In a recent Forbes article, executive coach Gerry Valentine shared his experience in competing in an Ironman triathlon. If you aren’t familiar with this type of strenuous competition, it includes a 2.4-mile swim, followed by a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile run. Valentine explained the key leadership insights he learned while training and competing in this race and we’re sharing them in this issue of Promotional Consultant Today.
1. It’s not just about natural talent. Valentine explained that he was not a natural athlete. He had always been the “fat kid” but this competition made him push hard. When race day came and he was 200 pounds compared to the very lean, low body-fat athletes, he described himself as the “Rottweiler in a pack of Whippets.”
However, he discovered that with a difficult challenge, like the Ironman, it wasn’t physical build or athletic talent that mattered; it was how hard the athletes were willing to push themselves. This holds true in business as well. We tend to celebrate the smartest guy or gal in the room—the ones with the natural talent. While natural talent is great, it’s only what Valentine refers to as a 10-percent head start. The other 90 percent is about the effort you’re willing to put in. Great leaders create work cultures that foster the hard work and persistence rather than over-glorifying natural talent.
2. Keep your head in the moment. Finishing an Ironman takes on average of between 12 and 14 hours. When you’re under that much stress for so long, something will go wrong, and when you’re tired, it’s easy to get emotional or overwhelmed. Valentine says to be careful, because this burns critical energy that you need later on, and prevents you from putting in your best effort. Remaining calm and keeping your head in the moment can be the difference between finishing or not.
Business leaders face enormous stress too, and it’s easy for them to get overly emotional and lash out at their teams. But losing your head in a moment of high stress carries a heavy price in business. It can cause your employees to lose confidence, and it can damage important relationships. Strong leaders know how to manage stress and remain focused even during the tough times.
3. Look for the lessons in unexpected places. As Valentine says, great leadership is often about going beyond the ordinary in search of the lessons you need, and great leaders will find lessons in life not related to business.
And he’s proof! Valentine has competed in seven more Ironman races since his first one more than 20 years ago. While he pushed himself physically, he’s also excelled in his career. He accounts that to the lessons he’s learned in preparation and competition that he can apply to his job. No matter how tough things got, he knew he could always make it a little further. He also learned that sometimes you need to slow down a little bit in order to reach the end goal. Perhaps most of all, he learned to be open to leadership lessons from unexpected places.
Source: Gerry Valentine is an executive coach and public speaker with 25 years of Fortune 100 experience. He advises business leaders and entrepreneurs.
