Olympic sized lessons in leadership

When Lara Dallman-Weiss and Stuart McNay set sail together at the 2024 Paris Olympics, they weren’t just navigating open waters, they were challenging traditional norms in a sport historically dominated by single-gender teams. As the first U.S. mixed-gender team to compete in the 470 sailing class at the Paris Games, they embodied the transformative power of gender equality in high-performance teams.

Dr. Julia Rafal-Baer had the opportunity to speak with Dallman-Weiss and McNay, two-time and five-time Olympian, respectively, about their journey, the strengths of diverse teams, and cultivating the resilience needed to overcome obstacles together. Their experiences offer powerful lessons for leaders across sectors that must navigate the uncertainty of a highly competitive context.

Dallman-Weiss and McNay aren’t just different genders; they also come from different parts of the country and sailing backgrounds. Dallman-Weiss began her career on the lakes of her native Minnesota before honing her talents at Eckerd College in Florida. McNay, a Bostonian by birth, sailed to an All-American career at Yale University before entering Olympic competition in 2008. This diversity of experience strengthens their partnership.

“Men and women bring different strengths to the boat–physicality, timing, coordination, but the real power comes when those strengths are harnessed together,” McNay noted. “Sometimes male sailors try to solve the problem with more physicality, while female sailors solve it with better timing or coordination.”

This balance of perspectives is crucial in leadership at large. In any organization–be it a startup or a multinational corporation–the ability to blend diverse approaches is key to maximizing talent, capacity, and impact. According to a McKinsey study, companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams are 25 percent more likely to have above-average profitability. Diversity is a competitive advantage.

Just as Dallman-Weiss and McNay complement each other’s abilities on the water, creating environments where diverse voices are not only heard but also actively encouraged is a game-changer in any field. Drawing from a broader range of experiences makes organizations more adaptable and more capable of withstanding challenges.

“I love pressure,” Dallman-Weiss offered. “That whole ‘pressure is a privilege’ mantra really rings true for me.

“I think both of my Olympic trials were some of the most stressful moments of my life,” she continued. “We had a lot to prove. And that pressure was insane. And one of the things that I always worked with my performance coach was that if not this, then something better is in store. And he just instilled in me the idea that, ‘Okay, if I don’t get there, if this doesn’t happen, it’s because something better is waiting for me.’ I took that through with me to our Olympic trials.” – Full story