A few summers ago I started watching the Tour de France. 
Back then, I didn’t even realize how much I didn’t know about pro cycling. It looked like a bunch of riders who were out to cross the finish line first. It looked haphazard and unorganized, and quite frankly, I didn’t get it.
After a years of paying attention and listening to the announcers describe cycling strategy, there was much more going on than I ever appreciated. I’m no expert of course, but here are some of the basics.
There are up to 9 individuals on a team – and each rider has a different role:
- The leader – the guy who has the best overall chance to actually win the race, cause can do a little of everything. He can climb, sprint, and maintain aerobic endurance for the long distance time trials. The team of 9 is built around the overall successes of this one lead rider.
- The sprinters – they usually score well for themselves in individual time trials, and stretches of the race that are flat. They ride fast and have incredible aerobic endurance, but not a lot of strength to climb mountains.
- The climbers – They usually score well for themselves in the mountain stages of the tour. They are muscular and can maintain a strong cadence at an incline, but don’t have a lot of agility and finesse to go fast.
- The “domestiques” – they ride in overall support the team leader; they also set up the climbers for their accents and draft the sprinters towards the finish line. They are the ones that carry water bottles and food for everyone in their uniforms, pass information from the team car, and basically do the ‘hard thankless work’ that the team needs to finish each stage.
Everyone on the team has a role. They join the team to contribute their specialty.
They are hired for their strengths.
But they aren’t penalized, looked down on or asked to fix their weaknesses.
Because their weakness will more than likely be someone elses strength.
I think about how that doesn’t always translate to real life.
In performance reviews at work, we’ve been told to ‘develop our weaknesses’. At home, the habits I had that were frustrating (read: different) than how my ex-husband did things – and that always caused the biggest arguments between us.
I wonder what our relationships would look like if there was a focus on strengths and not on weaknesses. Noticed and appreciated for what we did to strengthen a team – poised to win – rather than trying to close a perceived gap of experience in order not to lose.
When the team depends on an individual’s strength, it makes that person want to try harder. Their confidence builds, and they stay motivated and supportive – knowing that everyone’s contributions are not only important, they are absolutely necessary for winning.
So in your life, what “dream teams” are you on?
In the roles that you play, what strengths do you contribute?
How do you depend on the strengths of others every day to reach your goals?
You are the leader of your own dreams, people.
How are you going to set yourself up to win?
Comment and let me know now!
Until next photo,
Rem
Remy’s dream is creating opportunities for photography showings and public displays of her work and to ultimately be recognized nationally as a photographer … then the world. Remy’s post day is Friday
Remy’s dream is creating opportunities for photography showings and public displays of her work and to ultimately be recognized nationally as a respected photographer . . . then the world. Remy is CEO of Cornerstone Creative, a business consulting practice in Northern California. Remy’s post day is Wednesday. +Remy Gervais
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