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 A triathlon has 3 primary disciplines Swimming, Biking and Running. Many athletes focus all of their training in these three areas and never practice what some would call the 4th discipline, “The Transition”. It is the smooth execution of transitioning that could be the difference between a good race or GREAT race and a tricky “I learned a lesson” race experience.
Transition includes the preparation, organization and execution of moving from one sport to the next during a race to include the right nutrition, equipment, clothing, mental and physiological shift from one type of athlete to another. This takes practice to know what you need so the athlete doesn’t become “lost in transition” (I’m not going to mention any names here to protect the identity of some really good friends of mine). Knowing what is appropriate to be successful in a triathlon also takes the ability to respond appropriately to the situation, changing as needed to achieve desired results. Much like business and life…
Successful business leaders have experienced many transitions in their career and the most successful have grown and developed the ability to adapt to their current situation. Transitioning from the swim to the bike means you no longer need to use the same gear; goggles or wetsuit, however a bike helmet, bike gear and nutrition is needed to traverse the next stage. Similarly in business a company may need to adapt systems of support, relationships, behaviors and skills to transition to a new role, a new client or a new business opportunity. This may sound like a “well duh” as my daughter would say, however you may be surprised as to how many people are unaware that they are biking with swim goggles and a wetsuit, or trying to leverage the same strengths that got them the promotion to now supervise an entirely new, diverse group of people
Another example of “lost in transition” is someone who is competent at their job because they are stellar at problem solving yet are unable to appropriately transition from their work role to another way of relating with their spouse or children. They may lack the ability to connect with their spouse or transfer from problem solving thinking to being supportive and communicative if that is what would be appropriate. Lack of self-awareness is one of the major pitfalls of career stalls and relationship issues.
Often when asked which of the disciplines I’m best at, I’ve always responded with “transition”, mostly because I’m not a strong swimmer, biker or runner. Now looking at it from another perspective, I hope my transitioning skill is something I will continue to grow and learn from, in sports, business and life.
When you ask yourself the question, “How am I at transitioning?” What comes to mind?
I would love to hear your comments and thoughts regarding this topic.
 To identify the type of culture that is prevalent in your organization it is important to listen to the conversations and the language that’s used in everyday conversations. The language used will reveal a glimpse into the unwritten rules that exist. Listen closely in meetings, in the hallways and at the water cooler to the language used to describe everyday events and situations (you may even find them in emails, memos or posted on the wall) circulating within your organization. Engage your managers and other employees to listen for certain words that will describe what’s going on under the surface.
Language is a window into the thinking of how we operate as individuals and as teams. Listen closely to how words and phrases may be limiting possibilities, creativity, innovation or creating opportunities. Culture exists either by default or by design. What type of culture does your organization have coming to life each and every day compared to your desired vision?
Here are a few different terms you can listen for to describe the culture within your organization:
- War Zone: Uphill Battle, Front Line Employees, Bombardment of Questions, Shooting or killing ideas, Attacking Goals and Asking Are we on Target?
- Gaming: Out in Left Field, Second Half Strategy, Team Player, What’s the Next Play, Off Base, One play at a Time, and The Whole Nine Yards.
- Machine: Streamlining Processes, Shifting Gears, Efficiency Planning, Maintaining Performance, Burnout, Program Design, Measurement Standards, and How Can We Crank It Up?
- Finite: Bottom Line, At the End of the Day, Deadline, Final Planning Stage, Last Quarter Push, Wasting Precious Time, Where are the Boundaries, End of the FISCAL, and Limited Options.
- TV Show or Movie: Let’s Get This Show on the Road, Deal or No Deal, The Good, Bad and the Ugly, Family Feud, Build It and They Will Come, Talent Search, The IT Factor, and Do You Feel Lucky.
These are only a few of the terms to listen for, however related terms in these categories will give you the insight you need to know what culture your employees are creating in the organization. Are they in competition with each other or is it a culture of a friendly work environment that supports productivity, enjoyment of job and efficiency?
Culture is so embedded that it becomes like water to a fish, we don’t see or feel it, it just is. A few ways to explore this is by hosting open forum sessions with new hires to get their fresh perspective and/or hiring a trusted consultant to objectively assess and identify your current culture strengths and challenges and where positive changes can take place to make your organization even more effective.
