Lessons in Team Work from Geese

I had a discussion with my friends over the weekend about how we can get ahead and make the most of our lives. The one thing which we all noticed is quite often people do not have the support of their team (friends, co-workers, family members). Without the support of a team, reaching your goals, dreams will be definately more challenging. In my experience working at Innovative Fitness, I can relate to my rookie season. I thought I was a great training coach when I started; however I was wrong. My teammates took the time to see that there was a player who needed help in improving his personal training skills, so instead of letting me drown, they helped me become better; thus I can enhance the quality of the team. Furthermore, this afternoon I went on a bike ride with a customer I train and the talk about how geese stay together came into our discussion. Well, I had to take a further look and google "geese and team' and this is what I came up with.

Below is how Geese work as a team and the lessons to take away:

Fact 1: As each goose flaps its wings, it creates an “uplift” for the birds that follow. By flying in a “V” formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone. Lesson: People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of each other.

Fact 2: When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it. Lesson: If we have as much sense as a goose, we stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. We are willing to accept their help and give our help to others.

Fact 3: When the lead bird tires, it rotates back into the formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it. Lesson: It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership. As with geese, people are interdependent on each other’s skills, capabilities, and unique arrangements of gifts, talents, or resources.

Fact 4: The geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. Lesson: We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In groups where there is encouragement, the production is much greater. The power of encouragement (to stand by one’s heart or core values and to encourage the heart and core values of others) is the quality of honking we seek.

Fact 5: When a goose gets sick, wounded, or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it. They stay with it until it dies or is able to fly again. Then, they launch out with another formation or catch up with the flock. Lesson: If we have as much sense of geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we’re strong.

Thoughts?

Easy come, easy go...

"A fool and his money are soon parted..." ~Thomas Tusser (1524-1580)

How true this is.

There have been many conversations, both in these blogs as well as between one another, about there being only three ways to come into money: inherit it, earn it, and steal it. Well, although stealing it clearly has it's own ramifications, sometimes we don't consider the significant negative possibilities of inheriting wealth.

Three examples come to mind:

• In high school, I had a good friend who came from an extremely affluent background. For his 16th birthday, his parents gave him a brand new '88 Corvette, fully insured and paid for in cash (yes, I know this dates me... whatever). He proceeded to crash it the next year - after it was rebuilt, his parents paid the higher insurance premiums. When that got destroyed as well, they then bought him a '90 Toyota Forerunner, and kept paying the $5000 per year insurance premiums. Well, his parents suddenly hit hard times a few years back - had to sell their house, and so on... and last I'd heard, this friend of mine was still working in the coffee shops trying to get his real estate licence (he never bothered with post-secondary education until the fountain "dried up"). Oh, and he didn't have a car...
• The summer after my first year of university, I worked with one purpose - to buy a car to use while I was away at school. After four months of tree-planting, house-moving and hardwood floor laying, and putting away what I needed for the eight months of school - I was able to afford a 1979 Honda Civic with manual choke. She wasn't much to look at, but I took care of her... what would I do if something happened to her? I'd used the last of my money on the actual purchase - I didn't have much choice but to keep her up and running. That sweet ride lasted me from 1992 to 1996.
• Finally, there are the Harpers. You may not have heard of them - but they were one of the families that was helped by "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" a few seasons back. The family had fallen on hard times, so the show (plus 1800 volunteers) came in and, on donations alone, tore the house down and rebuilt it to the tune of $450,000US. Furthermore, the Harpers were given 25 years worth of property and housing tax - so, essentially, they were handed a house worth half-a-million dollars, with no costs attached. Guess what I read this week? The bank foreclosed on them - because they'd taken that house and used it as collateral for a high-risk business venture that failed.

Now, at this point I usually tie things up with a neat bow - but I think I would rather hear the thoughts of everyone else on this first...? What do you take from it, and how does it relate to you?

And I would especially like to hear from some of the others who don't regularly contribute or comment on these...

(Note: Significant hints to my personal thoughts can be found both in the title, and subtitle, of this blog...)

