This month the nautical theme is the wheelhouse. Typically called the bridge.
This subject will then be tied into a topic, a teaching, something that may be utilized by you in your business, career path and personal development.
The wheelhouse was a small enclosure around the ship’s wheel on the quarter deck of sailing ships years ago. On ships today, the wheelhouse refers to the bridge of smaller motor vessels, such as tugs. Orders to the helmsman are passed to an enclosed wheel house, where the coxswain or helmsman operate the ship’s wheel.
A wheelhouse is literally a small enclosure on a boat or ship that houses the steering wheel.
Often the word is used to describe the part of any boat where the captain steers, although it’s more common these days to call an actual wheelhouse a bridge or pilothouse.
The wheelhouse on a river cruise ship refers to the enclosed area where the ship is piloted by the captain and crew. Its location can vary greatly from ship to ship. On some river ships, it may look like the wide bridge of an ocean cruise ship. On others, it may be simply a glass-enclosed area of the ship’s bow.
Essentially for the safe navigation and steering the ship – the wheelhouse is where the action takes place.
The decisions are determined there. The actions necessary are executed there.
So it’s no surprise that the commonly used phrase ‘in one’s wheelhouse’ – specific to baseball (you remember in the USA that sport that meant it was springtime with summer coming right behind it) the area of the strike zone where a particular batter is able to hit the ball most forcefully or successfully. In fact, that a pitch within the zone that is most advantageous for a batter to hit a home run. It’s right there in his wheelhouse, as we watch the slow motion replay.
Before 2020, baseball was played by youngsters, teens, adults and professionals. Who knows what the future holds?
Take the phrase one more level into business or to describe a company or a person, one might say in your wheelhouse is within one’s area of expertise or interest. An example would be, “There are some subjects that are in your wheelhouse and some that are not.”
The key here is to know and define well what is in your wheelhouse.
This is where you shine. It’s where you sparkle. Instead of being tempted to step outside of your wheelhouse, have a really good network or a great team with different expertise than your own, and refer to them when things come up that are outside of your wheelhouse.
Mitch Tublin is the CEO and Founder of Wenkroy International LLC a boutique consulting company with a main focus on adding value to people. Through Speaking, Training and Coaching we change lives. Our passion is to take people to the next level in their life and in their career or business.
