What’s with the sailing metaphor?

Moving through a career shift and working to land my next full-time position, research and introspection guides me. Rick Rubin’s “The Creative Act” and Ashley Stahl’s “You Turn” have helped me stay curious about my true north and inspired to continue forward.

Stahl aligns people with their natural way of moving in the world through 10 core skill sets (You Turn, pg 43). Mine is clearly “Motion.” My strategic planning approach draws from a background in strength and conditioning, coaching runners, and various physical pursuits. My husband and I took to sailing last year after years of exploring rock climbing, century bike rides, and lots of running races.

The name Headsail Consulting draws from the nautical metaphor of the headsail (or jib), which is the forward sail on a boat and plays a crucial role in steering and generating forward momentum. Here’s why it resonates with my approach to strategic planning:

• Guidance and Direction: The headsail helps a vessel navigate efficiently, even in challenging conditions, much like how I guide organizations through complex transformations and uncertain environments.

• Momentum and Agility: The headsail drives progress while allowing for quick adjustments to optimize performance, reflecting how I propel organizations forward while maintaining adaptability.

• Collaborative Power: The headsail works in harmony with the main sail and crew, symbolizing my emphasis on aligning stakeholders, fostering collaboration, and leveraging collective strengths.

• Visionary Leadership: In sailing, a well-trimmed headsail ensures the vessel stays on course and responds to shifting winds. Similarly, my approach to strategic planning aligns organizations with inspiring values and adapts to changing circumstances to achieve long-term goals.

This new (scary, humbling, and invigorating) water sport is teaching me many new lessons and relationship metaphors. I think it’s apt!