Rudy Miick.com

More on Leadership and ski boots: how strength or skill shows up!

Flow of consciousness, thank god for the medium of blogs!  

Instead of editing my post yesterday, here's simply more food for thought... more "I wonder?"

My post yesterday explored the flex index of ski boots, and the power, strength and skill it takes to flex/bend a boot.  One precept being the higher the number on the index, the stiffer the boot.  Hence, the more power, strength or skill it takes to bend/flex said boot and to be most effective as a skier.  

What if trusting one's body to be perpindicular to terrain at speed is what strength is actually about?   As I work with clients, look at my own skiing/leadership, the ability to be perpindicular to a 40degree pitch is nothing short of scary.   On the street walking down a hill, you and I would fall flat on our face if we attempted this... yet on skis, this trust of equipment and body position IS control, IS skill, and is one of the core skills to move to highest levels of skiing skill.    

Maybe the index is as much about skill, power and strength of WILL as it is strength of body.   As mentioned yesterday, when I or anyone in boots, actually TRUSTS themselves enough to let go, to let body function easily, relaxed, and perpindicular to the terrain, the boot flexes/bends and control and flow is the outcome (as stated in the previous blog).  

The more I ponder this, the more deeper truth shows up: to trust oneself is strength personified.   The next subtlety is to be conscious... 

As I've said before, being fearless, of terrain or speed or changing conditions, does not mean be stupid. Awareness (definition: the blend of conscious and mindful) is potent.     

And the more aware I am, the more I trust, the higher the boot index I'm able to use effectively.  This is a great alternative to getting beaten up by using too stiff a boot.   

There is metaphor here.

Trust is earned, no doubt.

Trust is strength and provides power to move, influence, engage... 

I'll leave now with the offering to trust body, brain and tools, trust skill, and "let the boot flex" instead of working so damn hard to flex the boot.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conscious Leadership in Ski Boots!

Latest on my learning curve integrates body flow, brain, and  "the truth" of tools.   Boots are tools and my focus here.  Boots are debatably, any skier's most important tool...  

Common knowledge in the ski industry says that ski boots are more or less stiff to support the strength, power and ability of the skier.  As an industry we have a boot "flex index" that is fairly straight forward, and consistent (regard to gender, weight, power, strength, numbers range up or down from the norm shared below): 

Beginners ski with boots set at 80 or less

Intermediates ski at something akin to 90.  

"Strong" skiers ski with 100 - 110

Experts so named may 110 - 130

Top racers and world cup skiers ski with 130 and up.  

The numbers translate to stiffness of plastic, the difficulty to bend the boot.  Ironically, the stiffer the boots the more immediate the response between body and skis.    

Truth 1: As the index indicates, the stronger or faster or steeper one skis, the stiffer boot is preferable in most cases.  

Truth 2: Regardless of one's score, when indexed correctly, boots are very difficult to bend by pressing forward with leg flex and ankle flexion.   The colder the air temperature the more difficult they are to flex.  

Truth 3: Flexing the boot is critical to maintain balance from the middle to tip, turn and bend the ski efficiently and effectively throughout all phases of any turn.  At 120 and up, boots are almost impossible to flex when standing still on flat terrain.  

The discussion of dorsi-flexion, and therefore flexing the ski boot is a constant discussion most days, most clinics or lessons.   

This season, a light bulb went on; simple as this: let my equipment and the terrain do the work.  Instead of working to flex or bend my boots, let my boots flex and bend.  

When I'm in balance and center of mass moving with my skis, no matter the terrain or speed IF I remain relaxed and centered, my boots flex effectively.  I am conscious that I don't flex the boots, the boots flex as a result.   My skis stay pressured from center and movement is the next thing to effortless... 

Certainly this "letting" demands its own level of trust.  At the same time, what a great metaphor for each of us as leaders... out of balance I have to work hard.  When I believe I have to work to "flex" I just keep working harder... when conscious and in balance and doing what I know to do, the flex happens by design...

Nuance here: depending on my level of mastery, I am either conscious of being relaxed enough to let the boot flex as a result of G force OR conscious of the second I am NOT relaxed enough to allow the boot to flex as a result of G force and consciously let the forces flex the boot.   

Life is much easier in this  consious/unconscious masterful way.  We end up in flow, the next thing to effortless action and outcome.  

