In a former life I worked in large organizations where the HR department would conduct “360 Feedback Programs”. If you’re not familiar with this exercise it works like this: subordinates, peers and your boss are asked to fill out a form to provide “confidential” feedback on your behavior and performance. This is then shared with you by someone in HR. You’re expected to take the anonymous feedback as “constructive criticism” and then develop a plan to improve your effectiveness. This well-meaning exercise invariably leaves you dazed and confused and wondering what everyone really meant. See Patrick Lencioni’s book “The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive” for his perspective.

Ancient cultures had traditional dances whose purpose was to affect a positive outcome. There were dances to bring on rain, to make game plentiful or to ensure a bountiful harvest. These traditions became deeply engrained, especially after an occasional rain or bumper crop. Even the most cynical participant was reluctant to challenge tradition. It was probably easier to do the dance and go with the flow than to challenge the connection between the dance and the outcome.

Years ago when I was starting my business career I would occasionally meet my father-in-law at a small diner for what we called our “businessman’s lunch”. My father-in-law was a character. He often called his father-in-law “The Kaiser” after his German heritage. He had lots of nicknames for me as well but, I digress.

Years ago my wife volunteered me as an umpire for my daughter’s softball league. “What possessed you to volunteer me?” I asked. “I don’t know the first thing about being an umpire”. “Not to worry”, was her quick reply, “The league is desperate for umpires and besides, I signed you up for umpire class.” Yes, there’s a class for umpires who call the games played by 9 year-old girls. I was somewhat reassured. “After all”, I thought, “how hard can it be to make the call?”

Last month I spent 8 days cycling in Alabama at a training camp run by Aldo Sfalcin, a retired pro from Windsor, Canada. Think of the camp as “spring training for cyclists”. His words of wisdom for a successful cycling season is that “you must go slow to go fast”. He encourages adult cyclists to put in at least 800 miles of cycling early in the year spinning easy gears at a high cadence to get the heart pumping and to regain muscle memory.