Seizing Opportunities in Swimming and Leadership Development

Swimming pools are everywhere. You just need to find them and go swim. Like discovering swimming pools around the world, leadership training opportunities are everywhere.

What are you waiting for?

Swimming Across the Globe

When I was training for a 4.4-mile swim, my coach emphasized that swimming pools can be found wherever you travel. This motivated me to keep up with my training, even during trips.

At the time I was traveling to Paris to train to become a supervisor of coaches, a program requiring seven visits within a year. I found a few pools to keep up my practice.

Lately, I have been coming across captivating stories about swimming pools in unexpected contexts, from novels to documentaries. The New York Times recently ran an article on swimming pools in Paris and the habits of French swimmers https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/03/world/europe/paris-france-swimming-pools.html. Julie Otsuka’s 2022 novel, The Swimmers, features a group of swimmers in an underground town pool. And “Swimming Pool Stories” by Jon Karl Helgasohn is a film that explores the history and narratives surrounding the construction and development of swimming pools in Iceland over time, delving into their unique stories and cultural significance https://www.icelandicfilms.info/films/nr/2140.? I stumbled upon the documentary during an Icelandair flight to the United States, which now has inspired me to plan a trip to Iceland with a friend to experience their pools and natural springs.

Parisian Pool with a View?

Currently I am living in Paris for a year and have discovered another fantastic pool for my swimming practice: the Anette K https://www.annettek.fr. This unique pool, situated on the Seine, is owned, and operated by a French film producer. It offers breathtaking views, and as I swim in the morning, I’m greeted by the sight of a hot air balloon ascending. Who knew that training for my swims could be so beautiful?

My next goal is to participate in open water swims across Europe, starting with a 2.5-mile swim in a lake between Italy and Switzerland next summer.

Unlocking Leadership Opportunities

Leadership trainings and opportunities, like swimming pools, may be found anywhere; all it takes is finding them and embarking on a journey of learning and skill building. My clients all understand that leadership is an ongoing journey that requires continuous practice, learning, and updating. ?Just like perfecting swimming strokes, improving your strategic, relational, and leadership skills is always possible.

Learning can take many forms: ?a trusted leadership engagement, a coaching engagement or a training course, reading a book or listening to a podcast. Working with a mentor, gaining knowledge, and identifying skill gaps are all vital steps in building and enhancing your leadership muscles.

It's all about embarking on an adventure to discover what skills you want to develop or master next. What will complement the skills that you’ve already cultivated? Are you ready to leverage your strengths to maximize your potential as a leader?

If so don’t hesitate to reach out to me at [email protected] for a conversation about your leadership needs.

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