My coach says that there’s “a feistier” side in me that my rowers may not know about me. I can see why, I seem a little timid at times, but on the water when I make calls, I guess my voice changes and I get really into it/competitive. She also told me I should work on being even more of a leader, esp. on the water. As in I could throw in some challenges like out of shoes rowing at the end of practice or something. How do I become an effective leader without coming across as a bitch, rude, etc. ?
The only time you’ll come off as a bitch instead of a leader is if you constantly yell at everyone and go on power trips. Treat other people how you want them to treat you. If you do that, you’ll earn respect from your teammates, which goes a long way when you’re in the position you’re in.
Don’t take your coach telling you there’s a “feisty” side to you as a bad thing. After the first week or so of going out with my masters 8+ we were at breakfast one morning and one of the women said “I love you as our coxswain but your personality is SO different in the boat – you’re such a bitch!!” At first I didn’t know how to take it until everyone chimed in and said that it was a compliment because my assertiveness, efficiency, knowledge, and most of all intensity make them want to be better rowers. If that’s what being a bitch is, then I’m not complaining. The important thing is knowing how to separate your in-boat personality and your on-land personality … you can’t take all the yelling you do into boat on land with you, otherwise people won’t take you seriously and they’ll lose some respect for you if all they ever hear you doing is yelling and bossing people around.
