3 leadership lessons from surfing
By Steven Gonzalez | Published: 2025-10-28 15:31:00 | Source: Inc.com
Change is the only constant in any culture, and leading through change means learning to move with the waves rather than fighting them. The challenge of leading through change is best explained by surfing. The surfer stands on the board, gazes out at the ocean, and feels vastness—powerful, unpredictable, and humble. Today’s leaders feel the same way about artificial intelligence, flexible work, and a new generation workforce. For Gen Z, work isn’t just about climbing the ladder — it’s about confidence, meaning, and the opportunity to continue growing. Like the ocean, these forces cannot be controlled. It can only be understood and harnessed. Here are three lessons leaders can take away from surfing.
1. Timing is important
In surfing, missing the right moment means missing the ride. Driving works the same way. Those who wait for absolute certainty before acting fall behind while others move forward.
Artificial intelligence provides a clear example. Some leaders remain hesitant, searching for the perfect blueprint. But the waves have already arrived. Thriving in this new era requires a willingness to paddle early, take risks, and learn on the go.
2. Balance is everything
“Surfers don’t ride the wave, they flow with it. Leadership today requires the same mindset. Technology can simplify processes, but it cannot provide purpose. Innovation must be integrated without losing sight of culture, vision and people.
When leaders rely too heavily on efficiency, they risk undoing the spirit that keeps teams engaged. A workplace that is optimized for speed but without meaning becomes like a perfectly designed board with no ocean beneath it—fast but leading nowhere. True balance comes when leaders put human connection at the center, using tools like artificial intelligence to enhance the human side of the business rather than replace it. The goal is not to surf faster, but to stay on the wave longer, guiding others with clarity and purpose.
3. Respect the surroundings
Surfers know that the ocean is bigger than them. No matter how skilled they are, they cannot control tides, currents, or storms. Leaders face the same reality: markets are changing, technology is evolving, and human needs are changing in ways that no one person can dictate.
Respect means recognizing what cannot be forced. Technology may provide predictive analytics, but it cannot erase uncertainty. Policies may provide structure, but they cannot guarantee trust. Leaders who ignore these facts risk falling into a wave of overconfidence.
Instead, the wisest leaders approach complexity with humility. They listen before they act. They invest in understanding their people, their communities and the broader forces shaping their work. The environment’s respect for context does not make the leader passive, but rather more flexible. It makes them more responsive and more human.
A new kind of driving laboratory
You recently launched the Culture Lab on LinkedIn. The weekly series shares insights on leadership, culture, and the future of work. The point is simple: culture is never static. They must be designed, tested and sustained through ongoing dialogue.
The Culture Lab is designed as a space to put these three lessons into practice. Each week, I share experiences and insights, and invite open dialogue with peers across industries. Hosting the series on LinkedIn makes the process transparent, creates accountability and sparks a broader conversation about what modern culture demands.
Traditional leadership often operates behind closed doors, revealing only polished results. The laboratory model flips this scenario: it thrives on openness, iteration, and humility. Just as surfers experiment with different boards and styles with each wave, leaders in this lab are invited to experiment openly, learning from both erasures and discoveries.
Culture is not a one-time initiative but an ongoing design challenge. The ocean never stops moving, and neither does culture. Leaders who treat it as a constant risk losing their balance. However, those who adopt a lab mindset learn to surf the changing waves with curiosity, courage, and purpose.
Go to new heights
The surfing metaphor reminds leaders that success lies not only in courage and intention, but also in the values that guide every choice. Kindness stabilizes our balance. Unity ensures we can row together. Humility teaches us respect for our surroundings. Patience gives us the strength to wait for the right wave.
The future is not about resisting the waves of change, it is about learning how to ride them with grace and purpose. Some will cling to the shore, waiting for calmer waves. Others will venture out, guided by the values that keep them grounded even in uncertainty.
The next set of waves are rolling in. The ocean is moving. The question for leaders everywhere is clear: Will you ride it or watch it go by?
(tags for translation)Leadership
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