Leadership Lessons from the Track
Track cycling is my gladiator space, and it is also the space that requires me to bridge the ability of my body with the ability of my mind. Making that bridge is one of the hardest things that I’ve ever done.
As a sprinter, my events last seconds. They require enormous attention to detail, form and technique while riding at top speeds. And in a race that is seconds long there is no room for error, big or small.
I’m learning a lot about myself as I work to master my sport and, surprisingly, a lot about leadership.
Lesson 1: Rules Can Be Your Friend
I’m speaking here of instructional rules. Even so, I’m not a fan of rules. In fact, I spent a good bit of my career working around and through the rules – rules usually created by bureaucracies that result in barriers to better outcomes for young people.
So, it wasn’t a surprise that I struggled initially to absorb the instructional rules and fundamentals of my new sport. I have no doubt that this was a source of frustration for my coaches. When I realized that what worked for me in my professional life was not working for me on the track, I had to reframe the way that I thought about what I was being asked to do.
In the strictest sense, rules establish boundaries, but they can also be instructional – provide guidance and set standards. I would never master the details if I couldn’t do the basics and focus on the instructional rules. This was especially important since early on I had absolutely no context for understanding what I was being asked to do.
As I gained more experience through each practice and race, and more context, I was able to better understand the rules. In other words, I wasn’t just doing them because I was told. I began to understand why I was doing them. That’s when I really started to learn.
Lesson 2: Executing & Performing — Two Different Things
A friend of mine who is an elite track and field coach always says, “Practice doesn’t make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.” Well, my practice isn’t always perfect and there were many moments early in my training when I focused on beating my training partners rather than executing the drill.
I especially liked passing men in my training group. It made me happy. Really happy. I would roll into the pit (the center of the velodrome) expecting a thumbs up. Unimpressed, my coach would tell me, “Lisa, you are focused on performance not execution. We need you to be focused on execution.” The “we” in this context is always him and me.
To execute is to focus on the details. And, when we execute to the best of our ability, we always win metaphorically speaking whether it’s in sport, work or life. There is an inordinate amount of detail in sprinting that can define the outcome. How you use the geometry of the track, form, and pedaling mechanics are just a few. All these details, these pieces, must come together on the track to get a good outcome even if that outcome isn’t a win.
Lesson 3: Watching Versus Looking
I have to admit that I didn’t spend much time thinking about the distinction between looking and watching until I started to learn the match sprint, a one-on-one event that is mostly about strategy and tactics. Both are verbs (well, present participles to be precise) but when my coach first highlighted the difference it made me wonder, ‘How many times in life have I been looking and not watching?’
Watching is active readiness. You’re not only observing your opponent or a situation, you’re seeing what’s happening in the moment and you are ready to respond.
Looking is passive. There is nothing passive about the match sprint and any hesitation in your response usually leads to a bad result.
Lesson 4: Not All Situations Can Be Overcome By Power
Many equate athleticism with power. But, we also know that agility, technique and finesse are part of what make great athletes great. Serena Williams’ superiority isn’t just because of her power serve and return. She also knows how to cover the court and place the ball.
How many times do we try to muscle through situations that really require finesse? Understanding when power is not going to yield the outcome we desire and knowing when to rely on finesse is the key to life, leadership and, so I’ve learned, track cycling.
Lesson 5: Energy And Emotion
I’ve been thinking more about energy, passion and emotion since my coach said to me, “We need energy, not emotion,” as he pushed me off for my match sprint ride at my first World Championships. Essentially, don’t get so excited that you lose focus, but bring energy to your ride.
He knows me and I think that he knows that there are some things about me that he may never change, but he can redirect. It’s his job to take what can be a weakness and turn it into a strength.
My job is to think consciously about channeling my emotion into energy and make the best decisions that I can in each situation on the track. The same rules apply in life.
Learning, Leading and the Road to Mastery
In my journey toward mastery I’ve discovered that there are elements of my leadership that support my learning and those that actually create barriers to my learning. Let’s just say that the process of learning a new sport has taught me a lot about myself. And, everything that I undertake and learn is part of my world. It all goes in the combine with the hope of churning out an improved version of me. So, I’ve been conscious about blending my worlds and it is making me a better person, a better leader, and a better athlete.
