Several years ago, I interviewed Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon, in an interview originally published in Thrive Global. Here is an excerpt from our conversation:
Adam: What is something about you that would surprise people?
Kathrine: I love to be in the garden and do gardening. And, I love to see the result. It’s kind of like running, when you go out and do it you actually accomplish something and I love to see something growing.
Adam: How did you get here? What failures, setbacks, or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth?
Kathrine: That’s easy. The biggest thing, of course, was running the 1967 Boston Marathon and being attacked by the race director because I was a girl. That scared me but allowed me to make the biggest decision of my life which was to finish the race. I realized that when I could do a marathon under those circumstances, it inspired me. It allowed me to create opportunities for women in sports, to become better athletes and to have a vision for sports in the future.
That was amazing and I love to tell people that story because I want them, too, to be empowered enough to make a correct decision that can positively, not only change their lives but millions of people’s lives.
Adam: In your experience, what are the defining qualities of an effective leader?
Kathrine: I think the defining qualities of an effective leader are: 1. Decisiveness. 2. Willingness to change. 3. Willingness to bounce back after defeat and learn from it. 4. Compassion. 5. High energy. 6. Probably the most important, is the willingness to take responsibility for a social injustice or even a simple project that needs doing.
Adam: How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level?
Kathrine: The only way you can take your leadership skills to the next level is just like training for a marathon. You can’t run 26 miles until you’ve run 13 miles and you can’t run 13 miles until you’ve run five miles. So, you need to take it a step at a time. You need to do it well enough so you can take the next step. Each step gives you the confidence and the empowerment to go further. Also, you have to be willing … when you can’t take the next step … to work away at it until you can.
Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives, and civic leaders?
Kathrine: This may be repetitive but first, is a willingness to take responsibility. You need to see action and not just talk. 2. You must be personally willing to commit body and soul, especially to making change. 3. Having a social conscience. We’re surrounded right now by social injustice, and social meanness so you must have a social conscience and do what’s right.
Adam: What is the single best piece of advice that you’ve ever received?
Kathrine: Run a mile a day. It gave me everything.
Adam: How can anyone pay it forward?
Kathrine: Pick up one piece of social injustice and make a correction. It could be as simple as telling a little kid, a boy or a girl, Atta Boy! Atta Girl, you can do it!
