This past weekend, I found myself in a raft, surrounded by strangers and rapids, learning more about leadership and teamwork in a few hours than I could have from any textbook. What started as a fun white water rafting trip quickly turned into a real-time metaphor for what it means to work together, show up as your best self, and navigate the unpredictable currents of life and leadership.

10 Leadership Lessons from the River

1. Know Who’s in Your Boat

Before we even hit the water, our group of two joined another trio. One man in particular stood out: experienced, confident, and vocal. At first glance, he seemed like a natural leader. But as the journey unfolded, it became clear: experience doesn’t always equal effective teamwork.

Whether on the river or in the workplace, it’s not just about having people in the boat. It’s about knowing them. What are their strengths? What motivates them? How do they handle pressure?

The DISC model reminds us that people bring different communication styles, decision-making patterns, and energy to a group. Strong teams understand and leverage those differences instead of letting them become friction points.

2. Everyone Must Paddle

In rafting, if only a few are doing the work, you’ll feel it. You’ll drift, spin, or worse - hit something hard. This isn’t just about physical effort, but alignment.

It was frustrating when some members weren’t paddling. It forced me to reflect:

When is it wise to speak up and when is it wiser to stay quiet?

In leadership, silence isn’t always golden. Sometimes it’s avoidance. Speaking up with courage and clarity is essential, especially when someone’s in danger of falling overboard - literally or figuratively.

3. Rocks and Rapids: Above and Below

The obvious challenges? We saw them coming. But it’s the underwater rocks that cause the most trouble. You can’t always see them, but they can stop you in your tracks or knock you out of the boat.
The same goes for teams. It’s often the unspoken tension, hidden assumptions, unmet needs, or unclear expectations that create the biggest disruptions. Awareness is key. So is creating space for honest reflection.

4. Where You Sit Matters

In rafting, position is strategy. The front sets the rhythm and takes the brunt. The back steers but sees less.

The same is true in teams. Are people in the right roles? Are your decision-makers positioned to see clearly?

Sometimes a small shift in placement changes everything.

5. The Law of Trade-Offs: What Are You Willing to Give Up?

We considered switching seats mid-ride. Maybe it would’ve helped. Maybe not. But every choice on the river had a consequence.

That’s leadership. Trade-offs are unavoidable. If you want progress, you have to be willing to let go of what’s no longer working, whether that’s a mindset, a method, or a comfort zone.

6. Don’t Ignore Self-Care

Midway through our trip, we stopped for lunch. Our boatmates hustled off out of sight a bit too quickly .  I hoped they weren’t doing something that would put the rest of us at risk. Because on the water, one person’s poor decision can impact everyone else.

Leadership begins with self-leadership. Self-care isn’t selfish.  It’s essential. You can’t show up well for your team if you’re burned out, foggy, or underprepared.

7. Lead with Compassion - Even When It’s Hard

At mile 11 of 12, I was tired, hungry, and not at my best. When one of our raft-mates flew overboard when we hit a rock (someone who had been pushing boundaries all day) I had a split-second thought I’m not proud of. Karma. But leadership isn’t about never having reactive thoughts. It’s about what you do with them.

That moment reminded me how easy it is to judge when we’re depleted. And how powerful it is to pause, reset, and choose compassion instead.

We all fall out of the boat sometimes. What matters most is: will someone reach out to pull us back in? Grace, empathy, and shared responsibility hold teams together more than any title or tactic ever could.

8. Mind Your Focus - Not Someone Else’s Journey

There were moments we turned around to revel at others stuck on rocks or having water bucket battles, participating at times ourselves as we were bailing water. It was all in fun…  But every time we shifted our focus away from our own course, we risked running into danger ourselves.

And sure enough…when we weren’t watching… we hit a hidden rock and nearly capsized.

What you focus on matters. If your attention is on judging others, even playfully, you’re not focused on your own path. Leadership means staying present and supporting others without losing sight of your own direction.

Stay focused forward. Navigate your own boat. If you see someone struggling, call out the rock, offer a hand. But don’t let their detour become your disaster.

9. Have Fun, Show Gratitude, Trust Your Guides

Our guides were incredible - funny, calm, knowledgeable. They never panicked, even when we veered off course. They offered direction, humor, and support. And it reminded me…

The best leaders are guides. They don’t need the spotlight. They observe, instruct, encourage, and adapt. They know when to step in and when to let the group learn through experience.

And sometimes, the best thing a leader can do is help the group enjoy the ride, even when it’s messy.Our guides were incredible: funny, calm, knowledgeable. They never panicked, even when we veered off course.

The best leaders are guides. They don’t need the spotlight. They observe, instruct, encourage, and adapt,  making sure we all had fun and got to the other end safely.

10. Appreciate the Ride - All aspects of It

There were moments of pure wonder that reminded me to lift my head, take it all in, and appreciate where we were.

We saw a bald eagle soaring overhead. We passed waterfalls tumbling down rocks. And - yes - we even saw a toilet seat stuck in a tree, which sparked more than a few wild stories about how it got there.

Nature has a way of humbling and grounding you. It reminds you that life is full of both awe and absurdity and that joy can be found in both.

Sometimes the water was wild and rough. Other times it was smooth and still. You need both. The calm gives you space to recover. The rapids help you grow stronger. And at the end of the day, when you’re tired, sun-kissed, and sore, you reflect. You relive the memories. You share the stories.

That’s what I’m doing now, recounting them to you, my reader. Because these adventures, these lessons, this wild little ride… it’s all part of the journey.

What Whitewater Teaches Us

Whitewater rafting is more than a thrill - it’s a mirror. It reflects your strengths, blind spots, habits, and style.

It’s an accelerated course in communication, leadership, and trust. You don’t just learn about others. You learn about yourself.

Shared adventure builds connection. Strategic debriefs build growth. And both are essential to creating strong, values-aligned teams.

Don’t Just Ride the River - Learn From It

Like whitewater rafting, life and leadership are unpredictable. Some people will paddle harder than others. Sometimes you’ll hit rocks. Sometimes you’ll glide.

But when you know your team, lead with awareness, communicate well, and take care of each other, you’ll do more than survive the journey. You’ll transform because of it.

Let’s keep your team aligned, engaged, and paddling forward, even when the waters get rough.

I offer:

• Interactive workshops

• Team assessments

• Creativity-based coaching and retreats

All designed to help you grow, lead, and build momentum with purpose.

The adventure may end at the takeout point, but the real growth begins after the ride.

Let’s turn the lessons into lasting transformation.