~Guy

Drawing parallels

This past weekend we had some great things take place. A group of adventurous mountain bikers rode their bikes on some of BC’s best single track, breathtaking meadows and mountain passes. A committed customer competed in the Ocean man 10km English Bay crossing – specific tides and current needed. The parallels of challenge/training, adversity/participating and victory/completing ring true to each person involved.
Another event took place north of Vancouver, Squamish and Whistler…the Pemberton Music festival. This was an epic event of mass proportion. 40,000 people headed north for the 3day event.
Now we heard of festivalgoers camping and of course some were commuting to Whistler to party and sleep. The general consensus has been that everyone had a great time but didn’t get a lot of sleep. Many great bands and artists performed and created the energy needed to have a good time. The dust created a bit of a mess and the crowd created lineups. So all and all, ‘we had a great time, but had to stand in line a lot’ but with that many ‘humans’ in the mix, that’s a lot of potential issues and specific planning/systems had to be in place to ensure everything went off without a hitch.
Now with 40,000 bodies moving around town, up and down the sea to sky highway – what has been taken away in regards to the Olympics that will be coming our way in 20 moons or so?
This past weekend was said to bring 9million dollars of revenue to the local Pemberton district. Of course a bottle of water was 4$ but what is this teaching us about BC’s epic event in 2010?
We need to get our roads prepped – we need to have all our emergency response resources in order and of course we need to have enough beds at the ready.
How about volunteer’s? How about stepping up and being apart of something that will never be here again? Get some swag and take part!
Regardless, it will be interesting to see if the powers that be look at this past weekend and draw specific parallels towards what BC is up against at the end of this decade.

Philosophy of Charles Schultz

I was watching tv last week and when I was flipping the channels, I saw the show ET. I was frustrated with the amount of stupid things we worry about people we don't even know. So I found the following philosophy of Charles Schultz, the creator of the 'Peanuts' comic strip. You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just read it straight through, and you'll get the point. 

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world. 

2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners. 

3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America. 

4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize. 

5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winner for best actor and actress. 

How did you do?

The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners . 

 

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school. 

2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time. 

3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile. 

4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special. 

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with . 


Easier? 

The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care about you.

Rituals Become Habitual

Developing positive habits in life can be challenging. It all begins with an idea. If we can turn these ideas into action that through time become automatically executed we make life simpler and more enjoyable. For most people it takes about 31 days to make something become habitual. We all have busy lives so taking on new things that we want to do more often and get better at can seem daunting. Yet if we can discipline ourselves to commit in doing something with no significant time off and for a period of 31days chances are we will develop a new (positive) habit.

I rode home an evening after work with Paul 4 years ago. I told him how I wanted to start doing more things but could not find the time. His answer to me was that I have to not only be disciplined but to ritualize my actions to develop them into something that happens more naturally. If it was to read more I was to set aside certain time in the week where, no matter what I would read. Everything else would have to be planned around this reading time. By planning around the designated day and time I would make reading a ritual and if followed through on a week after week for 31 days I would with no doubt make it a habit.

Most of us without really realizing it already ritualize their actions and hence have made actions habitual. Every week we know that we are working certain hours. I work 10am-830am guaranteed 5days a week. I therefore plan everything else around this so that it gets done. Now, after 4years I don’t think twice about it. When I was in the Product Manager role, every Monday morning I would review tangibles. Everything else that morning was based around that time. Every Sunday I will spend the late morning hours doing something creative at home. Everything else on that Sunday is worked around this time. Two mornings a week I get up early to workout. The list of rituals that have become habitual goes on and by now you understand how by ritualizing something it can become a habit. Our challenge is to discipline ourselves to keep the ritual long enough so that it becomes automatic. 31days. Give it a try.

The Law of Attraction

Do you ever get the feeling when you in the presence of certain people your energy is draining away? Do you feel a negative energy or vibe? Do you get tired of hearing I can’t do this, I don’t want this, I hate when I feel this etc. Generally speaking, all of us encounter people like this throughout our lives. Taking this question to the next step, what are the underlying causes for this negative energy? In late 2006 I was introduced to a movie called "The Secret". This movie reveals “The Law of Attraction". For those who have not seen this movie, it discusses how the thought process plays a huge impact in the outcome of our lives.

Main points I took away from this video:

1. An affirmative thought is hundreds of times more powerful than a negative thought.
   


2. Humans who constantly have positive thoughts on achieving his or her dreams, constantly strives to live a full satisfying life will attract those things into their lives by the law of attraction.


3. 
   Many people in society focus on the things they don’t want, can’t have or what the feelings that they don’t want. This attracts more things they do not want into their lives.

Now, let’s think how the law of attraction plays a role in our daily lives. As coaches we are very lucky to be surrounded with like minded positive individuals who produce positive energy.

Please take a look at the two videos and respond on what points you take away from these video. Has the Law of Attraction played a role in your life? I would to hear each of your thoughts and stories.

Video clip 1 (first 20 minutes of “The Secret”):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b1GKGWJbE8

Video clip 2 (Oprah clip on The Secret):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHYrKFRrwHE

The Butterfly Effect

How many of you have heard this term?

The truth is, I could go into where the term came from (Ray Bradbury referenced the concept, though not necessarily the name, back in the late fifties and early sixties, for example), but I want to keep this concise.

Essentially, the "butterfly effect" is the concept that a single flap of the butterfly's wing sets a certain amount of energy in motion that determines future events - like knocking over a single domino starts a chain. Fascinating when you think about it, particularly in the realm of science fiction (think about Marty McFly in "Back to the Future", and the endless hijinks created when he tried to avoid affecting his own future...). But really, the butterfly effect can be applied to ourselves, in a much more real and far less fantastical way...

