Guest Post by Kathy Briden
There is something special about biking when on vacation and our trips south always include a fair amount of pushing the pedal. We bring our bikes but also rent a couple more for folks who come visit us so everyone can jump on a bike and explore the island. The bike paths are extensive and well-marked, the beach is fair game and the bikes allow each person to explore parts of the island not reachable by car. No matter our age, fitness ability or experience/skill level we all become bikers at the beach.
As a lifelong manager, I often look for a lesson in commonplace happenings and biking is no exception. I watch people who haven’t biked for decades jump on and ride. There are courageous others who grab a bike without a map and have fun “just figuring the island out.” Then, of course, there are the overachievers who are gone for hours racking up many miles of riding. In the end however, everyone comes back to the house revitalized and feeling pretty good about what they have just accomplished. The bike has, in a fun way, fostered independence, confidence, pride and a deep sense of accomplishment. How great!
As a manager, I thought to myself “how often do I give my staff a bike and let them ride”? In the business world the hypothetical bike can be a different tool or device to test, a new opportunity, fresh training, a novel project, a different certification to acquire and perhaps even time to just research/explore. The more opportunities our staff have “to jump on a bike and ride” the more we will foster in our group the confidence, pride and sense of accomplishment that helps create a happier and healthier workforce. So, give it a try: find a “bike” for each of your staff members, show them the path, if need be give them a destination – then step back and simply let them enjoy a ride.