Sunday, June 27, 2010

Staying Afloat

This evening’s gentle swim session with two motivated members of my Ironman team yielded some reflections for me. As I swam, after a lengthy hiatus after my last foray into the 226km format and an ultra-marathon to boot, I was focused on staying afloat. I reminded myself to stay ‘long’, glide more, and stay near the surface of the water. I reflected on how unique a situation I was in: a body denser than water, staying buoyant and mobile.

During tough economic times, how do you stay employable? How do you sustain your business? How do you stay current in your business?

Our density will determine whether we sink or swim during difficult times. If you are burdened by over-spending and ambitious budgets, you may sink in the depths of despair. If you are a dense person and refuse to consider suggestions and recommendations, you may fall under the weight of your ignorance and arrogance.

Swimming is an analogy we can adopt in our professional and personal lives. How do we swim with the sharks without being eaten alive, wrote Harvey Mackay about two decades ago. Swim or sink, so goes the cliché. Have you found yourself in the deep end of the pool? Have you plumbed the depths of your potential? Even the stock market talks about flotation. These are things worth considering.

As leaders, how do we navigate through rough waters? How do we stay steady and sane when the currents of change wash over us? How do you deal with the undercurrents of consequence, impact and cause/effect? How do you stay current in your general knowledge, skill sets, mindset and expertise in these turbulent times?


My coach, Fox is surfing in Sumatra over the past two weeks. He chose the location because of the challenge of the waves. I trust he is keeping well and look forward to chatting with him about his escapes with the wake and waves. He knows a few things about taking the hits from large waves!


Here is a very good resource by Kevin Koskella on swimming techniques and coaching. This a website for First-Time Triathletes with Kevin's swimming tips.

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