What Rowing Teaches Me About Knowing When to Follow

Being on the water with my rowing crew is one of my favorite places to be. I love the activity and the company. I also appreciate the regular reminder that having years of experience does not mean you should be in charge of every situation.

Our boat is made up of older women. Our coxswains are college students, many of them studying engineering at some of the best universities in the country.

When we are on the water, those students lead us. They tell us when to row and when to stop. They guide our direction, watch what is happening around us and make calls we need to follow.

We bring decades of experience to that boat. They bring the expertise and ability to see what the crew needs in that moment. We respect that, and we listen.

It is a useful lesson for anyone accustomed to being the person others look to for answers.

Experience includes recognizing someone else’s expertise

In business, seniority comes with responsibility. Leaders make decisions, establish priorities and answer for the outcome. It can become easy to assume that being accountable means having the best answer to every question.

Rowing gives me a practical reminder to examine that assumption. I can contribute fully to the crew and follow someone much younger than I am. Respecting her direction helps us do what we came together to do.

The same approach belongs in a company. A newer employee may understand a tool better than the CEO. Someone working directly with customers may recognize a recurring problem before the leadership team does. A colleague with less tenure may have the experience a particular project requires.

Leaders need to recognize that knowledge and give people room to use it. Asking for a recommendation is a start. Being willing to follow it gives the person a chance to contribute beyond the conversation.

The teamwork begins before the boat moves

One of my favorite things about rowing is how much we do together before anyone takes a stroke.

We prepare the boat and equipment. We check that everything is ready, account for safety equipment and carry the boat to the water together. We discuss where we plan to go. If the weather or conditions raise concerns, everyone has a chance to weigh in before we decide whether to row.

That preparation requires attention and participation. Each person has a role in getting the crew ready.

Companies need that kind of care before a project begins. People need to understand the assignment, know what they are responsible for and have an opportunity to raise concerns. A missing resource or an unrealistic deadline deserves discussion before the team is committed to delivering against it.

Preparation also helps people trust the decisions that follow. They understand what was considered and how their contribution fits into the plan.

Make it safe to speak and clear who will lead

On our crew, everyone gets heard when we are considering whether conditions are suitable. Once we are rowing, we need to respond to the coxswain’s calls.

Those practices support each other. We can contribute to a decision and respect the person responsible for directing us through it.

At a company, leaders should explain when they need discussion, who will make the decision and who will guide the team through the task. People also need to know they can raise a concern if circumstances change.

That clarity helps prevent confusion about whether someone is being asked for advice, given responsibility or expected to follow a decision already made.

Stay until the shared responsibilities are finished

When we return, there is still plenty to do. We carry the boat back, clean it and put the equipment away. No one leaves until everything is in its rightful place.

I appreciate that agreement. Everyone participates in the preparation, the row and the cleanup.

It makes me think about what happens after a company’s most visible milestones. A launch may be complete, but customers still need support. A presentation may be over, but someone needs to answer the outstanding questions. Teams need people willing to see those responsibilities through.

Getting to know our young coxswains has been an unexpected gift. They are smart, confident, curious and capable. Being led by them gives me another reason to feel hopeful about the people coming up behind us.

Every row gives me a chance to practice listening, contributing and trusting someone else’s judgment. Those are habits I want to bring back to every team I lead.