Four Leadership Lessons from my Last Surf Session of 2022

It was Boxing Day, a day for family, but the swell and tide made it perfect conditions to surf a secret spot along the Pacific coast south of San Francisco. I hadn’t been able to make the last outing and had been envious of my friends’ stories of the long rides on this isolated break. The clincher for my decision to go? … the spot is named Dragons.

Lesson One: Find Your People (… who make you better)

I’ve surfed with these friends for years, a group of designers, data scientists, and tech people with a shared love of the ocean. One of us had a passion for finding secret spots. He researches and scopes them out for years and then, when the conditions are just right, he’ll suggest a field trip. We’ve been known to rappel down cliffs in search of the best, most uncrowded wave. We share an easy camaraderie, the ability to catch up with each other’s lives and work even if it’s been months since we’ve seen each other. And we share the thrill of watching others catch a beautiful wave or wipe-out in a punishing hold-down.

I’m the worst surfer in the bunch, amongst the oldest and the weakest physically. Yet surfing with these friends makes me better. They keep me going when it’s hard to motivate getting up at 5am and pulling on a wetsuit to jump in the freezing Pacific.