2024 ended with my vision becoming reality: A small group of leaders gathered in Costa Rica to experience a unique approach to leadership development – learning to ride the waves instead of trying to control the ocean – at the Agile Leadership Surf Camp.
I partner with my friends who run a B-Corp certified Surf + Yoga Lodge. We use surfing as a tool to more deeply embody agility and grow our leadership capacity. This is essential to more effectively navigating the complexity, uncertainty, and rapid change we face today.
While the curriculum provides structure and learning outcomes, each group co-creates their own unique experience, shaped by their diverse perspectives and the current global context.
Here are 5 key leadership insights that emerged from our first Agile Leadership Surf Camp.
1 – Leadership requires grace.
This looks like being kinder, compassionate, and patient – with ourselves and others. In a culture that promotes perfection, productivity, and urgency, it is easy to judge ourselves or feel like we aren’t doing enough or achieving enough fast enough.
Grace allows space for our full humanity. And that’s when we can tap into our essence as a leader. And we can trust in our ability to navigate challenges and create with (rather than resist) what is emerging.
2 – Find the comfort in the discomfort.
Our human brains crave certainty. However, the fact remains that we live in an uncertain and constantly changing world. So of course this is going to bring discomfort.
Leaders find the comfort in the discomfort by:
Being more presentStaying open and curiousFinding learning in everythingMaintaining a vision while adapting to changeBuilding trust and confidence through consistent practice, small wins, and enjoying the journey
3 – Community is important.
We are more disconnected than ever. “Busyness”, our online lives, and the way our culture rewards hyper-individualism are common contributors to this disconnection.
Yet, leadership is a relationship-driven process. And the best way to grow ourselves is to engage in the process with an intentional and supportive group of people. At Agile Leadership Surf Camp, participants formed deep bonds through:
Sharing new challenges together in the ocean and on the yoga matMeaningful conversations over good food”Working” their leadership challenges in interactive workshopsSupporting each other’s growthBeing together in a uniquely beautiful space surrounded by nature
4 – We need to slow down.
The pressure to always be “productive” with our time, to do more faster… well, this doesn’t make us better leaders. We get distracted. We get overwhelmed. We get stuck in unhelpful reactive patterns.
Like reading ocean conditions, effective leadership requires presence and awareness. When we slow down, we:
Notice important patternsMake better decisionsBuild healthier collaborative relationshipsRespond thoughtfully rather than react automaticallyBetter align our intentions with our impact
5 – Leadership is an energetic thing.
Beyond just using frameworks and tools, leadership power comes from how we “show up.” This means:
Cultivating interpersonal relationshipsSensing and responding (rather than getting stuck in our heads and reacting)Tapping into intuitive wisdom to guide usCreating space for new possibilitiesTrusting and feeling more ease and confidence in the journey
Each participant left with practical tools for navigating uncertainty, but more importantly, they experienced a profound shift in how they approach leadership – moving from control to flow, from resistance to resilience.
Ready to transform your leadership? Join our April 2025 Retreat for an immersive experience that will change how you navigate complexity and change. Learn more about Agile Leadership Surf Camp.