Saratoga Rowing: In Pursuit of Perfection An exercise in team development (and a lesson in leadership)

Saratoga Rowing:In Pursuit of Perfection

An exercise in team development

(and a lesson in leadership)

SRA Founders Award

Founders Award is given to the Senior who best exemplifies theIdeals of Saratoga Rowing

What does this phrase mean to you?

Association through hard work, strength of character, and dedication to the team. You set the example for those who follow

Let’s Define: Together

PhysicalSocialAttitudeWork-EthicMotivation

Aspects to Consider

Picture = Thousand Words

One Great Thing

While coaching the women at Harvard University, each spring we would do an exercise we called “One Great Thing”. Every member of the team would have a list of the entire team roster, and they would write one aspect of each teammate they thought was great.

Essentially, this is our task here. Put together the great things that we see around us into the model of your ideal teammate

Leadership MethodsFrom behind, with a whip From in front, with a banner

Let’s focus on leading with a banner

WHEN THE GAME STANDS TALLThis true story by Neil Hayes tells the story of the De La Salle high school football team from California • Win streak 12 years & 151 games

• Culture of Investment & Excellence

• Once established perpetuated itself

• New players join into the system and grow up in the established culture

What does this have to do with us?

• Circle back to the types of leadership… Here is the reason I believe the Banner style should be employed significantly more than the whip

• The whip is effective, and sometimes necessary, but the banner creates change that lasts through generations

• How do we employ the use of banners to lead our organization to De La Salle type success?

Employing Banner Leadership

1. Define the Standard• A good banner must

be clear and consistent.

• A good banner must be easy to identify with

• A good banner must inspire action in a positive manner

Employing Banner Leadership

2. Display the Standard• Physical: many of the

pictures depict actual signs and banners

• Action: We are the banners. Our actions, our words, our attitudes – These are far more powerful than the written signs.

Employing Banner Leadership

3. Invite friends• Younger kids are eager to

be inspired. • They want to live up to

ideals. • They look to the

upperclassmen for inspiration and they watch upperclassmen to see the culture they are joining.

• They WANT to fit in, and they will do whatever it takes.

What does it all mean?• You, NOW, can decide the future of the team. • By defining the perfect teammate and SRA member,

and then being that person (you are the banner people will look to), and by inviting and encouraging participation of others.

• The future will mold to that which you have defined if you can hold the banner high for all to see and encourage them all to follow.

• Each year as the expectations rise and classes cycle through the culture gets stronger and stronger.

• This class, in 2011, can set the course of SRA

Derek Sivers: How to Start a Movement

TED Talks Feb 2010