Leave your ego at the startline (but not your confidence!). Its the heaviest thing in your pack. Over the long haul, leader or not, we are all going to be the strongest link and the weaker link on our team. All of us will happily offer our strength to our teammates when they need it, but how many of us are also offering our weaknesses to the team? On our team, every racer has ‘tow lines’, made from thin bungy cords, hanging from the back of all of our packs. If we are feeling strong, we offer it to a struggling teammate. If we are having a low moment, we grab a tow line from someone stronger and get lightly pulled along at the faster pace until we recover (verses forcing the team to slow down for us). The goal? To “suffer equally”, as my favorite team Captain, Kiwi John Howard used to so eloquently put it. You’ll get farther, faster if you do. I believe that we have not used all of our strength as a leader until we have asked for and accepted help from our teammates. And if that’s tough for your (let’s face it, it is tough sometimes), I’d love to offer you a unique perspective that will help: Think about accepting help as a gift to the helper. People are thrilled when they have a chance to help you. Let them do it! You create a connection and a bond every time you do. Accepting help (and ASKING for it) is one of my favorite team synergy creating tools as a leader.
Mt. San Jacinto Climb 2014
Join us on Saturday, September 20, 2014 at 5:00 a.m. for a hike up Mt. San Jacinto with World Renowned Adventure Racer Robyn Benincasa.

Written By: Robyn Benincasa
World Champion Adventure Racer, San Diego City Firefighter, Founder of World Class Teams, Flashover Seminars and Project Athena Foundation, Motivation/Leadership/Teamwork Speaker.