Episode 16: Janine Stephens | Bringing Out The Best In Others
60 mins
"If you're trying to draw the absolute best out of people, they need to feel safe to fail; they need to feel safe to push themselves, they need to feel comfortable that, you know, that you'll be there for them."
Janine Stephens (@rowcoachmb) is a former member of the Canadian national rowing team. Her decorated career included winning a silver medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics and two silver medals at the World Championships as part of Canada's women's eights rowing team. Janine is now the Head Coach of Manitoba's Rowing Program, where she was recently awarded Rowing Canada's President's Award for her dedication to the sport.
We sit down with Janine to talk about her path to become an Olympic medalist, transitioning to her current role as a Coach, and the lessons she's learned in her journey. She tells us that excellence is grown in environments where people feel safe to work hard, take risks, set their own goals, and decide for themselves how much they want to give.
The theme that weaves through this conversation is the deliberate focus Janine puts into being a positive influence on the people around her. When Janine recounts her path to success, she explains that she was never the strongest or most powerful athlete in the gym, but she was always "the voice of the boat." She would tune in to how her teammates were feeling, and she would do her best to give them what they needed so the team could win together. When she was training, she aimed to be the person that others wanted to row with. She noted that when someone brings a negative attitude with them or harbours negative energy, it affects the people around them. She chose to be a positive force for herself and others.
Now, as a Coach and Mom of twins, Janine is directing her positive force to help bring the best out of the next generation.
Please enjoy our conversation with Janine Stephens!