 In the sport of IRONMAN you put your body through a rigor that pushes the limits of physical ability and mental toughness is par for the course. The discipline of the sport brings a new dimension to the word balance as many triathletes are challenged with trying to balance their training, business and life priorities to what many would consider insane levels of capacity. The daily discipline wreaks havoc on your body, mind and strain on relationships. It is easy to get caught up in the selfishness of “me first” as all of your energy is focused on squeezing in the necessary training, rest and self discipline necessary to swim, bike and run 140.6 miles.
Days run together and as your body breaks down as part of the building process. You can get wrapped up in doing whatever it takes to accomplish your goal of setting a new PR (personal record), placing in your age group or just crossing the finish line. In many ways IRONMAN is symbolic of so many goals, be it the next promotion in business, financial success or landing that really big project. Having laser focus can help us achieve our goals, however narrow vision can also blind us to other juicy, wonderful nuances of life that may be sacrificed along the way.
To rise above the rigor and embrace the many marvels of life along the journey is an extraordinary undertaking that takes exceptional vision, discipline and compassion. In work, life and IRONMAN there are incredible leaders who embody the essence of head, heart and guts and Victor Dover, a South Florida Endurance Athlete, Business Owner, Father, Husband and all around “Good Guy” is one such example. As a friend and fellow IRONMAN he is the epitome of what this sport is all about. His friends know him as Vic, in the community Mr. Dover and at home he is Dad to his two beautiful children and husband to his amazing wife Mari. As he takes on the Lake Placid IRONMAN event (his second 140.6 miler) he is dedicating this race and raising much needed funds for the Dan Marino Foundation helping kids with Autism and developmental disabilities. https://www.firstgiving.com/victordover2010
Contributing to others while pursuing your own goals brings an element to personal achievement that elevates the motivation when you are hitting the proverbial wall. Giving without expecting returns shifts the dynamics of energy to propel you to new heights in the long hours of the day when the finish line is no where in site be it business, life or sports. I encourage you to give whatever you can to this great cause, supporting a great man who may be IRONMAN on the outside but his heart is pure gold.
If you are an endurance athlete in sports, business or life or have never run, biked or swam you can join Victor on his journey by supporting his efforts, earning your own medal of heart-gold. VICtory is taking the first step.
Please share your stories and comments on this topic.
Endurance versus strength, there has always been arguments of which one is better to have. In endurance sports, an endurance athlete must be strong enough to compete, however if they don’t have the endurance to last then they will lose the race. It is the same for business owners. A business owner may have the strength to get the job done or make the decisions, but it is in the final hour when staying focused a little longer or not tiring out is critical to the success of the business.
According to the dictionary, endurance means the ability to continue or last, especially despite fatigue, stress, or other adverse conditions. A good synonym to pair with the word endurance is stamina. Lasting longer, pushing harder and still being able to maintain a consistent force to accomplish goals and tasks.
Strength, defined as having bodily, muscular or mental power. A good synonym to pair with strength is vigor. It is having the power to do something whether it is physical or mental. Often times we compare lifting a car to physical strength.
An endurance athlete must have the muscular strength to participate in marathons and triathlons, while a business owner must have the mental strength to make tough decisions, think about what’s best for the company and run the day to day operations. This is not the same as endurance however; endurance refers to the long haul. It does not matter how much physical strength an athlete has if they cannot finish the race. As a business owner it does not matter how much strength one has to make the tough decisions, if they unfocused, lack energy, short tempered or out sick because they have not taken care of their health.
Endurance is built through lifestyle and habits and includes strategy and balance. One must practice daily what it is that they want to accomplish on the job and in sports. Proper eating habits are a must when you are looking to endure the race of life or any other kind of race, such as a marathon. A person must find balance between work, family and personal time. Working with a business life coach will assist in helping a business owner achieve the success they are looking for in finding balance and keeping themselves happy. A business life coach acts as a checks and balances to an endurance athlete and business owner.
Keep yourself mentally prepared for anything, balanced so you can handle it and happy so you can endure the impossible. Life is truly what we make of it; with the right attitude, support and lifestyle we can accomplish anything we set our minds to.
