I love to ski.

(In fact, I am writing this post while on a ski trip.)

I’ve been skiing in Germany, Colorado, and New Mexico – and, hopefully someday, Park City, Utah.

There’s just something about the beauty of snowy mountains, the freedom of flying down a ski run, and the accompanying sense of adventure that is intoxicating.

It also gives you plenty of time to think; and, on my latest ski vacation, I found myself thinking of what I’ve learned about leadership from skiing. Here’s five thoughts:

1. Enjoy the journey.
   
   When skiing, I intentionally remind myself to enjoy my surroundings. There is such majestic beauty in these mountains, and I don’t want to miss it. So, I will often stop in the middle of a run and take in the scenery. Doing this brings me peace and increases my enjoyment of the experience.
   
   Leadership is not always easy or “beautiful,” which is why I need to intentionally remind myself to enjoy the people with whom I work, the process of bringing value to others, and the fact that I have meaningful work to do.
   
   Just like in skiing, I don’t want to get in such a hurry that I miss the blessings and opportunities of leadership. I want to enjoy the journey and not just the destination.
   
2. Embrace the adventure of discovery.
   
   One of the things I love most about skiing is that it feels like an adventure. And one of my favorite things to do while skiing is discovering where a “new to me” trail leads. Some of these trails have unveiled breath-taking views and some of them have challenged my skiing abilities, but they have all fed my desire for discovery (of nature and myself).
   
   Leadership is an adventure that often takes me down paths I didn’t or couldn’t foresee. When this happens, I can be tempted to “play it safe” and stick to what I know – there’s comfort in that. But skiing has taught me that the best things happen when I push past my comfort zone to see what I can discover.
   
   I want to be the type of leader who embraces the spirit of adventure and inspires others to do the same.
   
3. Enlist the fundamentals.
   
   Skiing is built around a set of fundamental movements, and even the best skiers in the world must practice them if they want to succeed. The same is true in leadership. No matter how high the leader has climbed, the fundamentals of integrity, trust, relationships, communication, vision, etc. cannot be ignored.
   
   The fastest way to crash in skiing is by abandoning the fundamentals because you think you’ve progressed beyond them. This is also what causes leaders to crash and burn. I want to root myself in the fundamentals of leadership to ensure long-term effectiveness.
   
4. Employ the ability to adapt.
   
   When I was younger, skiing was all about speed. I would even time myself to see how long it took me to get down a mountain. And truth be told, I did some reckless things for the sake of speed.
   
   I still like to go fast when I ski, but I can’t do it now like I could back then. Now that I’m older, I’ve had to make some adjustments to my skiing style. But it hasn’t taken away the fun.
   
   In leadership, the ability to adapt to changing circumstances is imperative. One must adapt in order to stay relevant, keep growing, and add value to others. My leadership style is different now from when I was younger – because I’m different. But being able to adapt, rather than trying to hang on to the glories of the past, has made me a better leader.
   
5. Engage with nature to fuel creativity and inspiration.
   
   Whenever I go skiing, I get inspired; and that inspiration leads to new ideas, fresh perspectives, and an influx of creativity. There’s a lot of research that you can read elsewhere that explains this, but I get energized when I’m engaging with nature.
   
   In addition to skiing, taking regular walks around the trail by my house seems to unlock the creative side of my brain. I’m able to see more clearly the opportunities in the midst of challenges. I’m able to be more honest with myself about my shortcomings. And I see what I want to achieve through a more creative lens.
   
   I want to regularly engage with nature because it brings out the best in me.

Now that I’ve summarized these leadership lessons from skiing, I’m ready to book my next ski trip!