Rudy Miick.com

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".

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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 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... 

 

 

 

 

 

Learning and Applying...

Lift served skiing in the northern hemisphere is almost done.  Mammoth is open until July as usual... most mountains in the west have snow still, hiking for the goods has been fun, though for me at least, not nearly as much time doing so as I'd like.   

NZ national demo team member, Dave Taylor's back in New Zealand, ready for another year of 250 days on snow +/-... not a bad way to live; fly fishing in the moment instead of making turns.  There's lessons there too... 

Just finished "The Speed of Trust" by Stephen M.R. Covey... let's see... Covey seems to have connected all the dots here... leadership, skiing, fishing, coaching, learning and applying learning... let's see how in brief!

At the outset of the book, Covey shares a story about fly fishing with a guide:  

The guide asks, "Look at the water, tell me what you see." 

"Basically, I told him I saw a beautiful river with the sun reflecting off the surface of the water."

"Do you see any fish?" the guide asked.

""I replied I did not."  Then the guide handed me a pair of polarized glasses."

"Put these on." he said

"Suddenly everything looked dramatically different.... I discovered I could see through the water.  And I could see fish - a lot of fish.  Suddenly I could sense enormous possibility that I hadn't seen before.  In reality those fish were there all along, but until I put on the glasses, they were hidden from my view."

Skiing's just like this.  We tend to take for granted, what we can or can't do.  We look, and often times do NOT see what's possible.  Sometimes this is due to mechanic's; sometimes its due to tactics; largely what we see is from habit.  

Skiing with a coach is amazing, Dave Taylor creates the ability to "see" the fish.   No doubt he's using polarized lenses as he's fishing in NZ, in anticipation of the first major snow fall of the southern hemisphere season... meanwhile he "sees" possibilities when he "looks" at water.  Dave sees possibilities when he's looking at terrain, "that's skiable!"

Leadership is the same.  Covey talks of this; Dave talks about this within the realm of ski industry leadership.   

What's true?  Habit doesn't make something true.  Habit makes the outcome of habit true... 

I may be stretching a bit here, but what I love about fly fishing more than any other style of fishing is that you have to work a line to the fish, its my responsibility to maneuver my gear to the fish in a way that is quiet, smooth and effective.   If I'm to be effective with a fly rod, practicing right things right is what's critical... 

Skiing, I'd better be centered, in balance.  This does not mean be static, in fact the opposite is true, I'd better be actively centered to encourage and maintain balance.   

I can talk about effective fly fishing all day, talk about skiing all day, talk about leadership all day... to be effective in any AND all three of these activities, I'd better look differently to see differently; I'd better pay attention to my point of focus and I better apply what I learn, not just "learn."   My invitation here is an invitation to myself:  

1. Pay attention to my habits

2. How is my habit serving me?  How is it not serving me?

3. What have I learned about seeing, hence performing differently?   

4. Do to the best of my ability.  Be conscious.  With enough practice, my new habits become fluid too, unconscious competence... Mastery... 

5. Stay conscious... 

It's spring, the high country of Colorado is still full of snow and it's 90 degrees in Boulder.   What to do for fun?  First, in almost anything that's interesting to me at least, being centered certainly seems core.

Think about it, the athletic stance that works best on skis translates directly to bikes, baseball and softball, roller blading, surfing, even water skiing.   Flex and suppleness of ankles (the fifty dollar word is dorsiflexion) flexed knees, back bent at the waist, straight but ever so slightly curved ahead close to parallel with the angle of the lower leg.   The suppleness of this position, not locked but loose, ready to spring, right, left, up, down, forward, backward... this is being actively centered, in balance.

Hmmmm... bored at work?  Or centered?  Defensive, tight; or supple ready to move with fluidity, into offense?  In skiing being locked in any one position isn't effective.  Most sports this is the case.  Why then would I lock myself into being one way, one perspective, one attitude, other than balance, centered, actively listening, sharing, inviting, moving with, leading my body, my intellect, my heart, my team with me...and or I with them!!!!

This season for me being fluid was key.  Moving in the direction of my skis was everything.  Suppleness, absorbing and to the best of my ability laughing when caught off guard, or tighter than I might like... instead of ego getting pissed off, defensive and protective, my learning this year was to pay attention, to laugh at my own defensiveness.  What would it be like to move with my skis at all times in all conditions to the best of my ability?  Result?   Less ache, less pain, less tension, more speed, more smiles, bigger bumps faster AND smoother, more positive impact on my team, more positive impact on my clients and guests... more darn fun.  Period.

Gotta go for a ride!  I'd love to hear from you about this or any of the postings left here over the last months! 

BE well.rm

 

Skiing, learning, fun, life, what can we do to invite you in?

Here we are it's almost Christmas, the Jewish high holidays are in full swing... AND IT'S SNOWING!  Yea!

Help me out here please!   What would make this site more interesting for you? 

What topics of skiing, learning, leadership, experiential education would be of interest to keep you coming back?  I'd really be interested to know! 

Browse through some of the posts, the photos, and let me/us know!

You can make a comment by scrolling to the bottom of the page; then click on comment.

Love to hear from you!

In the interim, southern Colorado is dumping, so is New Mexico, I can only imagine the smile on faces in Taos.   

"In the fall line," our one day program using skiing as a metaphor for leadership and life (as well as kick ass skiing) was a great success on December 15th!   Our next coached program is January 22, a Monday.  Check out www.durgainstitute.com for more information on this experience!  What a trip it is!   Does my skiing relate to my decision making?  On every turn!  Do my life habits show up in my skiing?  You betcha by golly!  On every run... come see how to make some changes that support your skiing to rip; and your life to smile!

Rock on!  See you on the mountain somewhere, soon! 

the season is here... what can I learn?

Snow's on the ground in the high country of California, Utah and Colorado.  In Frazer tonight, it's 23 degrees at 8pm... a skiff of new snow on the ground and alot more new ought to hit tonight and tomorrow. 

Are you ready?  Am I?  For those that live in the mountains full time, this is life.  For those who don't the fall can be a time easy to get out of shape rather than in shape.  This is sad and ironic if your passion is turning on snow.   Even worse, the older you or I get, the tougher it is to get back "in" shape. 

Hmmm... wonder what staying in shape would have on business and life as well as skiing/riding?  Wonder how staying in shape all year is part of a life style jsut like living in a resort town is ALL about being in shape.

One of my clients has health listed as a core value in their company.  What I love with this is the value as listed is health: fiscal and physical.   The metaphor of BE-ing healthy physically is great stuff if you really want a company that hits it in profits too! 

More on health and being in shape... I was talking to my daughter today about core strength in skiing.  Core strength?  Core as in sit ups dudes and dudettes!  Also, back bends ("the locust" in yoga) balance out the core strength by supporting/strengthening  the small of the back.  Be aware to lengthen, extend, your back as you do these to avoid hurting your back. 

Pretty fun to have a teen ager be inquisitive, interested in being more in balance, stronger and hence listening to god forbid, a parent, to what can be.

Some folks have been making turns for more than two weeks in Colorado in the back country and in lift accessible terrain.  In two days, Winter Park opens.  The season begins. 

Use the gravity, use your awareness, move down the hill, stay in shape.  I wonder what metaphors you can make from these points on your own?  Share 'em here.

In the interim, check out: www.durgainstitute.com (leadership programs)

More soon!- rm