Tag: Masters Rowing

  • Finding the edge

    Finding the edge

    In the pursuit of excellence whether in business, sport or my personal life, I like to continuously challenge where my real or perceived limits are. I often find that when I explore a limit, I find an edge. This edge is where I start to explore, understand and challenge the belief that is defining the ‘limit’.

    Exploring where the edge can be uncomfortable. It generally challenges an existing belief, yet my desire to improve, my pursuit of excellence, drives me forward to find, explore and push this limit. I won’t find the limit unless I push the limit, push to find the edge, move with it, learn from it and find a way through it.

    An example is in preparation for the 2019 rowing season, I have challenged the Masters Rowing Squad to train differently to how they have in the past. Together we challenged the belief in the “no pain no gain”  approach to athletic improvement. (Side note; see Seiler’s Hierarchy of Endurance Training Needs 2016) On exploring what the best in the world do to go fast. we identified the key themes that define success and the supporting tactics. Some of these themes challenged general beliefs and concepts, yet instead of going with what everyone else is doing or the dogma of failed strategies, we are focusing on building up the season in a healthy, intelligent and personalised way that has proven to be successful.

    Although the squad knows the approach works, it challenges their beliefs. Together, we need to be consciously aware of what we are doing and why we are doing what we are doing. We need to be aware that our approach is challenging our belief systems and the beliefs of others around us. We need to pay attention to our thoughts and fortitude to stay the course. Simple questions like; “whats the purpose of this session”? help to bring the awareness to what we are doing and why.

    Another example may be when challenging an organisation in transformation to examine existing organisational beliefs. The old quote of ‘this is how we do things around here’ or in excusing leadership beliefs and or behaviour that are not working as ‘The Organisation’s DNA‘ need to be consciously put on the table for discussion.

    Leaders need to explore and understand how successful teams have navigated through change. The default norm of ‘telling’ people what to do and being directive simply is not as successful or effective as empowering teams with clear direction, with trust in the organisation to work it out. This may challenge existing beliefs on what it meant to be a leader and may place leaders at the edge of their beliefs and along with the ambiguity, doubt.

    “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”

    Albert Einstein

    Like the rowing squad, leaders that acknowledge they need to work differently and consciously pay attention to their behaviour generally do. It feels different, yet when supported, leaders can gain strength in exploring the edge through cooperating and collaborating together.

    So what you say? Well in the pursuit of excellence I’m constantly looking for the edge, understanding what I need to do differently or optimising the ‘same‘ to achieve my personal and professional goals. I’m paying attention to what is making me uncomfortable and why. I’m getting feedback from close counsel on what I may need to do differently or pay attention to. I’m challenging my beliefs. I’m finding the edge…


    Excellence. The quality of being outstanding or extremely good.

    Oxford dictionary, 2019
  • Nearly died this morning – no joke

    Nearly died this morning – no joke

    Its mid-January and on Lac Leman in Switzerland it’s a clear sunny morning and +1.5°. A great morning for a row with my mate Craig. Forty-five minutes later I find myself upside down in 5°water, my feet trapped in my form fitting rowing shoes, and the first thing that pops into my head is the sensation of being back at Bilgola beach and staying under a series of large waves and having to hold my breath. Stay calm and think about what you need to do next.

    Under water I eventually get my feet out and come up for air. Then take a breath and asses what just happened. I can see Craig close by looking to see if I am okay. “I’m okay mate”. I know that I need to get back in the boat and get to shore and get dry and warm fast. Craig and I figure I’ve got about 15 minutes max before I’m in danger of my body shutting down due to the cold.

    Heaving myself up onto the hull of the overturned skiff, it becomes clear what happened. The freezing temperatures had affected the locking mechanism on the gate that holds the oar securely in place. At the catch, the bow (left) oar simply popped out and I instantly had nothing in my hand and over I went.

    Paddling the boat back to shore like a large Malibu surf board, it took about 8 minutes to get to a place where I could turn the boat over, empty out the water, secure the oar in place, get in and row to the nearest harbour. Easier said than done as my feet and hands were beginning to seize up. The cold was seeping in and taking hold. Craig was clear and kept talking to me, he also was alert to where to go. We eventually got to shore, 15-minutes had passed by the time Craig heaved me out of the boat and searched for somewhere to get dry. A member of the local sailing club was alerted. Craig got me under a hot shower and called in Jeroen, another member of the crew to bring down some dry clothes. Although I was clearly showing signs of hypothermia, exhausting the hot water supply extinguished the cold and steadied the shivering.

    Today I was reminded again of how the “being” of a great team is so important. Both Craig and Jeroen went into action so fast and with clear intent, they no doubt saved me from going deeper into a dangerous hypothermic state. They stayed calm and just did what the knew had to be done.

    A little while after all of this, we are all sitting down eating breakfast and drinking coffee, laughing, debriefing the situation and learning from what happened. There was a collective consciousness between us. Its simply amazing what can be done when you have the right crew and an abundance of trust.