Ready. Aim. Go to Class.

A message from Chris...

It was one of those rare days in middle school when PE didn’t mean dodgeball or running laps.
As our class marched out to the field, there they were… twenty pristine targets lined up in
perfect rows, their red and yellow bullseyes gleaming in the sunlight. Three massive trash cans
overflowed with arrows, and an entire lineup of recurve bows stretched along the grass like
treasure waiting to be claimed.

Seventh-grade Chris was buzzing with excitement. So were all my friends. We could already
imagine ourselves as archers like Robin Hood or Legolas from The Lord of the Rings. This was
going to be epic.

Then our PE teacher began the lesson. He showed us how to notch an arrow, making sure the
odd-colored fletch faced outward. He warned us not to pinch too hard, or the arrow would
tumble right off the string. We learned where to draw the bowstring to, how to aim, and, most
importantly, how to follow every safety rule so nobody ended up looking like a medieval accident
report.

We listened. We nodded. We imagined ourselves hitting bullseyes. And then, just as the teacher
was about to say the words we’d all been waiting for, “Alright, everyone grab your bows and
arrows and…” RRRRRRIIIIIIIIING!
The bell rang!
Class was over.
Nobody released a single arrow.

We trudged back inside, a silent army of disappointed would-be archers, our dreams of glory left
quivering on the sidelines.

Don’t let your team’s learning end with the bell ringing before they’ve had a chance to shoot.
Give them the tools, yes. Teach them the safety rules, yes. But then… step back. Let them try.
Let them experience the weight of the bowstring, the tension, the release.

Here are three practical ways to bring the “let them have the experience” concept to life:

Make Room for Practice, Not Just Preparation
Teaching or explaining isn’t enough. Real growth happens when people get to apply what
they’ve learned. When introducing a new initiative or skill, don’t stop at the explanation. Build in
time for team members to try it out immediately. For example, after introducing a new feedback
model, have groups practice real feedback conversations.
Ask yourself: Am I giving them the tools and space to use them, or just telling them where to
aim?

Embrace Mistakes as Part of the Process
Missing the target is part of learning to aim. If everything is perfectly controlled, nobody learns
how to recover, adjust, or grow. Create a culture where experimenting and failing forward is
safe. Debrief “misses” with curiosity, not criticism: What did we learn? What will we adjust next
time?
Ask yourself: Am I valuing progress and experimentation as much as precision?

Step Back and Trust the Process
When we over-direct or jump in too quickly, we rob people of ownership and discovery.
Sometimes, the best leadership or facilitation looks like silence and patience. When a team
member asks how to handle a challenge, resist the urge to automatically give the solution. Ask
guiding questions that help them think through it themselves.
Ask yourself: Am I teaching for understanding, or performing understanding for them?