Teamwork makes the dream work.

 New sails, perfected bottom, ultra light and efficient rigging and all the other features that go into a competitive program are only as good as the team that makes the rocking boat go round the race course. 💪,  I mentioned our culture on our about us page. A safe space for all types is something I believe in hole-heartedly. Its actually a competitive advantage as surrounding yourself with like types limits your perspective while a diverse team expands and grows perspective. The secret sauce is in getting the different instruments on the same sheet of music. For skippers growing a race team below are a few things that work for us: 

Hold on Loosely: People need to grow and expand. Maybe their on the team for a long haul, maybe sometimes, maybe once in a blue moon. Loyalty is about them and not you. Be loyal to their desire to grow, to check out other programs and advance on other boats. I hate to see team members move on but I love to watch them grow and when I have something to do with that growth, its highly rewarding. It sucks being light or not having crew for a regatta but a "free range" approach to crew feels good.

Communicate Appreciation and make it Genuine: I genuinely love everyone who will, has and continues to be a teammate. "Rockstar" is a term used to describe top sailing talent and I address my crew as Rockstars often. It also fits our rock & roll themed program. People live busy lives and being a competitive sailor requires a significant commitment of time. When they give the program their time, I want them to know that it is noticed and appreciated. Social media is one platform where I frequently and publicly thank the Rockstars. I also thank them in person at every opportunity for coming out to race and being their genuine selves.

Recruit Always: Looking through our media you can see a broad range of crew. From 2005 when I first started the Fat Bottom Girl team to now, there has been at least 50 Rockstars. 

We currently keep a crew depth of 20 or so and that works well to get 8 people out for a weekend regatta. Recruiting is everyone's job. It a special feeling watching a Rockstar notice someone on the dock that seems to not know where they are going and instantly invites them to join us. Your bench can never be too deep and when we have more Rockstars than room we can always find them a ride. 

Maintain a Positive Outlook: Setting the tone is a responsibility I do not take lightly. I've sailed with and witnessed many programs that when the regatta results are not favorable, the ride back to the dock is quiet and unpleasant. I understand giving your all to the competition and no one likes to let the team down, but we gave our best and other teams outperformed. I celebrate the fact that we were in the arena. We gave it our all and we've learned new moves, or how to get in front of mistakes, for the next regatta. Leave the negativity on the race course and go to the tent with your head high proud of the race you sailed. 

Own it: On of my favorite reads on leadership is Tim Collins Good to Great where he shares the mirror and window concept of giving public credit for the good and taking personal responsibility for the bad.

It's a solid concept that molds well with competitive sailing. My ability to aggressively maneuver the boat is 100% dependent on how well I have trained my crew. The thing I have noticed when I take Extreme Ownership, another great read by Jocko Willink, the team mirrors this behavior and likewise takes responsibility for their performance. 

After Action Review: During my time with Bradley-Morris / RecruitMilitary I sat in on thousands of AARs and learned the power of candid review and continuous improvement. The key is to not let it turn into a blame session, but to keep the tone positive and the focus on improvement. It's interesting how

extreme ownership can manifest into everyone being quick to take fault, But this is about improving as a team not to be taken personally. What did we do and how can we improve. We keep a notebook specifically for after action, to log conditions, boat settings and performance.

Develop a Training Plan: I share every bit of sailing information with the team and encourage them to watch webinars and read books. We'll have watch parties. They have a thirst for knowledge. This has them seeking out and sharing sailing information independently. Life long learning is essential in developing a depth of knowledge.

Have Fun: One of my early mentors taught me this valuable insight. "If you are not having fun you are doing it wrong" We're competing in a strong field where wins are earned and never given. But when you break it down if its not a good day on the water then what is it? Don't let your ego ruin this special time. We sail home happy no matter how we finished. 

In closing remember that words don't teach. Mastery comes from doing so best of luck in implementing our strategies with your team.  

Give it all you got!

Fat Bottom Girl 

USA 30812 

Good Books for Growing