You see, every action that we make sets in motion a series of events - and this is never truer than when we're leading. As role models, or people whom others are looking at for an example, we have to be constantly aware of this butterfly effect - what we say and do, by and large, determines what is still yet to happen. However, the more aware of it we are, the more we can trace a current situation back and, more importantly, the better we can control it and thereby direct the future events.

Need a real world example? Let's say Jimmy Newcoach has just started at this great gym, "Innovative Workout". This is a great place, with a long history and amazing potential - and currently, things are going great. However, the owners have just hired Billy Jackass as the manager - had great references, and outstanding credentials, so why not? Well, time passes, and Jimmy watches Billy talk only to certain customers - and half of those people, he makes fun of when he's back in the lunchroom. The esteemed manager doesn't train for events (because he's "busy"), complains about having to do those events because they're not his "thing", and makes sure that the facility's cleaned and stocked only by getting his coaches to do it. To make matters worse, Jimmy watches Billy walk past a full towel bin and an empty towel rack, leave garbage on the floor, and never clean up his equipment.

What kind of trainer do you think Jimmy Newcoach is going to be? Furthermore, how long do you think the facility is going to keep operating at a high level?

Okay, so we would hope that we never see someone like Billy Jackass running an Innovative Fitness, because this has a predictable outcome. But step back, and imagine Billy is the ideal in every way - but won't do events. Or clean up after himself... or utilize the company's alliances...

Like the flap of a butterfly's wing, doing (or not doing) even one of these things can have a long reaching effect. At the very least, it can undermine credibility, but at worse, it can actually begin to hamper business.

Look back on your day, and consider if you were the ideal you are asking others to strive for. Really, it doesn't matter if you've got a "good reason" - in the end, you MUST lead others by example, not by words.

After all, who wants to be a Jackass?

~Guy

Recognizing the potential…

We must all recognize the potential of a possible ‘burn out’. We do a lot during our days and though we are taught to plan 'balance' into our week - we must not go too fast and fail to listen to our bodies. If we take the time, it will tell us exactly what it needs.

Simple - our body's need; water, food (fuel), rest (recovery) and most need training (cardiovascular, resistance and flexibility focus). Now, if we are overdoing it in any of these areas, there is the potential of the body shutting down (getting sick) or getting injured. The body requires a steady dose of each of the needs to run efficiently. Not to forget that the mind has it’s own needs and requirements…hell, the brain needs carbs!

It is as important to recognize our own potential for burn out, as it is to recognize that same potential in a fellow teammate. As lucky as we are to have a team like we have – we need to rely on each other to look out for one another. The quick comment, hey – don’t forget about the different uniforms tomorrow or hey, did you study for that quiz? These were the points that stuck out to me… We consistently aid our teammates and need to look out for their best interest at all times including – hey, you are doing too much right now, why not take a couple steps back and recover before it’s too late and you are forced to recover.

Earlier this month, I was personally experiencing the potential of a possible burn out. I was tired (but not able to get a good sleep), I was irritable (but unable to recognize the feelings I may have been hurting) and I was slowing getting injured (odd tweaks and pains in some of my tight muscles) My manager/team-mate/friend recognized this and suggested some time any from events and literally got me back on track. I made the steps to heal and turned it down a notch (including 10hrs of sleep every night for a slice) and I was able to turn the corner and avoid any potential issues of forced time off or worse.

So, Kris – thanks for the callout and recognizing my potential of a possible burnout, I own you one buddy!

live learn and pass it on...

When I arrived in Alberta 12 years ago I couldn't ask the person at the corner store to put my sandwich in the microwave, I couldn't remember how to pronounce microwave! I wanted to get better and started reading English books but they were all too long and I would get lost in them. I found the books" Live, learn and pass it on". Quotes taken from people about what they have learned so far in life. I really enjoyed the books and I wanted to share a few quotes with you. Also, since I have been very fortunate to be around people like you in the last year, I wanted you to share one of your favorite things you have lived, learned and passed on. 

I've learned that... 

I've learned that most of the things I worry about never happen. -age 64 
I've learned that every great achievement was once considered impossible. -age 47 
I've learned that you can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk. -age 7 
I've learned that if there were no problems there would be no opportunities. -age 19 
I've learned that it doesn't cost anything to be nice. -age 66 
I've learned that the important thing is not what others think of me but what I think of me. -age 38

I've learned that you should always leave loved ones with loving words, it may be the last time you see them. -age 50

I've learned that money is a lousy way of keeping score. -age 32

I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catchers mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back. -age 64

I've learned that I still have a lot to learn. -age 92

I've learned that no matter how passionate I am about something, I can't make everyone I know feel the same and that's ok- Isabelle age 32

your turn...