 What happens to the endurance athlete or endurance business owner who doesn’t schedule time to balance their life and priorities? It is easy to fall into the “label” of being a hardworking person who is driven, dedicated and well to be quite honest a workaholic. For many of us we are happy to play that role, in fact most of the time it takes us out of the reality we may be trying to avoid for whatever reason deep down inside. It’s no different whether you are in corporate America, a local business owner or an endurance athlete; the role of being a hard worker seems to stick with many of us.
It becomes comfortable for us to be known as that great professional who is so successful at what they do. However, that road can be a lonely road. When you are “that person”, that “work-a-holic” burnout is usually on the horizon. A body can only take so much mentally, physically and emotionally. Talented people burnout and fall into a cycle of having to put in more hours to keep up. This leads to work performance issues, relationship problems with family and friends; even sometimes resulting in divorce. Health issues can arise in a person who is all work and no play, as well as lack of life effectiveness.
A top level executive once stated that people at his corporate office wear the hours they work like a badge of honor. While being proud of the work you do and complete is not a bad thing, if you are wearing the “work-a-holic” badge like a badge of honor, it may be time to step back take a hard look at yourself and evaluate the reasons why.
A good night’s sleep can do a world of wonders for increased productivity at the workplace the next day. The day usually looks clearer, your thinking ability is much greater and the work load usually appears less. If you take a moment to look at the stock of your life, you will come t know that you can accomplish more that you ever thought possible. Time is a great equalizer we all have twenty four hours in a day and seven days in a week, it’s what we do with our time that makes the difference.
Don’t be the person that allows work performance issues into your daily routine, only because you aren’t giving your body and life the right balance. If you are an athlete, a business owner or just someone in the company, learn to give your life the proper balance in order to stay at the top of your game.
 Endurance Athlete. What does that mean? An endurance athlete is someone who trains all year for endurance sports, such as marathons, triathlons, Olympic sports, etc. Endurance athletes must have the ability to endure or last through a long race. They are found in many categories; swimming, running, biking, walking; just to name a few. Training is a key component of what allows them to perform for long periods of time during a race. It is imperative for these athletes to treat their body well by getting enough rest to keep them strong mentally and physically. Eating a well balanced diet helps them to keep their body healthy, finding a good balance between life and training is also important, so they don’t become overwhelmed. Many of them work with a coach who helps them achieve their goals. All of these are important routines for endurance athletes to practice daily, so they can be the best at what they have chosen to do with their time.
Running a business is very similar to training for endurance sports, yet business owners often do not treat it as such. Successful business owners or business athletes know that it is important to take care of your body, both physically and mentally. Everything that happens in life can affect the performance and productivity of a person. Running a business requires physical strength, which comes from working out and eating a well balanced diet, as well as mental strength, which comes from a focus on balancing lifestyle. The same things that apply in the world of performance or endurance athletes can be applied in the world of business as well. Let’s take a look at some of the ingredients that relates to both endurance athletes and business owners.
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As An Athlete |
In the Business World |
| TIME MANAGEMENT |
There are set goals and timelines (ie.26.2 under 6 hrs) |
Establishing clear objectives with timelines provide clarity. |
| LEVERAGE “TEAM” |
Having support is critical. Family, friends or groups help you maintain your sanity, cheer you on and take part in your success. |
Surrounding yourself with people who energize you, bring thought, perspective and motivate you can be invaluable to your success |
| REST |
The body has a need to rest and recover to be at its best for game day. |
Getting proper rest will allow you to think more clearly and function more effectively. |
| GET A COACH or MENTOR |
Having a coach watch you and correct your form, provide you with ideas or bring experience/knowledge in training is vital. |
Having a coach or mentor provides objectivity that when combined with trust and skill can have significant results on your success. |
| SET GOALS |
Signing up for an event begins the process to schedule training (hopefully) that will get you across the finish line |
Having clearly defined short and long term goals allows you to establish daily activities that align with your goals. |
Running a business is not much different from training for endurance sports, such as a marathon. Keeping the end goal in mind with the proper preparation will help to bring success and well being to the mind, body and soul. In endurance sports it’s all about the race, it’s the preparation and endurance that sets apart the best in the industry. The business world is much like a race; it’s the preparation and perseverance that distinguishes success from failure. Those who treat their body well, surround themselves with encouraging people and a business life coach or business mentor to help guide them will find their results are much better than if they do not keep themselves energized and moving forward.business athletes
An endurance athlete is always looking for ways to improve their performance. Improving performance can take many forms; it could mean improving speed, or practicing to be more efficient in the sport. Some endurance athletes train for hours on end every day, eat healthy and meditate on how to improve their performance. In the world of endurance sports efficiency, effectiveness and getting the job done faster and better is an endless pursuit for everyone in the sport. Endurance sports require trainers to teach athletes the right balance in an athlete’s life. Much like a business should have a “business coach” to help teach the business owner perfect balance between handling life and business.
