We ask each Woman to Watch to write about what's on her mind. Grayce's blog first appeared as an article in the Prouty Project Quarterly Newsletter.
Biking Into the Headwinds
Winds are a common occurrence in Cape Town; however, we encountered unprecedented gale force winds for this year’s 110 km (68-mile) race. For the 5+ hours pedaling my bicycle, I pondered the connection between managing one’s business and managing the grueling race conditions. For me, these four main connections boil down to:
- planning and preparation;
- precise focus;
- positive attitude; and
- perseverance.
We thoughtfully planned and prepared for this trip – learning about endurance biking, proper nutrition, appropriate equipment, strategy of the race, and listening to the advice of our fabulous trainer, Greg Hayes of Life Time Fitness. And just as important, time in the "saddle" – hours and hours of spinning classes and cycling on stationary bikes. In the business world, we must also be very thoughtful and purposeful about the strategies we undertake in these economic times. Questions leaders may ask: Is now the time to introduce a new product/offering, or move into a new market, or focus on internal efficiencies? How do we maintain our position or grow? As leaders, you know planning and timing are critical to making decisions. While the complexity around us may make us hesitant to act, it must not stop us from planning for several scenarios and being prepared to act when appropriate.
Biking with over 25,000 cyclists requires precise focus – on the road conditions, the person directly in front of you (especially when drafting), your speed going down hills, people coming up behind you, and so on. Five hours of intense concentration was required to ensure a safe, accident-free race. As leaders, running your business requires the same precision – on your key metrics, on your strategies, on the development of your internal bench strength, and so on. Now focusing on the key aspects of your business is a must. And being very clear about what the top 5-7 aspects of your business are. As Michael Porter notes – strategy is as much of what you say "no" to as it is what you say "yes" to. Stay focused, and say "no" as needed.
At the beginning of the race, there was a wind tunnel which required 90% of cyclists to walk their bike out of the gate. As we proceeded the first 1-2 km, pedaling hard into the wind, we started to encounter cyclists turning around and deciding not to ride the race. It was very discouraging for us and the thought occurred to me that maybe we wouldn’t be able to complete the race – a
sobering thought after all the preparation over the last year. It was then that I realized how important a positive attitude and perseverance are to accomplishing one’s goals. I would try my best to finish as much of the race as possible, staying positive, and having fun. I smiled, put on my game face, and pedaled into the wind. And it worked. As leaders, you must do the same – put on your game face, encourage others, and persevere to advance your business. The economic headwinds will blow us around and the most important aspect we can control is our positive attitude and continuing to press forward. Remember, as a leader, all eyes are on you and you have incredible influence on others to be successful. You can positively impact your entire business.
All eight Prouty cyclists successfully achieved our goals of finishing the race and you, too, will successfully achieve your business goals.
Discussion Topics: What helps you stay strong when facing "strong winds" either at work or in life? What's the source of your inner strength - family, faith, nature, music, art, exercise, other?
Join the discussion.