Get off the Fence

How many people do you know who are committed to what they do - commitment to anything from career, family, relationship, health etc? It is a clear that those who are committed are those who end up succeeding in their chosen paths. Rarely if ever will you see someone’s lack of commitment lead them to greatness.

Commitment is a virtue that will make life easier for you and provide you with a greater sense of direction ultimately leading to higher levels of achievement. Furthermore, on a relationship level you allow others to know you and be better able to help you. Think about the relationship with a significant other or friend. If you are unsure, unable to fully commit chances are the relationships will go nowhere and you are just wasting your time and the other person’s time.

In the workplace, lack of commitment increases the risk stagnancy and any forward progress will be slow if any. In life you will see those who are 100% dialed in and excelling at what they do and then there are those who are not committed and end up spending their time fence sitting. The latter has not chosen any side, is neither in nor out and can be seen as being in a state of limbo – not going anywhere. Nobody wants to be in this position. So how do we get better at committing to what is important in our lives? For someone who is unsure of themselves and their choices, self introspect can provide clarity – by doing exercises like writing your personal inventory and going through lessons in values clarification we gain insight into ourselves that will lead to us to make choices and that we commit to.

Being in an idle position in life can be viewed as the easy way but on the same note, remaining there gets you nowhere and in the end you will be unhappy. Commitment can be difficult but the moment we choose to be all in, we gain a greater sense of understanding, we begin to inspire others, and life becomes more rewarding. The choice is simple, make a positive move and be all in or all out. Don’t allow indecision or apathy keep you idle so pick a side and just get off the fence. Be 100%in or 100% out.

Sir Charles had it right

In 1993, Charles Barkley (former NBA star and Hall of Famer), sparked a nation wade debate with his "I am not a role model" commercial for Nike. The basic idea was that athletes / celebrities shouldn't be looked upon as role models for children and that the responsibility falls on the parents, which I definitely agree with although some of you may or may not.

At the time, when that commercial first came out I was 15 years old and had just lost my father to cancer 3 years prior to then. Without knowing it, and not fully realizing it until I'd completed my inventory, I was in desperate need of a role model but not someone like Charles Barkley or Michael Jordan, who I saw on TV for a few hours a week. No, I was in need of a role model that knew me personally and that took the time to help me in the areas that I needed help in, even if that meant just spending time with me. Over the years, that role was filled by several different people but none of them had any million dollar shoe contracts or showed off their shiny championship rings to me; they were just "normal" people that were making a HUGE impact on my life, perhaps without even realizing it themselves.

So what does that mean to me today and how can I learn from this lesson? What I'm learning each and every day is that there are opportunities around me all the time to make a positive impact on somebody, whether that's a fellow training coach, customer or stranger that I might come across. Also, my ongoing need to have a "role model" whose steps that I follow and whose advice I heed is now being filled by this very leadership group, so thank you to everyone for continuing to contribute to my growth and also allowing me to continue learning as well.

- Paul -

"Following the Systems"

a.k.a. "Obeying the Law"

It's funny (not in a "ha ha" sort of way), but I often get chided for my sometimes rigid adherence to systems. Not that this bothers me - I grew up in a family where we were always able to find something to give each other a hard time about, so it more or less rolls off me. Plus, I know that I will sometimes overreact to some of these things and worse, demonstrate an inflexibility that essentially paints a target on my forehead for this sort of banter.

That being said, I think it's important we look at "systems" in a larger, societal context, and consider the importance, both for yourself and others, of following those systems - or, as the title of this blog implies, obeying the law.

The idea for this blog came to me when I was sitting in the line-up at the border after the STP. I was at the truck crossing, and as we all know, there's a single lane for cars; the lane next to it is for buses/Nexus only, and the far one for trucks. Well, here's the thing: despite being well marked, a large number of cars will drive ahead in the bus/Nexus line to skip the car line-up, and then bully their way into car line-up near the front. I had someone decide to do this in front of me, and we had a little showdown - in fact, the only reason I relented was because of the ripple effect it was having behind me, slowing down other people who had patiently waited in the same line-up as me. So after coming within inches of hitting the other car, I opened a gap.

How many of you have done this? Not at the truck crossing, maybe, but gone into a lane you know full well is a turn-lane only, just so that you could skip the line and cut back in at the front? Let me ask you this - what the hell do you think gives you the right, makes you so special, that you deserve treatment better than all of the rest of us? Now let me suggest another, much more likely possibility - you don't think at all. In an ultimate act of selfish and self-serving behaviour, you drive alongside that lane and cut in because YOU don't want to have to wait, and don't think it's fair to YOU.

