Failures and Commitments in Figure Skating and Corporate Growth — In Conversation with Vicki Hildebrand
Sports analogies for business are incredibly common, but it’s not surprising why. Humans and organizations are both living organisms that can create and do the impossible — but they can also make mistakes and exhaust themselves. Just like an athlete must fail in order to grow and improve, organizations must endure mistakes in order to improve and drive greater value.
We’re in conversation with Victoria Hildebrand, a highly experienced business technologist who is a gold medal figure skater and judge, a leader in government, and a people-oriented tech leader. Victoria is an expert at driving speed and tech change with a constant aim on value and results.
Your involvement in figure skating (as a board member, championship judge, and figure skater yourself) is intriguing, as it offers unique insights into both individual discipline and performance. How do you feel your experiences in figure skating have translated into valuable business lessons?
“Nothing is more humbling than being alone on a massive plane of ice by yourself and taking a monstrous fall in front of thousands of people. You have to dust yourself off, put a smile on your face, realize that the sun will come up tomorrow, and keep going. From both my time as a figure skater and in my career, I’ve seen how failure is a great teacher — you step back and assess what happened, what you did wrong, and how to improve. It’s okay not to be perfect because you learn from your mistakes, personally, in sport, and professionally.
“Further, incremental accomplishments are important to recognize. I was so excited when I’d pass the next test when learning a new figure skating skill — I remember working like crazy to get competent at something, then the happiness of having a panel of judges say that I met the standard and passed the test! I’ve been part of many professional initiatives and projects that were massive multi-year endeavors which either resulted in nothing or were terribly late or underdeveloped. Trying something, learning, and adjusting is how anyone gets better at things, including companies. Companies should not be afraid to try things — if they work, keep moving forward; if they don’t, find another solution.
“I juggled figure skating with homework, other sports, and other responsibilities, going to the rink during early winter mornings to practice. Commitment is so important. I didn’t skip practice because it was cold and dark outside because I was committed to improving my craft. Don’t step back because of a mistake or an issue arising. Instead, learn how to manage and retain your commitments.
“As a championship figure skating judge, it always starts with empathy. I remember what it was like as a skater, what kind of leadership and feedback I would’ve wanted, and my judgement is informed by that empathy. I love judging, especially because I get to share with coaches and skaters direct feedback, other than just scores. It’s so exciting to watch people excel and be the best that they can be, both in the figure skating world and in the professional world. When you give constructive feedback to a skater, you know that they’ll take it and learn from it, and it’s the same experience leading in the workplace.”
Thank you for sharing, Vicki.
