A Bull Run Team

A paradox I know! Leadership and teamwork wasn’t what I had in mind when picturing myself running the bulls in Spain. Standing on the edge of the fence you realise there are two worlds. Outside the fences, you’re an observer more concerned with your camera taking the perfect shot. Once you step between the barriers, there are no phones or cameras allowed, so you’re more concerned with the experience rather than the perception. It hits you fast that once you hear that rocket, you have 45 seconds until you're face-to-face with six raging 600kg bulls.

My first impression was that it would be an 'every man for himself' fend off. But as soon as I stepped between the tracks, the hundreds of runners all arranged themselves into teams. Me and four others instinctively magnetised together and asked each other our names. Again not sure why we instantly trusted each other in this outrageous circumstance! but it was the fastest team building exercise I have ever been through. Traversing the different native languages, we agreed that if one of us falls and takes the fetal position, the remaining four should try to distract the bull, and only tap the fallen comrade’s shoulder when it’s safe to stand up again. We aligned ourselves in a horizontal line, in tandem with the many rows of people in front of and behind us. Everyone giving everyone else a thumbs up, as checking we are all ready and good to go. Like soldiers in a war zone, I learned that true teams are only forged when everyone is concurrently outside their comfort zone facing an impossible situation. It was such an added burden. It was NOT me caring about myself NOT being gored by a horn anymore. Now I felt an added heavy responsibility of worrying about another 4 people!

The sound of the rocket thundered the sky. You can not see the bulls coming as there are many upright bodies in front of you. Nevertheless, we all absolutely relied on the counting of a single person in the front row, 'UNO!' then a short moment of silence 'DOS!' somehow everyone stood ground. To me, it is an innate human instinct to trust that persona in the first row. The first risk-taker ready to take the 1st hit in the face of adversity. The hard-rock character that would stand firm to hold on to an organisation's core values when it is not convenient to do so. No elections, no official corporate title, just genuine subliminal trust in that self-sacrificing leader.

It is an innate human instinct to trust that persona in the first row. The first risk-taker ready to take the 1st hit in the face of adversity.

To me, these firm standing horizontal rows really marked the essence of a cascading leadership structure. I knew that if a single person in any row in front of me started running, everyone else behind him/her would start running too. My feat were screaming to me to run, but I had that deep feeling that a lot of people were depending on me. It taught me that, in all circumstances, do not break rank! It only takes you to hesitate for a second for everyone else behind you to scramble. Wherever you are in an organisational ladder, give yourself the responsibility to lead horizontally as well as vertically. Not only are you beholden to help achieve your team’s KPIs, but make yourself accountable for your entire organisation.

Few seconds later, raging chaos was turning the corner! I was only able to see a series of horns above the row of heads in front of me. 'CUATRO' the sound of pounding pavement getting louder then 'CINCOOOOO!’ and the world is running like mad!!! It was not the save yourself sport that I imagined it to be. As you run your heart out, you genuinely help up people that are about to trip. I knew that if anyone in front of me falls, it will leave a dishevelled pile of flesh behind me. I look around me and see my team still running, and somehow I am able to run faster. As the danger of six bulls raged passed me, I was checking if our makeshift team of five were all ok. We all waved to each other that Alberto wasn’t around. So we went back to look for him and found him all frozen on the floor. He never sat up because he knew he has a team that will be back for him. The whole run took 10 seconds tops, but I never felt more part of a team than I felt then! I learned in real teams, everyone collectively bruise and heal together. I learned that only in real teams is success an infinite pie of sharing. Your success does not diminish anyone else’s nor their success eats from yours.

Afterwards, we all entered the arena together, and sat on the cement seats utterly exhausted. And just like a stone-age tribe would sit around a fire to reminisce the mammoth hunt, we took turns singing everyone else’s heroics. It opened a huge perceptional window that I didn’t know about myself. How I ran, my face impressions when being terrified, that I was screaming the count down really loud, how I helped that unknown yellow-shirted guy from tripping, etc. I learned that a strong team is nothing but a mirror of yourself from multiple unique angles and perspectives. They help you split actual reality from your perception of it. They are your window to see yourself better, use them! They are there for that! Take feedback with that spirit, and amalgamate all those different perspectives, and you got yourself a trove of self-learning about yourself.

That’s it! A lifetime of leadership lessons from a 45 second bull run! If you are still doubtful of any of this, you can watch it all here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v34nE_qxtBk