I am not noble, I am not a selfless individual - these are not the reasons for my following what's been laid out. No, it's actually that I detest hypocrisy and hold integrity in the highest regard. You see, I hate it when people do it to me - so I will never do it to someone else. Laws exist for a purpose - they are what allow us to co-exist comfortably and securely in the world. When people start making their own rules, it throws the natural ebb and flow off - how do you know what rules you're supposed to be following, when everyone's making their own up? Okay, so maybe you let people in because someone let you in - but if that was how it was supposed to work, then that lane wouldn't have been designated for another purpose. And now, some will let people in, some won't, next thing you know there's an accident, the traffic behind is all held up, and I'm somewhere back there chewing off my steering wheel because again, my own forward momentum is held up because people aren't following the systems.

Well, the systems at a company are the same as the laws in the real world - the are there for a reason, and if everyone just operated within the parameters that are laid out, then we'd all be able to move ahead faster. So the next time you are going to do something you know isn't policy/legal/ethical, please, stop and think: what are the potential ripple effects of this choice I know to be wrong, and how can I justify it?

Yes, I know that there will always be jackasses who continue to operate outside the systems because of their inherent narcissism and self-absorption, and you may be one of the few who are actually obeying that particular law/following that particular system - but at least there's one less person contributing to that problem now, and one less person holding up the forward momentum.

~Guy

Miscommunication

Failure to communicate something clearly or correctly may lead to a communication that is likely to be misinterpreted.
Don’t let this be a block in any relationship – family, friend, customer, teammate etc. We must practice ‘paying attention’ during every conversation. There are many mistakes to be made and if one fails to notice or let things slide, there is opportunity for wires to get crossed.
Be honest, upfront and confirm your thoughts if unsure. As we all know, understanding the realities evolved increases success in any communication.

Last week, we were asked to identify something we would like help with during a staff meeting. I asked to be communicated to (In direct relation to the realization that my last quarter of over-training may have impaired my communication skills and would have most likely promoted some feelings to be hurt) I simply asked that if the team thinks I am being negative/short – generally unhealthy, to confirm that feeling instead of assuming. I expressed that I may have come across short or not caring and that those were emotions that I would never want to portray.

I’m sure we all have an example of an instance where one has not understood or interpret something incorrectly. If you are willing, please share personal tool/idea for successful communication.

Thanks. R

preparation/organization/team

This weekend I was lucky enough to be doing the STP with an amazing group of people. Just wanted to share another example of when you take the time to prepare, organize and do it as a team all the wonderful things that can happen.

 

Preparation

People planned to do this race 1 year ago. They didn’t know how hard it would be. They were scared but trusted us. We took the time to put programs in place to make sure they were well prepared. We made training days at IF/eating suggestions/riding times…  they followed it because we were on them every week by riding with them following up with them…  They had the chance to prepare as a group. Get to know each other and prepare together for this 204 miles day. The bond that happen during these training days set them up for success.

 

Organizations

We had people organizing hotels/a-z for the event/car rides to get there and back/sunglasses/bags... This way people knew what to expect and all questions are answered.

Team...

is  the biggest thing I saw this weekend but again,  only because it was so well prepared and organized we were able to have the team stick together.  The team was not only racers but customers that couldn’t race and wanted to come and be a part of it so said yes to being support for this amazing group of riders. (another way of getting customers involved) These IF customers trained each week together and there were no way any of them would leave one behind. If you look at some of the following response from the weekend you will see for yourself how strong of a group people become and what happens when you have preparation/organization and a team in place.

 

Thanks guys for a wonderful time!

I really appreciate it especially since this was my best friends 40th birthday present - it was truly a memorable adventure that I will remember for the rest of my life.  The best part is that Bruce and I will be telling stories about it for many  years.  Isabelle, thanks for driving to Seattle by yourself and waiting at the border for 90 minutes so that you could support us - I really appreciate it!  Jason, thanks for letting me win the contest up the hill - that really boosted my confidence.  Curtis, thanks to you and your team for organizing a great event.  Bruce and I were talking about all the work and planning that was done behind the scenes to make it happen and we appreciate it.  Although I still don't like biking as much as I like running, I now realize that the most important thing is the people who I am doing the event with - and the ride was one of the best times ever!

Thanks again.

Neil Y.

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Hey guys,

Thanks again Curtis- it was a great experience and I appreciate you letting me tag on to IF via Neil. You are right- I did enjoy it, awesome birthday present from Neil ( you sick bastard-just wait till your 40th)

Again IF team , I know you put a ton of time & prep work into putting the function together and it went off without a hitch.  Your club seems really involved and I  am sure your clients love these types of events- well done and congrats.

As fun as that was, I am currently having a staring contest with an ice cold Czechvar beer accompanied by a stein glass straight from the freezer and about to kick back on the deck.  It was between that and an Accelerade & Cliff Bar. - gotta go

Bruce D

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Some of my highlights:

Paul H organizing us into a pace line - I think we looked pretty impressive

Steve and Vic organizing "group bonding sessions" - I just didn't understand the timing of the one so close to the finish line :)

Paul M's unfailing sense of humour before, during?, and after his crash.  And his well stocked support vehicle.