Running your life and a business is much like playing endurance sports. It requires a level of dedication, commitment to long hours and doing whatever it takes to keep the mind, body, and soul healthy; in both your personal and business life. In the corporate world, it is often viewed as a game to see who can “Go Long” or “Go the Longest”; often reflected by dark circles and bags under the eyes. Thirty second elevator speeches are often a comparison of the number of hours worked through the week or how the weekend will be full of work.
In the society in which we live success is often measured by the number of hours we work a week. Time has shown that hard work and long hours has its rewards; nevertheless when do long hours become the measure of success versus results? As an athlete, if you can get to the finish line of a 140.6 mile triathlon in 12 hours versus 17 hours…why wouldn’t you train to?
If results could be achieved at work by improving efficiency and accomplishing more in less time, then why not train to do just that? It may require sitting down with a business coach to learn how to balance the demands of life and business. It is going to require discipline and hard work; however experience proves that hours equate to dedication that measures performance.
Shaving time is big business in the world of triathlons with athletes spending millions of dollars every year on equipment, nutrition and technology. Corporations also focus on shedding time and wasteful spending of money. Often times corporate consultants are brought in to look at the areas that need improvement. No matter what the business size, a business life coach can help to organize life demands and business goals to increase productivity, efficiency and wasteful spending of time.
Sustainability, the new buzz word of the business world today. When leaders talk about sustaining and sustainability they are mostly referring to the Global, going green movement. While walking through Midway airport in Chicago, I wondered to myself how this word “sustainability” could be used in relationships. Bored by the billboards along the walk way, I turned my attention to the blank stares of the people moving along the auto sidewalk, seemingly intentionally avoiding any eye contact with other human beings passing through their path.
The word civility came to mind and then I began to wonder how civility connects with sustainability. My mind continued to wrap around these two concepts as I walked past the bustling mob of zombie like men and woman traveling to their important destinations. Could civility have long term sustaining affects on the world? What would it be like to have sincere smiles replace blank stares?
Two small girls passed by me, about knee high and they looked up, smiled at me then giggled when I returned the greeting. Civility: how we behave in regard to others is an interesting concept. I watched as suited travelers focus their attention on their hand held communication tools.
In the business world, sincere regard for others has been replaced by the multi tasking Blackberry focus. What would be the long-term sustaining affect of putting the blackberry down and having a genuine conversation with another human being? HMMM, just thinking, what would it be like in a corporation to have people actually focus on the people around them versus the blinking red light that let’s them know there is another message waiting to be answered.
I imagine the memos being sent about customer service and how important it is to give good service by the distinguished gentleman in the black overcoat as he sits oblivious to the people around him, looking up briefly, only to catch something on the television monitor above his head.
If we as a society would take the time to slow down and recognize the benefits of utilizing civility, treating people like people instead of total disconnection to the world, we may actually be able to work as a community to get things done more effectively. If we could only for a short time practice recognizing others for who they really are and the impact each person makes, opposed to focusing on pumping out another email, sustainability would make a lot more sense in the world in which work and live.
Think about it, what does sustainability with civility mean to you and your business? How could you incorporate it into your business model to be more productive?
December 13th, 2009 | Tags: Leadership, Project Execution | Category: Leadership In over 25 years working in corporate business I’ve seen and experienced the good, the bad, and the ugly of Leadership behavior. From the perspective of the front lines, to the closed doors of executive meeting rooms, and everything in between.
