Good Leaders: Who is teaching you?

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The Good Leadership team joyfully discovered the ancient sport of Curling last week. More important: just as air, water and a good night’s rest are important…we were all reminded how important learning something new is to being good leader.

The Chaska Curling Center in suburban Minneapolis was the site of the Good Leadership Enterprises annual holiday party last Thursday evening – what fun! Who knew the 16th-century Scottish-born “sport” could be such a satisfying Seven Fs experience the first time we “played.”

Lessons learned

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After a couple of craft beers, we retreated to the learning center for lessons and coaching on Curling. The game is refreshingly simple: each team slides 8 rocks down a manicured sheet of ice, with the intention of getting as many rocks close to the target as possible. Terms like “hog line” and “house” and “hacks” piqued our interest. And knowing we would be hurling a 42 pound rock caused me to pay closer attention.

Mid-match, my colleague Peter and I began to search for the leadership metaphors while sliding around the ice: “I wonder if this is going to make your next blog?” he smirked.

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Here are the simple lessons: the ice wasn’t as slippery as I feared, because of the “pebbles” which give our shoes and the rock traction. The building wasn’t as cold as I worried, because the sweeping part actually causes you to work up a sweat. And the simplicity of the game is anything but boring, because very quickly strategy and skill captured our imagination. And some of us are naturally competitive – ice or no ice!

My conclusion?

Not everything needs a leadership metaphor to be thoroughly enjoyed. Sometimes experiences like Curling provide a simple lesson in being open to new adventures in the game of life! It’s always good to laugh and learn with people you love. And a good teacher can open our lives to wonderful new ideas about “what’s possible” for fun and fitness with friends.

Who is teaching you?

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So, that begs the question: what new things are you going to learn in the new year? Our colleagues Peter and Kelsey will be teaching the Good Leadership Training course which begins on Friday, February 19. It won’t involve a sheet of ice…but it will be an exciting, new adventure in “What’s possible?” for you in 2016.

Good leaders embrace new adventures as an opportunity to grow. And they seek out the best teachers to help them enjoy the game of life.

Please share with me: Who is teaching you…and what are you seeking to learn?

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