My Paul - discovering that popcorn, as odd as it seemed, really did help for the rest of the ride and, the fact that you can teach "old" dogs new tricks - eg road riding, great finish

Watching Neil and Bruce (and the fastest tire repair at the 203 mile mark ever I'm sure) look so fresh, even after they had already done a HUGE ride the day before.

Watching Ryan climb hills so strong after what seemed like hundreds of miles (wait, I think it was), and obeying ALL the riding rules of the road biking back to the hotel

Strong, even, consistent pulls with Curtis in front - and having it confirmed that boys never tire of talking about bodily functions no matter how old they are!!!

Watching Jason finish so well, fall and not mess up his look,  and the fact that he probably quadrupled the mileage on his bike all in one go.

Watching Kim and Isabelle come in - still smiling as usual

That great tailwind that made that long uphill feel like a downhill

Watermelon, sandwiches, that first cold beer!!!

These are just some of the highlights from Saturday - there are so many from the training rides (Vic's "air guitar",  Steve always pulling so long - even with all the wind that always seemed to be coming at us,  Ryan's bike breaking down and Isabelle, Vic and Steve taking turns pushing most of the way home etc, etc etc.), too

I had a great time - thanks everyone

Barb S.

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Thanks to everyone for making that such an unreal day.

My highlights...

The worlds best creamsicle at lunch...need I say more!?

The banana bread...at the top of the hill...

Even the bug I swallowed coming down the hill was great

Other highlights...non food related,

Chasing Steve Christian down while he was high on Metallica riding the fastest I have ever seen him go.

Riding beside lake washington in the morning...thinking...this is easy...what was all that training about...and then hitting that first hill and getting a quick shot of reality!

Finally, Finishing as a group...

Thanks to everyone for making STP such a great day.

Ryan F.

 

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Kim doing it in one day was awesome.... 

And this email this morning.....

 Hey Paul, 

I just wanted to say thanks! You obviously didn't have the best of days on the bike. I was really disappointed for you. But, things happen that are unavoidable and I thought you handled the rest of the day awesome. It was great the way you just transitioned into support and took control of that you made the rest of our day so much easier. So I just wanted to say thanks for that!  email from Ryan.

Paul M.

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Hey Guys,

Well my first "Innovative Event" was amazing. I was nervous leading up to the event not really knowing what to expect as far as distance/fuel/heat etc. Once we got going the day turned out to be amazing. I thought that the day was well organized and as a team we held together really well and worked together really well.

I just wanted to say thanks for the chance and oportunity to come along with Innovative Fitness to be part of such a fantastic group, and to have such an amazing day.

Ryan F

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HIGHLIGHTS!

Seeing Barb pulling 9 strong and 1 old man!

Ryan asking why we did all the training as we rode by Lake Washington!

The support vehicles full of fruit and cold refreshments.

Starting as a team and finishing as a team.

Paul H trying to take pictures as he rode (I want to see the one of his ear)!

Paul M’s determination to stick with his broken bike as long as he could.

Everyone pulling me along for 200 miles without a complaint.

FINISHING.

The second cold beer at the finish line, as I didn’t taste the first one.

Seeing Kim and Isabelle finish. 

Congratulations and thank you all.

Paul S.

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My top 3:

1- seeing how strong everyone looked and how much fun we had together for the entire day

2-uphills feeling like downhills

3 -The best ham and cheese wrap ever at st helen's

Paul H.

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I don't know about you but just by reading these emails it makes me pretty pumped up about getting the next group of people ready to go for another amazing IF destination!

Get Rich Schemes

At one time or another most of us will have entertained the thought of being financially rich; having a lot of money – millions perhaps. Less of us will take that same thought and transfer it into the next step by saying I will do it. An even lesser number of people will then think how they will do it and take action. I have been there and have considered the options of how to make a lot of money. So how does one make this amount of money? Here are some options (all which I have tried or have considered) along with the findings:

1)Steal it: Been there done that. It can be easy and if it sits well on your conscience by all means go for it. BUT consider this before you exercise this option to make your money – the world works in interesting ways and what goes around surely comes around. When I was young I stole a ring that belonged to someone. I was never proud of it but nevertheless I did it to make quick money. About 2 years later a ring given to me by my grandfather was stolen from me. I hated the feeling of losing this sentimental possession of mine but reality was that it was payback time. Lastly, if you want to steal know that at one point you will get caught. Been there and getting caught sucks because it sets you back even further with respect to time, energy and money. Theft is not the best way to make money in life. It is unreliable, dishonest and in the end causes much stress.

