What fishing taught me

In my household, summertime brings outdoor family adventures. One highlight this year was a week long fishing trip to the beautiful Churchill River in Northern Saskatchewan. While being on the water and out of cell service isn't terribly conducive to blogging, I was still thinking about leadership and the parallels to what I was doing. So many things apply to both:

1) Preparation & planning are key

Gotta have all the right equipment, specific maps, and a plan for where to go.

2) Always have a backup plan

If the fish just aren't biting at your favourite spot, be ready to move on to find success elsewhere.

3) It takes the whole boat to reel in a big fish

You need someone to reel it in, someone to weild the net, someone to keep the boat balanced, someone to cheer you on.  If the parts aren't coordinated, that fish can get away.

4) Helping someone else to succeed is really satisfying

Teaching a newbie to fish brings back the excitement of your first catch, and there's a special pride in seeing your protege have a big win.

5) Patience and hard work can reap great rewards

The fish usually don't just jump into the boat.  But keep at it, keep doing the right things, and satisfaction will come eventually.

6) Know your limits

Before you go out on the water, lest you get carried away and find yourself in trouble.

7) Sometimes even your best efforts don't pay off

There are those days where you do everything right,  you wait it out, you try all the tricks, all the spots and STILL no luck. It's not always a reflection on your technique. Sometimes the fish just aren't biting.

8) Happiness is a choice

On the days where you don't catch any fish, are you grumpy and short tempered,  focused on what you're not getting? Or are you basking in the sunshine, drinking in the quiet, grateful for the company? Same day, different experience. The change was entirely in your head.

9) Never ever ever give up

500 casts, no bites. But it might be the 501st cast that's the ticket. You never know which.