My spouse and I recently took a trip to gorgeous Costa Rica, and – true to form – we chose to try our hand at a few adventures. One of his adventures of choice: surf lessons.
He went into these lessons with a goal of standing up on the board before we left. Simple and achievable.
I, being the supportive spouse I am, tagged along for moral support – joined by a few other partners of aspiring surfers.
It seemed a simple enough adventure. But we both walked away from the experience with more than just good memories.
We truly got a masterclass in team building.
The whole group was (relatively) novice, but eager to learn.
And what could have very easily been an embarrassing experience – learning a skill that pummels you into the sand in front of strangers – instead turned into something really cool.
As a group, we watched wipe outs, falls, coaching and correction.
And instead of allowing it to breed resentment or frustration, that public display of failure became a foundation – a starting point to gauge progress – that we could use to cheer each other on.
As I reflected on the experience, I realized that it was no accident that we ended up feeling so connected and united in the experience.
And that experience is one I brought home with me as I work with my Ocelot team.
Here was my main takeaway:
When building a team in a more professional sense, we often try to act like we have it all together, or get this sense that asking questions shows weakness or ill-preparedness.
No one wants to look a fool.
But building a true team and community can only happen if we can also walk through the challenges together.
Allowing ourselves to be vulnerable in front of each other creates the root of trust. The starting point for gauging growth and progress we can use to cheer each other on.
The challenges we face and kinks in our plans create opportunities for growth.
But it’s how we handle them that forges a positive and supportive team culture.