2)Marry it: About 5 years ago I thought how great it would be to simply marry someone with a lot of money and then not have to worry. I spent time trying to meet women with money when it hit me that this is one of the worst ideas I could come up with. It was a waste of time and a waiting game. I didn’t feel in control nor would I want to count on someone to give me money. If it so happens that you fall in love with a millionaire so be it and great work. There is meaning behind the Beatles song goes, ‘Money can’t Buy me Love’. Money is something you should never marry someone for because in the end the chances of being unhappy are too high. I have seen it and having all the money at your fingertips means nothing if you are unhappy.

3)Inherit it: My family are not oil tycoons or anyone close to being worth millions so this option is completely out of the question. Only a small percentage of people in this world are born into families worth a fortune. You either are born that way or you are not – Simple. If you are not, it is not something you can make happen so this option is also out of the questions for myself and most people who want to make money.

4)Win it: Here is another unlikely way of making your fortune. The chances of winning the Lotto Super 7 by matching all 7 numbers is 1 in 62 million. When you gamble you can hope to win, but the odds always favor the house. In essence you are paying to play the games. In most circumstances, and for most people, the more you play, the more you will lose. Chances that we will win it are so low and this way really is not one any of us should count on

5)Earn it: Because the above 4 ways are all unlikely or will lead to more pain than good we now have the last option – the choice to earn our fortune. It can be done and has been done. But in most cases it does not come easy and we have to work for it. It is my opinion that there are 3 ways to earn a lot of money:
a)Become a professional. Doctors, lawyers, accountants all make a great earning. To be such a professional it all takes time by spending years in school and investing money into the education. In the end it can be a guaranteed way to make money but is not easy. It is your choice.
b)Become a top level executive. Climb the corporate ladder. There are plenty of people who have started small within a company with minimal schooling and money to put their minds into their work and earn their way to the top of the company. These individuals are all highly paid and financial success stories.
c)Start your own business. If you do not want to do all the schooling to be a professional or work for a corporation then your best bet it to start your own business. This like the other 2 ways to earn your fortune is not easy. It takes hard work, dedication and patience. With that being said, many business fail yet your chances to financial success are greater then trying to win it.

As you can see working hard to earn your money is the one way that will pay off without having to live a dishonest life or gamble for your future income. Hard work is not easy, but if you choose an avenue you enjoy then hard work is natural and the process will not be as difficult. In most cases, hard work also does not pay immediately. This is a reality we must face and as the saying goes ‘sow before you reap’. So if you want to make money, get ready to work for it. There is no easy road because no one is going to hand you a silver spoon.

Level 5 Revisited

Being that it's still one of the most useful and relevant books that I've read while working at IF, I thought I'd re-visit "Good to Great" and the concept of Level 5 Leadership. As many of us have read the book and have heard the term "Level 5 Leader" we may have a general idea of what the term means but I thought I'd provide another example, taken from Jim Collins' website (www.jimcollins.com), which also has some very useful tools to use relative to some of the other concepts he introduces in his book.

Two sides of the Level 5 leader

On the one hand… Creates—and is a clear catalyst in creating—superb results. Yet on the other hand… Demonstrates a compelling modesty, shunning public adulation and never boastful.

On the one hand… Demonstrates an unwavering resolve to do whatever must be done to produce the best long-term results, no matter how difficult. Yet on the other hand… Acts with quiet, calm determination and relies principally on inspired standards—not an inspiring personality—to motivate.

On the one hand… Sets the standard of building an enduring great organization and will settle for nothing less. Yet on the other hand… Channels ambition into the organization and its work, not the self, setting up successors for even greater success in the next generation.

On the one hand… Looks in the mirror, not out the window, to apportion responsibility for poor results, never blaming other people, external factors, or bad luck. Yet on the other hand… Looks out the window, not in the mirror, to apportion credit for the success of the company—to other people, external factors, and good luck.

I used to think of these leaders as rare birds, almost freaks of nature. But then a funny thing happened after a seminar where I shared the Level 5 finding and bemoaned the lack of Level 5 leaders. After the session, a number of people stopped by to give examples of Level 5 leaders they’d observed or worked with. Then again, at another seminar, the same thing happened. Then again, at a third seminar—and a pattern began to emerge.

It turns out that many people have experienced Level 5 leadership somewhere in their development—a Level 5 sports coach, a Level 5 platoon commander, a Level 5 boss, a Level 5 entrepreneur, a Level 5 CEO. There is a common refrain: “I couldn’t understand or put my finger on what made him so effective, but now I understand: he was a Level 5.” People began to clip articles and send e-mails with examples of people they think of as Level 5 leaders, past or present: Orin Smith of Starbucks Coffee, Joe Torre of the New York Yankees, Kristine McDivitt of Patagonia, John Whitehead of Goldman Sachs, Frances Hesselbein of The Drucker Foundation, Jack Brennan of Vanguard, John Morgridge of Cisco Systems, former Secretary of State George Shultz, and so on. My list of Level 5 leaders began to grow exponentially.

