Is Your True North True?

Did you ever suspect that your “true north” isn’t actually true? If so, it could be on account of “variation” or “deviation;” let me explain. Especially before the wonders of GPS and electronic navigation, to sail a true course it was important to know about variation and deviation, t
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Big Boats and Small Boats

Many of you know that sailing is a passion of mine, and my belief that it is a powerful metaphor and venue for teamwork and leadership development. Two years ago I sold our sloop Loon, which for years provided many adventures and leaning opportunities sailing the Great Lakes. In searc
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Doldrums

Day after day, day after day, We stuck, no breath no motion; As idle as a painted ship Upon a painted ocean. –      (Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Rime of the Ancient Mariner) Sailors know doldrums well – persistent stillness and lack of wind that prevents movement. They were the bane of a
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Clear the Deck!

In older days, “Clear the deck!” was a common command to prepare for doing battle at sea. The command focused attention, cleared visibility to gain a better perspective on the action, eliminated distractions and quickly channeled resources where they were needed most. Literally or fig
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Situational Awareness

On October 22, 1707, four ships and at least 1,400 seamen of Her Majesty’s fleet were lost off the Isles of Scilly near England; the primary cause was miscalculation of longitude. On the night of April 14, 1912, the “unsinkable” luxury liner Titanic sank with a loss of more than 1,500
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Does Work Make You "Seasick?"

Recently a colleague shared her distress with the turmoil, continuous change and what seemed like unrealistic expectations at her workplace. As she described the conditions and her reactions, I couldn’t help thinking how similar they were to those of mates I’ve sailed with who suffere
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