We expect life plans to come together quickly, to step into new leadership roles wholly on the first day, and for healing to happen overnight. And it’s no wonder: we’re steeped in a culture of short term thinking and fast fixes. But important things take time…

I've just returned from an epic trip: over the course of six days, my dad and I biked almost 150 miles from Amsterdam in the Netherlands to Bruges, Belgium. I had a lot of time to think while I pedaled through small towns, farmland, and bike paths on dikes along the canals. And I had some thoughts about how this bike trip felt a lot like being a new manager. Here's how.