Then it dawned on me: Our problem is not a shortage of Level 5 leaders. They exist all around us. Like the drawing of two faces that transforms itself into a vase, depending on how you look at the picture, Level 5 leadership jumps out at us as soon as we change how we look at the world and alter our assumptions about how it best works.

No, our problem lies in the fact that our culture has fallen in love with the idea of the celebrity CEO. Charismatic egotists who swoop in to save companies grace the covers of major magazines because they are much more interesting to read and write about than people like Darwin Smith and David Maxwell. This fuels the mistaken belief held by many directors that a high-profile, larger-than-life leader is required to make a company great. We keep putting people into positions of power who lack the inclination to become Level 5 leaders, and that is one key reason why so few companies ever make a sustained and verifiable shift from good to great.

The fact that our culture has evolved away from Level 5 leadership, however, does not mean that the culture is right or that we should accept it. After all, our culture in the 1990s also embraced the idea of irrational exuberance and infused people with the idea that they could—indeed should—get rich quick by creating companies that were Built to Flip rather than Built to Last. The culture was neither right nor healthy, and we would have done better to reject that culture and hold to fundamental tenets of creation and value that we knew in our guts to be eternally true. The same holds for our current misguided confusion of celebrity and leadership; it is neither right nor healthy. If we allow the celebrity rock-star model of leadership to triumph, we will see the decline of corporations and institutions of all types. The twentieth century was a century of greatness, but we face the very real prospect that the next century will see very few enduring great institutions. If good is the enemy of great—and I believe it is—the current trends in leadership give the decided edge to the enemy.

Yet I remain optimistic. For one thing, I sense an increasing societal unease with the emergence of celebrity leaders who care more about themselves than they do about the institutions for which they are responsible. Smart people instinctively understand the dangers of entrusting our future to self-serving leaders who use our institutions—whether in the corporate or social sectors—to advance their own interests. For another, we now have hard empirical evidence that shows such leaders to be negatively correlated with sustained great results, and this evidence should bolster courageous boards of directors. Finally, and perhaps most important, I am absolutely convinced that the seed of Level 5 leadership is widely dispersed throughout society. It can be identified. It can be cultivated. It can be developed. Given encouragement and the right tools, it can flourish. And if it does, so will our institutions.

Copyright ©2001 Jim Collins. All rights reserved.

- Paul -

Lessons from Camp

Lately in many of my conversations, I've begun reflecting back on some of the realizations that I had in previous incarnations - most particularly, from the years I spent working at the residential camp in Alberta. While there were many smaller lessons to be learned more specific to the time and place (like the challenges of having shoulder-length hair while living in the mountains, and how ridiculous I looked with it), there were other, larger lessons which have a universal truth, and which I can new see transfer into everything we currently do. Of all of them, there is a singular definitive one that stands out:

Follow through.

See, here's the thing - all kids will fight you on all parameters, all restrictions, all boundaries. It's their nature, and it's part of their development as individuals. BUT: despite all the tantrums, despite all of their crying and shouts of "It's not fair"... they WANT those boundaries. They want them, because parameters make them feel safe, and when someone enforces those boundaries consistently, and with respect, they feel cared for. The kids who were allowed to have too much free reign, or who were let off the hook ("Yes, I know that I told him he'd be grounded if he did that, but that's not fair to ME... I don't want to have to stay home and babysit"), in the end, tend to have trouble with boundaries and respect themselves.

Funny thing is - it's the same with adults.

Whether it's holding customers or teammates accountable, you MUST set deadlines, and you MUST follow through with the commitments you made - whether it's a repercussion from missing a deadline, a failure to meet a standard (ie. letting them pause during the jump squat in profiling session), or simply missing a session outright... people have to know that you are going to call them to task on it. They may not like it when you do so, they may feel it's unfair, and they may be pissed of at you in that moment - but if you are consistent in what you're asking, if you respect them enough to explain the "what/why/how", and if you FOLLOW THROUGH on what you've promised... well, they may not like you, but they will respect you. Remember - we are not trying to be their friends. We are trying to lead them.

When I was little, there was one thing that stuck in my mind was during the Trudeau era. Being from western Canada, of course, my parents couldn't stand a number of the policies that he implemented - but I can still remember hearing my mom say "You may not like him, you may hate what he's doing... but you've got to respect him. Because he tells you what he's going to do, and then he does it".

Next time you consider letting someone "off the hook", either because you feel badly for them or because following through will actually inconvenience you as much (or more) than the other person, think about the long-term effect on them. Will they be a better athlete/coach/person if they finish what they've started properly?

Set the bar high... and the expectations higher.