Eating Your Own Dog Food

image 12 So David’s young men returned and told him what Nabal had said. 13 “Get your swords!” was David’s reply as he strapped on his own. Then 400 men started off with David, and 200 remained behind to guard their equipment. -1 Sam 25

David had sent his men to ask Nabal to give them some provisions.  He reminded Nabal that they had not harmed his people in any way.  Nabal refused.  David was ready to fight.   Instead of sending his men and staying back, David told them to grab their swords; and he strapped on his own.

Great leaders instruct and invest.  Who wants to follow a leader who leads from behind a desk?  I want to follow someone who believes so deeply in a cause that they are willing to personally invest in it, to fight for it.

There is an saying in business that you should “eat your own dog food,” meaning that a company should believe so deeply in their product that they personally use it. The idea originated in television commercials for Alpo brand dog food; actor Lorne Greene would tout the benefits of the dog food, and then would say it’s so good that he feeds it to his own dogs (thanks wikipedia).  What would you think if you visited Apple and saw their top leaders using Dell laptops?

Is that how we sometimes lead?  Asking other to do things that we are not fully invested in?

Are there things you are asking others to do that you are not doing yourself?

Are you eating your own dog food?

photo by robert donovan

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This post has 5 comments

  1. One of the things I believe I am sometimes guilty of is delegating something because it is something I find distasteful or too time consuming. Reckon I ought to eat my own dog food?

  2. Eat your own dogfood,practice what you preach,walk the walk..I\’m seeing a pattern!

  3. Bill,
    Certainly are things that we need to delegate because we can't do them or are not good at. I'm sure the things you are delegating are things that you believe in and would be doing if you could do them well. My 2 cents!

  4. Bill,
    Certainly are things that we need to delegate because we can't do them or are not good at. I'm sure the things you are delegating are things that you believe in and would be doing if you could do them well. My 2 cents!

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