Sometimes Life Just Serves You a Storm, Whether in Sports or Leadership!

The Clipper Race continues, but I’m no longer on the Team Scotland sailboat. The first part of Leg 1 — spanning from Portsmouth, UK, to Puerto Sherry, Spain—marked the beginning of this 11-month adventure.

I trained hard for five intense weeks, yet nothing quite matched nine consecutive days at sea. I was part of Team Scotland, a strong crew led by the excellent skipper Heather Thomas and her fully committed mate. We were still becoming a team, working our way through Tuckman’s arc (forming → storming → norming → performing → adjourning) when the Atlantic reminded us who’s in charge.
A Start with a BangWe sailed into the remnants of Hurricane Erin. Race leadership warned it might be the toughest week of the entire circumnavigation. They weren’t exaggerating.

Early Tuesday, I was preparing to head up to the deck as our boat, CV22, heeled sharply. My sailing boots slid, and I shot from one end of the boat to the other, hitting my head and shoulder. I was out for a few minutes. When I came to, the shoulder pain was excruciating. And then, as if to make sure I got the message, two green walls of water came through the door and drenched the skipper, a crewmate, and me. The pain meds took the edge off, but upset my stomach. The rest of the week? Call it storm school.

Winning and Losing  at the Same Time

Team Scotland won that stage. And yet, even in the win, I felt like I had lost my love of sailing and wasn’t sure how — or if — I would recover. Across the fleet, a few sailors stepped off: some decided the race was too much; others were injured- broken ribs, a broken foot—and one was helicoptered to a hospital. The race goes on, with winners and losers on paper, and with lessons for everyone on the journey.

When Storms Hit My Clients

Over twenty-three years of coaching, I’ve seen clients weather their own squalls. During the 2008 global financial crisis, some renegotiated contracts simply to keep their company alive. CEOs leave, new ones arrive, and overnight, the alliances my clients had carefully built are rearranged. Constant reorgs churned the water until even the most capable paused to ask, “Does this still fit? Are my strengths relevant here? “
We talk a lot about agility and resilience, and we should. But the way through often begins with alignment and a reset: health first, values front and center, the right support around you. From there, it’s straightforward human work: tell the truth about what’s happening, ask for what you need, and take the right next step. Not flashy. Just steady.

Leadership Lessons From the Sea

It feels good to have learned to sail, and I know I’m still learning. I set out with one goal and met another, and with friends’ support, I was able to give through JustGiving and help children—that mattered. A colleague told me storms can be a badge of entry to the sailing world; this one certainly was. I put a high value on my health and my self-care, and I know when it’s time to heal and reset. Experiences like this shake you to the core, and they invite a clear re-look at goals, choices, and values.

​Interested in exploring how to re-examine goals, choices, and values after a storm? Let’s connect. desormeauxconsulting.com • [email protected]