On Jet-Skis, ATVs, and the Wild Ride of Leadership
Navigating curves and wakes is a bit like ... school leadership!
For a gal who’s used to getting around on a simple, pedal-powered bicycle, gripping the handles of a sporty jet-ski and pulling on the throttle is, well, a bit of a jolt.
That was me last week on Lake Wylie in North Carolina, the final ‘hurrah’ to summer in the U.S.
I was privileged to be the guest of a very kind family who have a house on this large lake near Charlotte. Among the ‘toys’ they have on hand to fully enjoy their lakefront property are jet-skis and ATVs. Being the good and ‘game’ guest that I am, and to further polish up my adventure credentials, I dared myself to try out both.
My adventure started on the ATV track, which loops around a couple of acres, running through trees, along narrow rutted roads, and eventually up over an 8 foot dirt ‘hump’ that provides no foresight as to what’s on the other side. Driving an ATV is somewhat akin to driving a car in that the steering wheel, brake and gas pedal are all in familiar places. So the real thrill here is to give enough gas to feel the ‘charge’ while having enough confidence in one’s ability to navigate the turns without smashing into trees, careen over bumps without doing permanent damage to one’s tailbone, and power up and over the ‘hump’ without chickening out or sailing too far over the other side (which, I remind you, isn’t visible). So – a bit like leading in an international school.
I survived. My tailbone is fine, thank you. No trees were knocked down. The other side of the hump is … well, I won’t spoil that for you.
Next up: jet-ski. This is a beast of a different color all together. I suppose if you are accustomed to riding a motorcycle, or have competed in rodeos, you’ll find some familiarity here. Having done neither (despite my sidecar and Montana swagger), this was all fresh adventure to me. I began as a passenger behind an experienced jet-skier, who gave clear instruction and made it all look easy: the easing on to the throttle, the smooth and sure leaning into turns, the elegant navigation of other jet-skier wakes, the full-on adrenaline rush of reaching 50 mph, and the deft docking when the ride was over.
My turn. Well, after a successful push off the dock it went against all my instincts not to take my finger off the throttle to keep a check on my increasing speed. I’d been warned, though, that doing so might send me flying off the beast. So I battled my impulses, kept finger-on-throttle, and remained in the seat, amidst a few awkward lurches. It also felt really wrong and scary to take a 180 degree turn and lean fully into it despite feeling like I might tip over any moment. It’s essential, though, to maintain balance and avoid capsizing. All that was build-up to the real thrill: cruising into the open blue waters at 50 (ish) mph, no obstacles in sight. Wheeeee!!!
Oh, except the invisible obstacles; the ones that sneak up on you. The wakes. Those waves that another moving obstacle in the water leaves behind. It hardly seemed a big deal that another jet-ski or small motor boat was cruising on the other side of the lake from me. Until the wakes hit. Boom! Slap! Thud! My lack of experience was on clear display then. I had a crash course (a figurative one) on not-letting-smooth-waters-fool-you. I learned quickly to expand my peripheral vision, anticipate the movement of other vehicles, and take broad sweeps to make room for their experience and avoid the thuds. So – a bit like leading in an international school.
My ultimate lesson from all of this: piloting a motorized vehicle, like leading in an international school, is thrilling and chilling! Interspersed with occasional smooth stretches of 'normal' adrenaline pumping. It takes courage, calm confidence, a keen sense of adventure, and a willingness to adapt to elements beyond one’s control. I realize I’m more cut out for being the ‘guide on the side’ – or at the back, if we’re talking jet-skis – where I can provide an extra set of eyes, help anticipate the upcoming curves in the road or the wakes from the boat across the way, be there through the whacks and thuds, and celebrate the straightaways.
On that note, I’ve got a new offering, inspired by a new client who asked for coaching through the ‘wild rides’ of her first year of heading a school. I’m calling it the ‘Wild Ride’ Retainer: you purchase a set amount of ‘fuel’ (aka coaching time) from me, we use that in increments of 10/20/30/60 minutes – whatever the situation calls for, and via Zoom/text/email/regular call – whatever the situation calls for. We top up the fuel tank as needed.
Call on me to help you through the wild rides and straighter passages of leading in an international school. I’m here in my sidecar, ready for the adventure.
Yours in white-knuckling,
Bridget
