SmartBrief on Leadership
No more onboarding
When you’re in the deep, however, there’s nothing to do but sink or swim.
Read MoreSwimmers are odd ducks. Day after day we haul ourselves out of warm beds and plunge into cold pools, where we kick and pull, back and forth, lap after lap, until we’ve convinced ourselves we’ve accomplished something. To dry-landers, the whole enterprise appears nonsensical. It’s hard to argue with that when you’re face-down in the water.
That said, in addition to its myriad physiological benefits, swimming provides significant psychological succor. The pool is one of the few remaining domains unsullied by phone calls, emails, texts and posts (for now). When you swim you have nothing to do but think, which these days is a rare indulgence.
There’s nothing like allowing your mind to soak on a subject as you eat up the yards. I’ve come up with some of my finest ideas watching the thick black line on the bottom go by. I’ve also had time to meditate on more general matters; call them leadership lessons from the pool. Here’s a baker’s dozen.
In swimming, as in life, the difference between those who learn to thrive and those who take a dive is whether they view the water as friend or foe. That which slows you down can also lift you up. The choice is yours.
Speaking of metaphors, check out our article about Strategy by Metaphor. Or, if you want to receive more content, you can sign up for our Newsletter.
Originally published on SmartBrief on Leadership
SmartBrief on Leadership
When you’re in the deep, however, there’s nothing to do but sink or swim.
Read MoreSmartBrief on Leadership
There’s no shortage of things to tense up about these days. But as every skier will tell you, it’s when you tighten up that you get hurt.
Read MoreSmartBrief on Leadership
What sets objectives apart from strategies? What makes strategies different from tactics? And where do goals fit in, for that matter?
Read MoreSmartBrief on Leadership
What is it that’s producing your livelihood today? No matter how inventive or productive it is, you can be certain that it won’t be tomorrow.
Read More