at once (found, rescued, inherited…so how could we say “no?”) but sadly in 2018 we lost Libby (sweet girl) and Marley (good boy) and thus down-sized to just two. For the last 15 months or so, Frank Lapidus and Mr. Crumples have had the run of the house. 

And then, as I knew was inevitable, we felt the tug. After a visit a few weeks ago to a Rescue, Rehome, Repeat of South Louisiana adoption event, Eddy von Schooling came to his forever home. Y’all – I totally forgot how exhausting a puppy can be! 

At 12 weeks old he didn’t bring a lot of experience with him which is a good thing/bad thing. In the negative column, of course, he needs to be potty-trained. On the plus side of the scorecard however he doesn’t have a whole lot of bad habits to ‘unlearn.’  

So we’re going through family member onboarding and it’s eerily similar to the employee onboarding experience; minus a paycheck of course. Little Eddy needs to quickly (and smoothly) adjust to both the performance and social aspects of his new job life so, as always, I’m focusing on the 4 C’s

Compliance – Eddy’s been learning the basic rules, policies and expectations of the Schooling organization. After completing his paperwork (shots, neutering visit, registration and micro-chipping) he was ready to become a productive member of the family. 

Clarification – We’re sort of sitting in this step now as Eddy gets clarity on both his role and his responsibilities. There’s regular feedback, both affirming and correcting: ranging from “who’s a good boy!!!?!” to “no!” At this stage his introductory period is going well but we shall see how he does when it’s time for the formal 30-day performance evaluation. Will he score a “1” or a “5?” “Needs Improvement” or “Kicking Ass?” 

Culture – Within moments of Eddy arriving on Day 1 we did the tour and explained how things work around here. We clarified our family values and, through examples and in-person demonstrations, clearly linked those values to expected behaviors. This included things such as “here’s when and where you eat” and “no; we do NOT drag the kitchen rug around the house.”

Connection – Obviously, in order for Eddy to succeed in his new gig he’s going to have to develop meaningful and productive relationships with the rest of the team. I’ve assigned Frank Lapidus as his mentor (he’s a whole lot more responsible than Mr. Crumples) and we spend lots of time together so the boys can all navigate the complexities of the social landscape. I think it’s working because there’s face-licking and group snuggles happening and I’m hopeful that one day the toy-sharing will improve. 

I have a good feeling about this. We made a smart and well-informed selection decision (hired well!) have a well-defined onboarding plan, are well-equipped for ongoing performance management and offer a stellar rewards (treats!) and recognition program. 

I just wonder when Eddy’s gonna hit me up for a compensation review……

OnBoarding The Newest Member of the Team
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