Hello career athletes!
As usual today, we are charting the waters of executive leadership, - but be prepared - we will not be paddling aimlessly! Our voyage will be as swift as a sailfish and as tenacious as a barracuda. Our quirky navigational compass? The exhilarating world of triathlon.
So, if you're climbing the corporate ladder from a senior role into the executive suite, don your swim goggles; we are about to plunge headfirst into the first stage!
Stage 1: The Swim
Empower your team and trust them to perform their tasks
Just like the opening swim stage in a triathlon, the first few months of transitioning into an executive role can feel like being tossed into the deep end. But you're not in this swim alone. You have a team, and they have your back. They are not just floaties; your team is like a group of synchronized swimmers ready to perform a winning routine.
Empower them. Stretch them. Trust them. They know the strokes, they have great skills, and they are ready to make waves. As an executive, your role isn't to micromanage every stroke. Instead, you're the coach on the pool deck, communicating the routine, guiding their moves where necessary and cheering them on. The fact is, no one ever won a race by swimming on behalf of their entire team!
Stage 2: The Cycle
Choose the best path for your organization; speed with sustainability
Next up, we are into the cycling stage. Here it's all about strategy and stamina. The route you choose to pedal is crucial. You could go for the quick downhill sprint - but will that lead to a sustainable future? Or could you find yourself at the bottom of a hill facing an impossibly steep climb ahead?
As an executive, you're in the team saddle, steering your organization along the route to success. This part is about finding the balance between speed and sustainability, between the swift downhills and the challenging climbs. You're not cycling just for today; this is a long road through tomorrow to next month, next year and beyond. So, map your route wisely and be ready to detour with agility when unexpected obstacles get in the way!
Stage 3: The Run
Resilience is crucial for long-term success in an executive role
Finally, we come to the run stage - where the rubber truly hits the road. And just like a marathon, sprinting ahead at full speed is likely to have you missing stagepoints or running out of steam. You can push through the toughest parts by sustaining a steady pace forward, even when the finish line feels miles away.
In your executive role, there will be hills to climb, obstacles to overcome, and times when you feel like you're running on empty. That's when resilience comes into play. Keep pushing, keep going, keep believing in your power to cross that finish line. The track brings valuable lessons - and you might just find you have more strength than you realized!
The Final Sprint:
Let go of perfection and focus on learning and growth
This is the time to let go – to drop your perfectionist habit. Let go of the need to win every race. Instead, focus on learning, growth, and ongoing improvement - the food of champions. After all, even the world's best triathletes weren't born gold medal winners. They trained. They learned. They fell, and they got back up. Just like every successful executive.
As an executive, your journey is a triathlon of many parts and paths, not a competitive sprint in a straight line. So, embrace every stumble, every missed turn, and every slow mile as a chance to learn, grow, and become a better leader. Because great leadership is not about being perfect, it's about becoming the most authentic best version of yourself.
So, are you ready to take the plunge into turbulent waters, put pedal to the steaming metal, and run purposefully towards success? Use these triathlon tactics to help you gear up for a winning executive mindset.