Oh ya, we can go here with our teams... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gear Up: Conscious Capitalism, Conscious Leadership

It's that time of year again in N. America.  The mornings are crisp, afternoons are hot; the sky has a golden glow to it, thanks to the refraction of light from turning leaves and trees in various shades of fall.  Above 9 thousand feet there's snow and it's not going to melt anytime soon from now on... I love it.  If you're reading this blog you likely do too.

The new SKI, Boulder based ski magazine, has just arrived and the last page is adorned with thoughts from Patagonia Founder Yvon Chouinard.   I am captured by what he offers in very simple terms:

"Everytime I'm stumped in a business problem, it doesn't matter what it is, the answer is always, "Increase the quality.  Always."  He goes on, "And that's not common in business."  Sales are low decrease the quality, make it cheaper." "If you increase the quality you never go wrong."

Chouinard then offers a quote that exhilarates me, "Whether its the quality of the employee benefits or the product itself".. ("if you increase the quality you never go wrong.")  I appreiate his reiteration that People ARE important!  The WE is important to my production and execution as a company!  Duh!

When asked about sustainability he screams of the less than intelligent use of the term... and offers you and me to be responsible, as responsible as we can be in any given situation.   This offers us the opportunity to ask a VALUES driven question in any work, guiding a client, in the back country ourselves, or in a boardroom with our own team... "How do we be the most responsible we can be here?"  More so, What does being responsible look and feel like here and now.  With THIS issue?  (what ever the issue is.)

Is Chouinard an optimist?  He says resolutely, "NO."   He states in so many words because the next generation is scared there is where his hope and optomism sit.   

....

As I read Chouinard's message, thanks "SKI", I find myself all the more saying to myself and to anyone with whom I'm in bounds or out, in a board room or dining room, BE responsible; make the choice to BE conscious instead of unconscious.   To Chouinard's point raise the bar rather than lower it.   What ever gear were riding, wearing or using, use it wisely, be awake.   

Each decision I or you make impacts a pond of people.  Each choice I make creates a ripple.  And the impact of my actions, our actions IS apparent somewhere.   For this winter season coming, I hope you can join me in consciousness, leadership that holds the whole of "WE" at the same time it holds "I".

...

One quick plug in support of all the above, I'll be taking leaders and leadership groups into the high country beginning January, February and March 2012 in the Frazer Valley at Winter Park, Colorado.  Join me and my amazing team! ... drop a line or give me a call for more specific info!

You make a difference!  Own it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leadership, being choiceful...

Check out this web link to Rossi... Not a plug for them as a company, simply the BEST web site I've found to explain turn technology with rockered ski design...

The metaphor's for leadership will come later, in the moment, what comes to mind is simply BE choiceful.   The link below can likely assist understanding and hence, choice!

IF you ski and IF you're confused or just interested, this is a cool link... to the marketing folks and my peers... yes I know the link takes you away from my web site.   That said, call me naive, I'm more interested in support and success for you and yours than pretending to hold you hostage on our site!  

So, go get the info you need and come back when you're ready to USE the technology, ideas, possibilities to take you and your performance to a higher level!!!

http://www.rossignol.com/US/US/rossignol-innovations-alpine.html

Excuse the pun... "rock on!" 

More soon! - R

Leading: The Journey of Inspiring instead of Policing!

Those that know me are aware I've used the metaphor of high quality work performance being akin to Special Forces.   With Bin Laden "out" as of yesterday thanks to the efforts of US Special Forces, it seems appropriate to raise the metaphor again.  Please know I do so with no intention other than celebration of all it takes to be an elite force, with literal life and death in ones face.   

Over the years I've had the honor to know a number of special forces guys.  One I train with, in winter on alpine skis, is on active duty; yes, in Special Forces. He's a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan and is a weapons specialist.  That's about all he'll say about what he does, no specifics, ever.  Don't ask.   At the same time, he is excited to talk about training, training design, and most of all to share the kind of expectations one has when it comes to training and the expectations of performance in general.

Discussing training and performance expectations of special forces has been deeply satisfying for me and more so, fun.  What I have believed to be true and have been told is true is resolutely confirmed yet again through first hand lengthy conversation with my training buddy:

For the Army special forces comprise about .5%, that's right 1/2 of 1% of the total fighting force.

