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.

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:

1. War Zone: Uphill Battle, Front Line Employees, Bombardment of Questions, Shooting or killing ideas, Attacking Goals and Asking Are we on Target?
2. 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.
3. Machine: Streamlining Processes, Shifting Gears, Efficiency Planning, Maintaining Performance, Burnout, Program Design, Measurement Standards, and How Can We Crank It Up?
4. 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.
5. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.