Over the past week, about 80 Alaskans have been competing in the annual Iditarod race. For those uninitiated among us, the Iditarod is a grueling, one-thousand mile race across the frozen tundra of Alaska's western frontier, starting in Willow (about 80 miles north of Anchorage) and ending in the west coast town of Nome. It is by far the most popular sporting event in Alaska and has been growing in popularity in the 'lower 48' and around the world.
Dog sled racing has been going on in Alaska for centuries, but the most immediate origin of the Iditarod was what has become known as the 'Great Race of Mercy' in 1925. A diphtheria epidemic threatened to wipe out much of the population of Nome and the reserves of serum used to make the antitoxin had gone bad. Unfortunately it was winter, and the oppressive weather, with incredible amounts of ice and snow along with sub-zero temperatures, made getting fresh serum from Anchorage amazingly difficult. Getting to Nome was a challenging prospect: there were no roads from the east through the vast wilderness, and the frozen Bering Sea thwarted any sea option. The remaining options were air, which at the time was new and still very dangerous, and dog sled, traditional but relatively slow. The decision was made to go with the sled dogs, and what followed was a harrowing 5 day, 675 mile trek by 20 different mushers and through the wintery interior of Alaska to save Nome. The mission was a success, and the story became a national phenomenon as the media heralded the heroic Alaskans, men and dogs, that saved the day, including the lead dog on the sled of the final leg of the journey whose name was named Balto.
It is an incredible story and the race that carries its memory shapes Alaskan culture and society to this day. On top of that, the Iditarod is one of the most challenging events on the planet, taxing every resource of the mushers, their dogs, and their support teams. It takes an incredible amount of knowledge, skill, toughness, and perseverance just to compete in the race. So, in honor of our friends in Alaska, here are some leadership lessons drawn from the Iditarod:
Treat your employees fairly: On some teams, there is a Balto or a Togo – someone who does extraordinary tasks, is exceptional in every way. But the majority of our people fall somewhere in the middle 95% of the bell curve. Playing favorites with top talent can destroy an organization's culture, especially morale. Take a lesson from 4-time Iditarod champion Martin Buser: 'Dogs live in the moment, and that is one of the most valuable things they have taught me over the years. They don't hold grudges.The dog I'm interacting with at the time is my favorite.'
Watch the health of your employees: The mushers who train and race these dogs are obsessive about all aspects of their health. At every checkpoint along the Iditarod, the dogs are checked thoroughly by veterinarians. The mushers watch their feet, mouth, eyes, breathing – literally every aspect of their physical health is monitored throughout the race. And this doesn't just happen during the race: all the dogs are microchipped to keep up with their physical stats and kennels full of dogs are check throughout the year. Furthermore, the psychological state of the dog is carefully observed and monitored by the musher from birth. Are your employees healthy in mind and body? It could make a huge difference in your organization.
Make constant improvements and adopt new technology: The first (modern) Iditarod was run in 1973 and was won by Dick Wilmarth with a time of just over 20 days. Today, Dallas Seavey picked up his 3rd win with a time of 8 days, 18 hours. The route is basically the same and has the same distance (within a few miles) of the original...so how did Seavey shave off over 11 days?! The answer is the mushers have constantly adopted new technology. Sleds are faster, lighter, and more aerodynamic; clothes are lighter and warmer; nutrition, both for dogs and humans, is far beyond what we understood and could manufacture just a few years ago. How does your company do with technology? Can you find, analyze, and integrate new technology to your culture?
Be passionate about what you do: This is not a cliché for the men and women who compete in the Iditarod, as the sport is small and the money is limited. A ton of time, thought, and resources go into each of these races, and there is considerable danger from the elements and predators. These people MUST be passionate about what they are doing, otherwise there would be no point. Likewise, we should be passionate about what we do, about our people, about our culture. The best results require passion.
If you don't know much about the Iditarod and want to know more, take a look at its website for more information. For more leadership lessons pulled from sled dog racing, check out Iditarod Leadership, a nice little book by Chris Fuller on some principles he learned by spending some time in Alaska with mushers.
See you next week!
--Tyler