Intersections
Leadership Lessons from the Track
Track cycling is my gladiator space, and it is also the space that requires me to bridge the ability of my body with the ability of my mind. Making that bridge is one of the hardest things that I’ve ever done.
As a sprinter, my events last seconds. They require enormous attention to detail, form and technique while riding at top speeds. And in a race that is seconds long there is no room for error, big or small.
I’m learning a lot about myself as I work to master my sport and, surprisingly, a lot about leadership.
Lesson 1: Rules Can Be Your Friend
I’m speaking here of instructional rules. Even so, I’m not a fan of rules. In fact, I spent a good bit of my career working around and through the rules – rules usually created by bureaucracies that result in barriers to better outcomes for young people.
So, it wasn’t a surprise that I struggled initially to absorb the instructional rules and fundamentals of my new sport. I have no doubt that this was a source of frustration for my coaches. When I realized that what worked for me in my professional life was not working for me on the track, I had to reframe the way that I thought about what I was being asked to do.
In the strictest sense, rules establish boundaries, but they can also be instructional – provide guidance and set standards. I would never master the details if I couldn’t do the basics and focus on the instructional rules. This was especially important since early on I had absolutely no context for understanding what I was being asked to do.
As I gained more experience through each practice and race, and more context, I was able to better understand the rules. In other words, I wasn’t just doing them because I was told. I began to understand why I was doing them. That’s when I really started to learn.
Lesson 2: Executing & Performing — Two Different Things
A friend of mine who is an elite track and field coach always says, “Practice doesn’t make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.” Well, my practice isn’t always perfect and there were many moments early in my training when I focused on beating my training partners rather than executing the drill.
I especially liked passing men in my training group. It made me happy. Really happy. I would roll into the pit (the center of the velodrome) expecting a thumbs up. Unimpressed, my coach would tell me, “Lisa, you are focused on performance not execution. We need you to be focused on execution.” The “we” in this context is always him and me.
To execute is to focus on the details. And, when we execute to the best of our ability, we always win metaphorically speaking whether it’s in sport, work or life. There is an inordinate amount of detail in sprinting that can define the outcome. How you use the geometry of the track, form, and pedaling mechanics are just a few. All these details, these pieces, must come together on the track to get a good outcome even if that outcome isn’t a win.
Lesson 3: Watching Versus Looking
I have to admit that I didn’t spend much time thinking about the distinction between looking and watching until I started to learn the match sprint, a one-on-one event that is mostly about strategy and tactics. Both are verbs (well, present participles to be precise) but when my coach first highlighted the difference it made me wonder, ‘How many times in life have I been looking and not watching?’
Watching is active readiness. You’re not only observing your opponent or a situation, you’re seeing what’s happening in the moment and you are ready to respond.
Looking is passive. There is nothing passive about the match sprint and any hesitation in your response usually leads to a bad result.
Lesson 4: Not All Situations Can Be Overcome By Power
Many equate athleticism with power. But, we also know that agility, technique and finesse are part of what make great athletes great. Serena Williams’ superiority isn’t just because of her power serve and return. She also knows how to cover the court and place the ball.
How many times do we try to muscle through situations that really require finesse? Understanding when power is not going to yield the outcome we desire and knowing when to rely on finesse is the key to life, leadership and, so I’ve learned, track cycling.
Lesson 5: Energy And Emotion
I’ve been thinking more about energy, passion and emotion since my coach said to me, “We need energy, not emotion,” as he pushed me off for my match sprint ride at my first World Championships. Essentially, don’t get so excited that you lose focus, but bring energy to your ride.
He knows me and I think that he knows that there are some things about me that he may never change, but he can redirect. It’s his job to take what can be a weakness and turn it into a strength.
My job is to think consciously about channeling my emotion into energy and make the best decisions that I can in each situation on the track. The same rules apply in life.
Learning, Leading and the Road to Mastery
In my journey toward mastery I’ve discovered that there are elements of my leadership that support my learning and those that actually create barriers to my learning. Let’s just say that the process of learning a new sport has taught me a lot about myself. And, everything that I undertake and learn is part of my world. It all goes in the combine with the hope of churning out an improved version of me. So, I’ve been conscious about blending my worlds and it is making me a better person, a better leader, and a better athlete.