On her first day at Chicago Booth, as Elise Sivilay, ’12 (EXP-17), was listening to classmates introduce themselves, one student’s introduction caught her attention. “He said he enjoyed sailing, and that there was a European regatta series that looked fun,” Sivilay recalls. “And he said, ‘Anyone who is interested is welcome, even if you’ve never been on a boat.’”
She was curious, but cautious. When a group of Booth students who accepted the offer returned from a prestigious regatta talking about how much fun they had had, she was convinced: she took the leap.
Her first introduction was aboard a boat during a big race in Greece. Sivilay says it wasn’t all smooth sailing: there was a broken winch, high winds and seas, and inexperienced people on board, including herself. As can often be expected, the smart, accomplished businesspeople onboard all had strong personalities and varying opinions, and there were language barriers, all of which made communication and execution difficult. When she confided her concerns to another Booth colleague, an experienced female sailor, she got an unexpected answer.
“I said, ‘This doesn’t feel safe,’” Sivilay recounts, “and my Booth colleague said, ‘It’s not a democracy on a boat.’”
Ultimately, there’s a leader who needs to make the final decision on the basis of experience, the information from the team, and a position of authority, Sivilay explains. The skipper of the boat—like the manager—provides guidance and direction, while keeping everyone safe and productive. The skipper creates the space to keep everyone informed, safe, and learning while they reach their goal. And in racing, the goal is to finish the race first and fast. So while the environment on the boat felt chaotic, ultimately it was out of Sivilay’s hands—she had to trust the group to execute their roles, do her part, and trust the skipper to lead.