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Episode 03 - August 2025
Hi there,
The Clipper Race takes complete beginners and molds them into ocean racers with world class training structured in four levels. If you’ve never sailed, one of the first challenges is learning a new vocabulary. On a boat, the kitchen is called the galley, toilets are heads, ropes are lines and aft refers to the rear. I learned to sail at a young age in Brazil with my father, so I already knew all these terms, however in Brazilian Portuguese. The English terms are quite different and don’t directly translate, so I had to re-learn them. It took time to internalise these terms in English, which is vital because, in a sailing race, even a few seconds of hesitation mean the difference between a good or a great maneuver.
Every day is a school day on the water.
Out on the ocean, every day brings a new lesson. You constantly learn to anticipate weather, wind, tides and currents, because even a 0.1 knot difference in average speed over a circumnavigation can mean an extra six days at sea. This continuous learning isn't just about mastering technical skills like sail trim, but also about refining your racing mindset. Maneuvers like tacking (turning the bow/front through the wind) or gybing (turning the stern/back through the wind) aren’t simple; they involve several coordinated steps with the entire crew. Hoisting and dropping sails, especially the massive spinnakers, requires immense teamwork and precision.
As with anything designed to work at high performance, keeping a sailing yacht working in perfect harmony with the prevailing conditions requires the crew to be highly aware and attentive to both the general set up (the sail plan) and the fine tuning (trim). If at any point the yacht feels like she is fighting against Mother Nature or is not progressing as fast as she should, then the crew needs to know what changes to make. By the time we complete our Clipper Race training we learn not only how to make these changes, but just as importantly why and when to make them.
The learning never stops, and a truly skilled sailor knows that they can learn from anyone, not just those more experienced than themselves.
And what about the office? Just like the ever-shifting winds at sea, technology is always evolving, constantly demanding learning. In my career I have led and/or taken part in many digital transformation programmes and one lesson stands out across my experiences: it’s not about the tech, it’s about the learning, the adoption and the change. Buying the latest bleeding-edge technology solutions does not guarantee returns in business value, organisations must embrace learning how to reinvent themselves using the power of technology.
It’s not about the tech, it’s about the learning
Let’s use AI (artificial intelligence) as an example. I’m sure you’ve been hearing a lot about AI, unless you’ve been sailing solo non-stop during the past months. The buzz around AI is at an all time high, promises of near-magic outcomes are everywhere, and organisations are eager to use it. However I’ve been seeing a lot of frustration, lack of return on investment and confusion about where to start.
Like seasoned skippers, organisations adopting AI should invest in learning how, when and where to use it, prioritising the areas where it will bring business competitive advantage, such as better products or services, superior customer experience or operational excellence, just a racing yacht fine tuned to get the best speed performance.
Key Actionable Insight
So, whether you're navigating complex digital strategies or the mighty Pacific, the message is clear: Embrace continuous learning as a daily practice to keep your skills sharp and your mindset adaptable.
Spread the Word and Make a Difference
If this resonated with you, please consider sharing it with a friend who might benefit. You can also make a real difference for a child around the world by checking out my UNICEF fundraising page.
May the fair winds be with you.
Breno
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