It's been some time since I last wrote a chapter, so I decided to provide a recap from a new perspective, spotlight our Captain, and share leadership lessons throughout. Grab a piña colada and enjoy!
Beyond Procedures: A Lakeside Lesson in Spontaneous Teamwork 🚤
Sometimes, the universe has a peculiar way of transforming an ordinary day into something extraordinary. One moment, you're floating on Seneca Lake, Yacht Rock playing in the background, and the next, you're orchestrating a rescue that feels more like a choreographed ballet than a spontaneous intervention.
We had no way of knowing the smoke rising from that distant boat wasn't just a signal of mechanical distress—it was an invitation to something remarkable.
When a Family of Professionals Becomes a Team
We weren't a trained rescue squad. We were a motley crew of professionals—an academic, an engineer, a therapist, a consultant, a cicerone, two insurance executives, and an administrator. On paper, we might look like a conference panel, not a rescue team.
But in that moment? We were seamless.
Our Captain, unable to see beneath the boat, relied entirely on our verbal guidance to reach the women and children. It was like one of those awkward icebreakers you do at retreats, but in real life. Each of us became eyes, voice, and purpose. There was no pre-planned strategy, no emergency drill—just pure, instinctive collaboration.
This is the type of person our Captain is. Highly intelligent, calm, and instinctively knowing who to trust and when, he was able to trust the team to safely approach the area where the women and children were (to be transparent – I am married to the Captain, but others would agree with me!). His calm demeanor and drive for precision allowed him to make small adjustments in direction as needed to get as close as possible – as quickly as possible. And when the boat stopped, others took charge.
When the Marina owner and Coast Guard arrived, the Captain assumed communication with them and was concise and clear – something that we all recognize he is a true leader at.
The Unexpected Heroes' Toolkit
This toolkit includes towels, snacks, and an unshakeable sense of calm. When two women with three children under four years old needed help, we didn't just rescue them—we created a floating sanctuary of safety and comfort. (I realize this now, thinking about how it must have felt for them.) They were also greeted by a therapist, three mothers of varying professions, and an uncle. In other words, they were met by family and people who understand trauma.
The Emotional Landscape
The most poignant moment wasn't our swift action but little Dylan's breakdown at the end of his stay on our boat and about to board the boat back to the marina. At the safest point possible, this three-year-old finally released his fear—a raw, honest expression of the tension we'd all been holding.
It was a reminder that courage isn't about never feeling scared. It's about moving forward despite the fear. Our Captain proved this in moving forward blindly while taking our direction and Dylan showed us this with his breakdown, then acceptance and waving goodbye.
Trust: The Real Superpower
When our engineer yelled to get out of the water, we didn't need rehearsals or extensive protocols. We had something far more powerful: trust. Trust in ourselves – there was no time for imposter syndrome to creep in; we had to act immediately. Trust in each other – we trusted each other enough to be in the middle of a deep lake on a boat, this isn’t the time to question. Trust in our collective judgment – as couples, we know we are better together than single. Combined with our respect for each other as friends and family, we didn’t question our ability to rise to an unexpected challenge.
Our backgrounds didn't define us. Our connection did.
Reflections from the Water
As the Coast Guard towed the smoking boat and we watched the family reunite safely, I couldn't help but begin processing what I had just witnessed and been part of. We had transformed from a leisurely group to a high-performance team in less than a minute.
No PowerPoint presentation could have prepared us for this. No leadership seminar could simulate this level of intuitive teamwork. A therapist might call it synchronicity. An engineer might analyze our efficiency. Me? I just see humanity at its best.
Sometimes, the best teams aren't built-they're discovered. For me, an impromptu boat rescue became a masterclass in human connection and leadership.
🚢 Oh, and did I mention the snackle box? Absolute rescue MVP. Never underestimate the power of well-timed Cheez-Its during an emergency.
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