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Leadership Lessons From The Boat
Rowing Mirrors Life
Lesson #17
HOW YOU START IMPACTS HOW YOU FINISH
As summer race season approaches, we practiced what is called a “race start.”
It’s how you efficiently get a 60 ft rowing shell with eight people of all shapes and sizes from a dead stop to race pace in 10 strokes.
Imagine…. You wait…then hear… ATTENTION. ROW!
Lesson #16
LIFE IS ABOUT SHOWING UP
5:30a Sunday wake-up call.
It was time to get to work for the first day of Spring rowing practice. It was cold, a brisk 30 degrees but the water was perfect! We knew it was going to be very cold, but we all showed up for each other.
I was comfortably layered up but as you can imagine, my hands were still...
Lesson #15
SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO SLOW DOWN TO SPEED UP
It’s not efficient to gun it full throttle. The best way to accelerate at the beginning of a race is to start with measured half strokes and then build over five strokes to get to full speed. Interesting, right?
Even though it was the last practice of the season, we practiced what are called “race starts.” It goes something like this…
Lesson #14
KEEP YOUR HEAD IN THE BOAT
At our last practice, it happened… it all just clicked. The goal of every practice and literally every stroke is to have the boat perfectly balanced as you move through the different stages of the stroke.
It’s hard especially when all eight oars come out of the water, and you have to...
Lesson #13
GET COMFORTABLE WITH BEING UNCOMFORTABLE
I’m usually in 2 seat (that’s 2nd from the right), but this morning, I was asked to be the coxswain. That’s me on the far left steering this 60ft rowing shell which is roughly the same length as a semi-trailer.
This was not my first time to cox, but I’ve only done it a handful of times, and it's probably been at least a year since I have sat in that seat.
Lesson #12
PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH
Practice what you preach!
Joy is a choice each! You’ve heard me say it time and time again. Yet, I need to add, that it’s not always an easy choice, even for me.
This week hasn’t been so joyful. Friday, I attended the funeral of a dear friend Angie Jablonski, and it rocked me to my core.
I didn’t really feel like rowing this weekend...
Lesson #11
THIS TOO SHALL PASS
I have had several friends tell me that their positions were eliminated. More layoffs are on the horizon. For some, this is their first time being let go.
Does anyone remember 2008? I was part of the largest layoff in Brinker International’s history (Chili’s) – over 200 people lost their jobs that day, including me. I had NEVER been laid off in my career. It was a shock to my core.
Lesson #10
NAVIGATING THROUGH CHOPPY WATERS
0500a Wake Call.
Based on the predicted wind gusts, I anticipated that it would be a bit harder rowing today. Rowing into headwinds with choppy, small white-capped waters is doable, yet everything is just a bit more tense .....and intense.
Lesson #9
EVERY PIECE HAS A PART TO PLAY
Last practice we did a drill that we haven’t done in a while. Instead of both hands on the oar, we practiced “outside arm only” and then “inside arm only,” – slowly and with purpose. Believe it or not...
Lesson #8
YOU MAY NOT LIKE CHANGE, BUT IT CAN BE GOOD
We walked the boat down only to find a bent back stay that keeps the oar in place. While not horrible, it definitely wouldn’t make for a good row. We walked that boat back the boathouse and brought another one down. We hadn’t...
Lesson #7
DON'T BE AFRAID TO KEEP THE TRAINING WHEELS ON
Imagine this rowing shell that’s 60 ft long, the size of a semi-trailer, 6 people are rowing, and 2 are not. You take a stroke and pause before taking the next stroke to make sure everyone is in sync...
Lesson #6
FINDING JOY in HELPING OTHERS
I love spending my time volunteering to help the student-athletes of Dallas United Crew succeed on & off the water. Middle schoolers arrive in our program in the most awkward stage of their life as they grow from children into young adults. You might remember how hard....
Lesson #5
MAKING ROOM FOR JOY IN YOUR LIFE
If you’ve been following along, rowing is a place I find tremendous joy – mentally and physically. My two daughters rowed with Dallas United Crew and somehow, I found myself volunteering even though...
Lesson #4
TRY A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE
I’ve been a rower for the last 6 years. It’s my “me-time” – a great workout, great friends, and of course breathtaking sunrises – like this one from this morning. Today was somehow different and a few things struck me as we glided...
Lesson #3
CONSISTENCY AND COOPERATION ARE CRITICAL
I'm in the first seat on the left this time, it's called "the stroke seat." As stroke, it's important to stay steady and consistent so others can easily follow. You can't...
Lesson #2
IT'S NEVER PERFECT, BUT THAT'S THE POINT
In rowing, the objective is to swing the 12 ft long carbon fiber oar and place the blade precisely in the pocket. There are no time-outs, there are no substitutions. You keep moving by paddling. You don’t stop. When you are tired and in pain...
Lesson #1
ACCOUNTABILITY IS VALUABLE
If you don’t show up, there’s a good chance that your teammates won’t get to row and that they will be relegated to the not-so-fun land workout on the rowing machines. Trust me, there are days when my alarm goes off at 4:45am and...
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