4 Olympic lessons in educational leadership

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When Lara Dallman-Weiss and Stuart McNay set sail together at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, they weren't just sailing in open water: they were challenging traditional norms in a sport historically dominated by single-gender teams. As the first co-ed U.S. team to compete in the 470 sailing class at the Paris Games, they embodied the transformative power of gender equality in high-performance teams.

I had the opportunity to speak with Dallman-Weiss and McNay, a two-time and five-time Olympian, respectively, about their journeys, the strengths of diverse teams, and how to cultivate the resilience needed to overcome obstacles together. Their experiences offer powerful lessons for leaders in all sectors who must navigate the uncertainty of a highly competitive context.

Diverse Perspectives Are Powerful

Dallman-Weiss and McNay are not just different genres; They also come from different parts of the country and different nautical backgrounds. Dallman-Weiss began his career on the lakes of his native Minnesota before honing his talents at Eckerd College in Florida. A Bostonian by birth, McNay navigated an All-American career at Yale University before entering Olympic competition in 2008. This diversity of experience strengthens their partnership.

“Men and women bring different strengths to the boat (physicality, timing, coordination), but true power comes when those strengths come together,” McNay said. “Sometimes sailors try to solve the problem with more physical strength, while sailors solve it with better timing or coordination.”

This balance of perspectives is crucial in leadership in general. In any organization, whether a startup or a multinational corporation, the ability to combine diverse approaches is key to maximizing talent, capacity and impact. According to a McKinsey studyCompanies in the top quartile of gender diversity on executive teams are 25 percent more likely to have above-average profitability. Diversity is a competitive advantage.

Just as Dallman-Weiss and McNay complement each other's skills in the water, it is important to create environments where diverse voices are not only heard but actively encouraged. a turning point in any field. Leveraging a broader range of experiences makes organizations more adaptable and better able to withstand challenges.

Pressure is a privilege

“I love the pressure,” Dallman-Weiss offered. “That whole 'pressure is a privilege' mantra really rings true to me.

“I think my two Olympic trials were some of the most stressful times of my life,” he continued. “We had a lot to prove. And that pressure was crazy. And one of the things I always worked on with my performance coach was that if it wasn't this, then there was something better down the road. And it just instilled in me the idea that, 'Okay, if I don't get there, if this doesn't happen, it's because something better is waiting for me.' “I took him with me to our Olympic trials.”

The idea that pressure is not something to be shunned but something to be embraced is powerful for leaders in all fields. Accepting pressure as a privilege requires leaders to develop strategies to manage it effectively. Whether through mental training, leaning on your team, or reframing the situation as an opportunity to rise to the occasion, pressure becomes a source of strength and motivation. Viewing pressure as an opportunity rather than a burden allows leaders to inspire their teams and drive performance.

Learning from adversity: resilience through setbacks

“Every setback has to be a learning lesson,” McNay told me. “It's important to rethink any setback, not only for mindset and enthusiasm, but also because setbacks often highlight weaknesses more than successes.”

Viewing setbacks as opportunities for growth and improvement embodies the essential spirit of a world-class competitor: it is at the heart of every Olympic athlete. Accepting setbacks as vital parts of the process, rather than failures, allows leaders to cultivate the mindset necessary to lead with courage and optimism. It allows leaders to elevate team members to their highest levels of performance, even in turbulent waters.

Allyship and the role of male advocates in supporting women in leadership

Women in leadership positions know the importance of having male allies, especially in male-dominated fields. Dallman-Weiss noted that many women in yachting struggle to gain the same level of experience as their male counterparts due to fewer opportunities and less access to resources. Having a male advocate helped her navigate these spaces and challenges.

“I was often the only woman,” she said. “I was there to run. He knew what he was doing. But there is a level where I had to prove that I even knew how to walk around a ship. “One of my biggest lessons was having a man who knew me and could speak for me, especially when I was younger.”

Their experience reflects what we see in many sectors, including education.

Women, particularly women of color, in education face additional barriers to accessing leadership positionswhether it be skewed career paths that distance them from key experiences and opportunities for growth, or a cultural bias that holds them to materially different standards than their male peers.

In systems where bias is a daily reality, men have an interest in acting as allies, ensuring that their talented female colleagues are in positions that allow them to maximize their potential. According to a Credit Suisse reportCompanies with higher percentages of women in decision-making positions generate higher returns and better average growth. By actively supporting their female colleagues, male leaders not only promote equity but also drive better outcomes for their organizations.

Navigating towards a more inclusive future

Leaders – whether at the helm of an Olympic-class sailboat or in boardrooms – who are charting a course through complexity and uncertainty can draw important lessons from Dallman-Weiss and McNay's partnership. Her journey exemplifies how embracing gender equality, leveraging diverse collaboration, treating pressure as a privilege, and learning from setbacks can propel any team toward success.

Because leadership, like sailing, is not simply an exercise in sailing in stormy weather, it is about using the full range of available assets, leveraging various strengths to adjust course, overcome the obstacle, and ultimately, reach the finish line. stronger than when you started.