A Lesson in Humility

By Mary Tillson – Head of Executive Learning & Advisory

I want you to close your eyes – completely – put a blindfold over them, so that you are in complete darkness. And then I want you to put your fingers in your ears, so that you cannot hear the outside world. Now imagine being that way permanently- and then imagine stepping from the relative safety of dry land via a very wobbly thin wooden gangplank, clambering over guard rails, dodging ropes and cleats, and making your way, in this darkness, to a place of relative safety, namely the cockpit of a yacht.

Now add into that mix, some strong gusting wind, rain, slippery surfaces, and a yacht that is lurching on its mooring as the swell smacks into its hull.

Oh, and then…. Could I ask you to tie some tape around your mouth, so that you cannot speak? Thank you.

And finally, I want you to imagine spending a week sailing on this yacht in the Ionian Sea. Would you?

I am not sure I or many would as it takes the most extraordinary courage and resilience (and some element of barking madness!) to overcome all these physical challenges and take a leap of faith in a group of strangers to keep you safe. But leap of faith is just what some 20 fabulous VI’s(Visually Impaired) have just done.

I am lucky enough to work with the Visually Impaired (VI) and most years I join a fabulous group of generous yacht skippers who give up their yachts and time for over a week, together with a bunch of sighted crew members who team up to take some amazing VI’s sailing. This year I was jointly looking after Justin, who has been deaf dumb and blind all his life, and Mark, who was blinded when an articulated lorry took the wrong turning and crushed his car. Wrong time, wrong place, and a more positive, glass half full and talented man you would be hard pushed to meet, He is an inspiration.  They all are.

And every year I am always blown away by their bravery, their resilience, their sense of humour, their determination, and their total faith and trust in the sighted crew to keep them safe.

And whilst this is a holiday for them- in the rare “off duty” moments I find myself thinking about all that we teach around leadership at MFL through our Executive Learning and Advisory, and how the skills and tools we teach in the classroom come to life here in the most real and essential way.

Trust – which is at the heart of any successful organisation and relationship. The VI’S trust us implicitly and it is for us to uphold that trust 100%. Their life and safety is all down to the sighted crew members.

Proactivity – and taking responsibility for your own life and actions- not blaming the world- merely adopting a “what can I do mentality” – this is evidenced in mountains by this amazing VIs.

Seek first to Understand – each VI has different needs- different situations- different stories- all of which need to be understood to give them the right help, and guidance. What works for one, almost certainly will not work for another.

Communication skills – people’s lives are at stake here- quality and accurate communication that is adapted for the individual VI is essential. The message sent must be the message received each time.

(For Justin, we communicate by writing on his hand… it never fails to blow my brains how he understands what we have scribbled across his palm)

Remaining positive –  at times the week is challenging for the sighted crew too- and situations can arise that might trigger an aggressive default response (+ -) and we have to rein back to staying “in plus”, not always easy when faced with arrogance from superyacht owners who have a sense of entitlement, and who think they can smash your boat out of the way on your mooring so they can have a spot outside a restaurant they wanted to eat at.

Humility – a core trait of a good leader- spend a week with these Vis and you learn all about humility.

Demonstrating care – a core need of all employees from their boss – sometimes the Vis need a hug- when the going gets tough for them, and a listening ear.

Clear direction – unambiguous and transparent. There is no room for misunderstanding- too much is at stake, when the winds are gusting at a force 7 or 8

Goals and objectives that are SMART – each VI comes with different expectations and setting SMART goals for them is essential for them to have a rewarding week and ensuring they are realistic.

Reward and recognition – when the VIs has just helmed brilliantly, or made it to the bow and sorted the ropes ready for slipping away, or for arriving.( Now that takes courage! )

Fun – because it should not all be about hard work- we should have fun too! And fun we had!!!- We sang and laughed and joked and danced our way between storms and being becalmed (whoever said it was warm and sunny in Greece was stretching the truth!) and literally fending off arrogant superyacht owners. But, all in all, not a bad week in the office eh?

Over and out. Mary Tillson – Head of Executive Learning and Advisory at MFL.

(Mary, shown here with Justin in orange, and Mark in blue, and Nick our skipper, and Alan, the other sighted crew member, oh, and Toucan, our mascot!)

Note: If you want to know more about sailing with the blind, or more about our approach to leadership training and how we can support you and your organisation in developing just some of these skills and traits, don’t hesitate to contact us.