Through years of observation I’ve gained insight into how great Leaders achieve phenomenal results and observed individuals in leadership positions who yielded poor results. There are a variety of factors that lead to the overall success or failure of a program, project or desired results. Here are the top 10 reasons execution breaks down:
- LEADERS not engaged or blind spots limit them. Simply stated, people will mirror the values they see NOT the words they read or hear. Have you ever heard, “I told them to do (or not to do) that time and again, they just don’t listen.”
Recommendation: Look below the surface when issues arise, establish a feedback mechanism and most importantly, “Walk the Talk”. Delivering the message is simply not sufficient. You must “Be the Message”.
- COMMUNICATION designed for the writer NOT the user. Front line managers deal with chaos day in and day out. At the outlet level of operations there are multiple distractions that come into play, including the guests or clients (yes some think this…shocker) detracting from reading the latest memo or stack of memos from corporate.
Recommendation: Target your communication by asking, who needs to know what by when and how. Simply blasting a memo corporate wide is not the best use of time, money and resources.
- INCENTIVES & RANKINGS (TEAMWORK or COMPETITION?) Setting goals is important and tracking progress is essential, however too much focus on competition builds silos. Your teams may look at each other as the competition and keep from sharing ideas that could elevate your entire organization.
Recommendation: Find ways to reward performance AND encourage cross-functional engagement. Acknowledge Mentoring, Coaching and Support rewarding progress including those who helped others. Also consider investing in cross training, rotational assignments to help round out the experiences of your Leaders.
- LACK OF ENGAGEMENT: People want to feel appreciated and valued; when they are just a means to an end their work will reflect this. Hard work and long hours are necessary at times, however when employees put in hours to measure value or because they are “burnt out”, effectiveness has a diminishing return on results.
Recommendation: Keep an eye out for the way the leaders in your organization recognize performance. If hard work, long hours and endless dedication are a common theme you may want to step back to see what results are produced. Long-term sustainable growth cannot be achieved if human toll is the price paid.
- No sense of PURPOSE. When there is no clear understanding of how daily activities fit into the vision people will fill the gaps. Lack of purpose and indecision are the two greatest thieves of time.
Recommendation: Identify priorities, both long term and short-term goals. Clearly communicate what is non-negotiable. Use feedback mechanisms to understand how your front line interprets their directives. A framework that creates open feedback with no judgment is critical if you want to really get at the root issues of breakdowns.
- This is HOW we have ALWAYS done it. The inability to be agile in a world of change can be deadly in today’s business.
Recommendation: Even a little change can have significant ripples in an organization. Acknowledge the need for front line teams to understand the WHYs of what needs change and help others contribute their fresh ideas. Find ways to engage your front line in making changes. Remember the money is not made behind a desk.
- Lack of Passion. Not everyone is suited for the job. In addition to having skills, passion (or lack of) for what they do is apparent.
Recommendation:Re-evaluate your hiring process. Look outside your current job descriptions to seek individuals who have a passion for the job. Skills can be taught, passion cannot.
- Bureaucracy & Politics. How things get done in a corporate environment is a skill that many executives learn from the fish tank. The fish is not aware of the water. Decisions don’t always benefit long term results.
Recommendation: Get out of the office! Spending time with your front line can be an enlightening experience AND will give you insight to how your organization is functioning. Great Leaders understand that their primary role is to support and develop their team to execute to their highest potential.
- Open door, closed minds. Ask yourself, “How often do I get visited by those who do not report to me?” If your answer is not often enough then you may have to re-evaluate how approachable you really are.
Recommendation: Start by asking an objective observer (a coach, a mentor) to observe your verbal and non-verbal communication when you get feedback. Your body language and tone may be scaring people away who have information you can use.
- More is TOO much. No better way to kill execution than overwhelm the front line. If different departments are all communicating to the front line at the same time with their priorities, levels of execution will vary.
Recommendation: Have a gatekeeper process to ensure the critical programs are not lost in a mountain of initiatives. Give clear direction and ensure all departments/employees are aware of front line activities. Establish success criteria and review it often.
Let me know what you think about this Top 10 and what others you have experienced, or would like to explore.
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A triathlon has 3 primary disciplines Swimming, Biking and Running. Many athletes focus all of their training in these three areas and never practice what some would call the 4th discipline, “The Transition”. It is the smooth execution of transitioning that could be the difference between a good race or GREAT race and a tricky “I learned a lesson” race experience.
