I’m Keeping “LEADER”

BY DAVINA LOPEZ

DAVINA’S SWIM HOUSE DLOPEZ@DAVINASSWIMHOUSE.COM WWW.DAVINASSWIMHOUSE.COM

The past year and a half has been very complicated, challenging, rewarding and has allowed for personal revelations and growth. As an owner of Davina’s Swim House, I’m expected to be strong and show no weakness, no worry, put on the happy face even when we struggle, we must show that we are okay, and the business is strong. Our team members rely on us, and we rely on them. We must lead with strength and endurance and give them motivation to grow and lead.

How do you lead a team when you’re unsure, have no control and no answers?….As owners and humans on March 13th, 2020, the carpet was ripped from underneath our feet. I paced back and forth and tried to remedy something I had no control over. My swim school was shutting down and I was not sure what was next. I had no answers for my team, no answers for my family and I had no answers for me. Davina – what’s next? When are we opening? What do we tell our team, clients and worst of all what do I tell my family…The first closure March -end of June I was nervous and confused but my team colleagues and USSSA pulled through for me and I was able to talk and share. I was in fight mode. I took my uncertainty and did what I do best… FIGHT. I went to the banks, I secured money and cut backspending and I convinced my staff that we are strong, and we are going to make it. Davina’s Swim House was going to pull through. I was cheery, I was ok, I talked to my spouse, friends, and I was optimistic, and I knew for the greater good this was what I had to do.

June 2020 1st reopening- nervous but super happy things were opening, and people were happy to be back, as things progressed, and we dealt with potential cases etc. My anxiety grew but used my connections with other swim schools to help assist and give me moral support. It got easier. I realized I was stronger and that the threat of getting a case or 2 could come into our facility got easier to deal with once I realized it’s not just me. My team and I did all the right things. We were prepared, had all procedures in place and realized there are just some things we can’t control. I had to learn and again to be strong. I can’t control this and I did everything I could.

Then it happened again we were locked down again November 22, 2020. – angry, frustrated feeling of uselessness all of these feelings spiraling out of control. How do you close again? What do you tell your team? What do you tell your family? And most importantly how do I do this again? This was harder than the first round. Most of my colleagues were open, most were almost back to normal. Who relates to me? My local swim schools in Ontario and some parts of Canada are the only people who get it. I had lots of phone calls, tears, frustration, and laughter. Who better to laugh with than your friends? Thank you to all of you!!!! As the winter passed, I knew this was going to be a few months, but I had no idea I would be writing this article in July and still closed. I went down that rabbit hole of anger and feeling of uselessness, but wait I still have a team. How do I show strength? You don’t. At this point you need to show a little bit of vulnerability. I had to talk about my frustrations about the millions we didn’t make, but never once that I was giving up, I’m going to survive, I’m going to be amazing, I’m a survivor. Yes, March-May was bad and thanks to my family, team, swim buds I came out of my darkness and realized who I am and that is a LEADER!

When membership committee asked us, what are we unbundling and keeping and I’M KEEPING LEADER. That’s right, I’m a leader, getting my team through this. I have learned that they rely on me, as much as I rely on them. They rely on my energy, they need guidance to know that we are going to survive, I learned that all of us swim school owners who dug deep need to show the positive, show the vulnerable side, and just reassure the team that we got this, is what I will focus on once I re-open and carry forward. I will use this strength to grow my business.

As owners we focus lots of time and energy on our team and rightfully so, but what I learned from the past year in a half we must invest in ourselves and its okay to be vulnerable and it’s ok not to have all the answers. Get your strength from others and talk to people. It’s ok not to be ok. Thank you to all the swim owners that spent hours talking to me, advocating with me, and to the USSSA for helping me survive and I promised myself, and I promise all of you, I will be stronger and better moving forward!

FUN ACTIVITY: We didn’t mention the C word until this activity…When you can please participate in collecting all your one-way directional signage, your COVID manuals, screening stations and create one big healing bon fire and celebrate by letting it all go. I hope to be able to do this in the new year!