You may have seen a trailer or poster recently for George Clooney’s latest film, “The Boys in the Boat.” Based on the novel by Daniel James Brown, it tells the story of the 1936 US Olympic Rowing Team and their journey to gold. Like any good sports story, it demonstrates the power of grit and tenacity in the face of impossible odds. Nine young men who came from nothing during the height of the Great Depression and who had no prior experience with rowing came together to defeat the best teams in the world.
I love a good underdog story as much as the next person, but it’s the underlying theme of alignment that sticks with me. In crew, the boat only moves forward if everyone is in sync. It’s a true team sport. There’s no room for MVPs or all-star players. It wasn’t the boys’ individual talents that propelled them across that finish line; it was their ability to work as a team.
As someone who works in professional development and corporate training, the word alignment often comes up when discussing a client’s struggles and business goals. They’ve invested all this time and energy in cultivating strong, effective leaders, but when it’s time to work together, nothing moves forward. They have a roster of talented players but don’t have a team. That’s when we hit the water and teach the lessons of “The Boys in the Boat.”
- There is no room for ego.
In rowing, the positioning of rowers is very strategic. The strongest rowers go in the middle to provide the power, while the more technical rowers sit at the bow and stern to set the rhythm and keep the boat balanced. These roles change depending on the makeup of the team. A person might sit in the Engine Room on one team and be seated in the stern on another. It’s all about sitting where your skills make the most sense.
- Every seat needs to be filled.
Every seat has a purpose, and every seat must be filled to move forward. The boat can’t go fast if there’s no one in the Engine Room. The boat won’t be balanced if no one is at the bow. The boat doesn’t have direction if the coxswain is not steering. The seat purposes may be different, but they’re all equally important.
- You need trust.
On a boat, there are limited site lines. Most rowers can only see the person in front of them and rely on their movement to set their pace. There isn’t space for second-guessing. If one rower decides that the person in front of them is going too fast or too slow and tries to set their own pace, the rowing gets out of sync, and the boat slows down or stops altogether. There has to be trust that the person ahead is following the others, even if we can’t see it.
- You are only as good as your team.
A team of mediocre rowers who can work together will always beat a team of world-class athletes who can’t row in sync. How well the puzzle pieces fit together decides who wins and who loses. You can be the best rower in the world, but if you can’t adjust to meet where your teammates are, you are all losing the race.
- It’s hard, but the results are worth it.
Rowing is considered one of the most demanding sports in the Olympic games. Not only are athletes pushing themselves as individuals, but they must remain in sync with one another while doing it. But when a team finds their swing, when everyone moves in perfect harmony, that’s when the magic happens, and races are won.
Within the professional development space, there is a heavy emphasis on leadership—how to create new leaders, how to be a better leader, habits that all leaders should have, etc. Leadership tends to get the credit for a successful business, but it’s important to remember that good leaders also know how to be good team members. That’s what makes the story of “The Boys in the Boat” such an inspiration and why all leaders can use it as a reminder of what can be accomplished when people come together and work as one.