Special forces is not for everyone. 

Yes, Special Forces follow orders.  

More so, EVERY element of their work is defined with explicit clarity.  Behavior "x" is excellent, any behavior other than "x" is not.  Expectation: performance excellence, nothing less.   Define this behavior consistency in business terms and you have BRAND.   More, BRAND consistency!

And more is true and this is where Special Forces IS unique, above and beyond the normal military brand.

When ever any leader is missing, the members of the team, take ownership/leadership of their actions.   They take their training to higher level and take charge.  This means they self manage, manage each other and support each other in their team/unit!  They do NOT need or require a manager, a boss, someone to tell them what to do.  They take charge and are accountable for each and every action and interaction. 

THIS is BRAND Magic!   

If we need to police each other to get our work done, somethings just "off."   At the same time, if we haven't defined excellence clearly enough for our team/unit to perform without perfect clarity, WE as leaders are the one's who have failed, not our team.   

Want BRAND excellence?

Make it tough to get a job in your business.

Make performance expectations resolutely clear.

Provide the tools needed to complete the job.

Support and celebrate accountability and WALK YOUR TALK!  Let me make this point clear:  As leaders we need to walk OUR talk!

There's a lot of pride in doing great work.   Define what great means, do NOT rely on common sense, because there is none.  The only way to develop skill is practice.  Without a shared definition or shared expectation, there is no such outcome as either special or magic.  

The more clearly you and I define our performance culture the closer we can get to Special Forces performance.   Then again, not everyone IS cut out to be Special Forces.   What do you want?  

Special Forces takes work, it doesn't happen by accident.   And the work is paradoxical at root: follow orders, take charge, both are true simultaneously.  Both ends of the spectrum demand clear definitions of excellence, hiring right, constant training and celebration rather than derision of performance.

Intrigued?  Be in touch!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leadership Programs Partner!

In the coming weeks, we'll be posting our summer, fall and next winter programs for the Miick Institute.  

We're really proud to have Winter Park Resort as our high country partner for logistics, and "classroom" host... 

Oh ya... about the classroom, check out the link below with the wall photos!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Winter-Park-Resort/41780374729?sk=wall&filter=2

 

Stay tuned for what I will take the liberty to name the most dynamic high retention leaning (and applicable) management and leadership curriculum in the Country.   If you'd like to find learning that MOVES the profit and performance needle AND provides a smile on your face at the same time, come check us out!

Thanks for following us on facebook and twitter as well!

More soon!

 

 

 

 

More with Leadership on Purpose!

Check out this post from my blog on Posterous... 

It's fun to see and hear leaders talk about being conscious, uncomfortable and mindful... this is what Miick Institute is all about... 

http://morefrommiick.posterous.com/

 

In The Fall Line

April 7 - 10, 2011... 

Short notice, no doubt.  Regardless I'm offering you a recipe for success:

Integrate

a. the most potent elements of your personal leadership skills

b. your passion for excellence

c. your desire to get the performance you expect and more so, the NEED for that performance in your organization.  

Next,

d. integrate your own ability to look in a mirror and own your own challenges as a leader

e. add to a. - d. the ability to explore, build on, learn and take your own skills as a leader further than you thought could be possible.

f. now step outside in April, on snow, in the sunshine and high country, put on a pair of skis and begin to explore the possible and what you thought likely impossible...

Add to your efforts and exploration, world class coaching on skis and equally skilled business coaches with proven track records... and you have "In the Fall Line." 

Your CFO might think this thing sounds like a ski vacation.  Don't be fooled.  We go from 6:30 in the morning to 9pm at night.   Constant dialogue, exercises, tools that will provide metrics for soft skills like communication and cutting drama in the work place by 90%... I'm not kidding here...

Check out this link... and click on "Skiing"

 

http://www.miickinstitute.com/leadership.html

 

Call me or write and find out more... 

And... If you know ANYONE that works for a living and who skis, please pass this on.   The learning AND application from this event has proven over the years to be retention that lasts for a career... 

We're proud to have Winter Park Resort as our official partner at the Miick Institute.   And we'll be offering more programs over the summer, fall and next winter too... for now, this IS an event not to be missed even with the short notice!

Thanks for taking the time to read this...