MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Riders assigned male at birth will be banned from competing in British Cycling’s elite women’s events under a new policy on transgender and non-binary participation published by the governing body on Friday.

The new competition rules, due to be implemented this year, provide for the division of racing into “open” and “women’s” categories, with transgender women, transgender men, non-binary people and those assigned male at birth being eligible to compete. competitions. in the open category.

The female category will remain for those who were assigned female at birth, and for transgender men who have not undergone hormone therapy.

The current male category will be merged into an open category, in which those who were listed as female at birth can compete if they wish.

The new policy is the result of a nine-month review that included a process of consultation with riders and stakeholders, including members of the British team, and an examination of available medical research led by British Cycling’s chief medical officer, Dr J. Nigel Jones. It has been said that this study showed a clear performance advantage in people who experience puberty as a male, and something that cannot be fully mitigated by testosterone suppression.

There is still no set date for the implementation of the new rules and British Cycling only says it will happen before the end of the year, allowing time for changes to the technical rules and discussions with the UCI, cycling’s world governing body, regarding implementation. .

The new policy is different from the UCI policy, which taking another look at your own rules after American transgender woman Austin Killips won the Tour of Gila in New Mexico this month.

The UCI allows transgender women who have gone through male puberty to compete in elite women’s competition if they have had their testosterone level reduced to 2.5 nanomoles per liter within the previous two years.

British cycling policy is also changing. follows what was adopted by World Aquatics last year.

British Cycling suspended its previous policy last April after transgender woman Emily Bridges attempted to compete in national omnium championships as a rider.

Bridges called the move a “violent act,” adding, “I agree that a detailed policy discussion and continued research is needed, but that hasn’t happened.”

John Dutton, chief executive of British Cycling, apologized for the concern and frustration caused in the 13 months following the suspension of the previous policy.

This previous transgender policy allowed riders to compete in the women’s category if they had testosterone levels below five nanomoles per liter in the 12 months prior to the competition.

The governing body will continue to review new research as it becomes available, with the policy reviewed regularly.

“It’s an incredibly emotional and divisive topic at times,” Dutton said. “It took us many months to address three areas: first, consultation with affected athletes and the wider cycling community; secondly, viewing the medical research currently available; and thirdly, from a legal point of view, in connection with the Equality Act.

“We have made the decision to balance all three to provide clarity, direction and that clear path forward for all affected athletes.”

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Promotions are often rewarded to those who move forward confidently and prone to action. Conversely, those who hesitate are often dismissed as negative or not. furtherord. But confidence without a healthy dose of skepticism will land you in hot water, even with the best of intentions.

Take the head of sales for a global retail company who is tired of her company’s supply chain problems—a constant source of dissatisfaction. She had dealt with a similar problem in a previous role, which gave her confidence that she could help. She got permission from the CEO to put together a small secretive team to fix it. Six months later, this small group has achieved nothing for their efforts. The secret was out and the rest of the leadership team was unhappy with it. Her confidence and courage were seen as a power grab and her credibility was undermined.

Youcertain times require undefined leaders– leaders with the maturity to recognize what they don’t know. While not always welcomed, uncertainty is a healthy quality in leaders. This allows you to take a step back and think. However, many leaders find it risky and uncomfortable to express doubts, ask questions, or present a less than rosy picture.

Start with these three steps to become a more insecure leader.

1. honor the hesitation to take deliberation

We are connected to avoid discomfort. However, allowing ourselves to be present with a sense of discomfort helps us to appreciate it as a normal part of life and business. This allows you to pause and reflect while considering all your options.

One day, I was on the verge of signing a 10-year lease on a large office space. On the day we were supposed to sign the lease, I hesitated. It was a big commitment. Part of me was disappointed with myself because I didn’t have the courage. But after talking again with several people inside and outside our firm, I listened to my intuition and decided to stay where we were. Cost and commitment were high and our energy had to be focused on profitable growth.

A year later, a pandemic struck, we closed the office and never returned. Later our company was acquired. We built a portfolio of clients and expanded our business because we focused on the right things. I learned from this that I often put too much pressure on myself to do things that seem brave but might hold me back.

Many leaders struggle with how to make the decision not to do something. We are determined to move forward. To help you pause and respect your insecurities, here are a few questions to ask yourself before moving forward:

• What if the opposite of what I believe was true?
• What would critics tell me about this idea?
• What is behind my belief that I should always know what to do?

2. Share your insecurities to bring your team together

Another approach is to admit that you are insecure and lead others into your confusion. It is best to do this without announcing what you “can do” and without prejudicing your direction. We’ve all heard the leader say, “Here’s what I think; What about you?” The leader’s head would respond with nods and agreement—a recipe for groupthink. Instead, ask, “Here’s the problem I’m trying to solve; how do you see it?” encourages people to give you their best thoughts, not close the conversation.

Our firm’s CEO practices a “beginner mentality” and often admits to being unsure about which direction to take. People are eager to work for real leaders; there is nothing more authentic than admitting that you don’t know what to do next. When she invites people into these conversations, their energy goes through the roof and it becomes a joy to be in the room. They like to be treated as a thought partner.

It works best when you give people as much detail as possible. This gives them the best opportunity to use critical thinking. And they work with you to develop a solution. Copyright is a property right. The people who create the solution will support it.

An association community is key to problem solving. On the other hand, bunkers are idea killers. When people operate in a vacuum, they don’t have the opportunity to understand, learn, and grow, and they often see each other as enemies.

3. Use uncertainty to increase agility

Failure to plan is planning for failure, but over time we learn that a plan is just a starting point. We must be ready to turn. when you make uncertainty your friend, you are more likely to stay on top of the leading indicators and know when to zigzag or corral. If we consider possible scenarios when forming a plan, we will be better prepared to change when necessary.

In leading the scenario planning team, we started with all the economic, social, government, regulatory, environmental, political, and market conditions that could change. We then discussed which of the four scenarios is most relevant and the likelihood of each. The CEO and team said they have never felt better promoting such an important initiative. They welcomed critical thinking in decision making and recognized that things can change. They were ready.

Maintaining a healthy dose of uncertainty allows you to learn how to move forward and stay flexible. When you do this as a team, you release the power of everyone’s insecurities to your advantage.

When it’s timee to make a mess

What if you’ve already gone too far down the road and it’s time to turn? What should you do to unravel this mess?

The CEO of a construction company that suffered the tragic loss of a crew on a construction site didn’t want the team to focus on it. His team became increasingly uncomfortable as they saw, week after week, that this incident was not on the agenda. Finally, the CEO’s most trusted ally brought it to his attention, and his first reaction was anger. But as he thought about it further, he realized that he didn’t know what to do either, and because of that, he avoided further conversation. At the next meeting, when he acknowledged his fear, the team assessed his willingness to acknowledge the mess they had created without taking the time to really explore what needed to be changed.

It’s never too late to accept ignorance. Every day we become more and more aware of how big and unknowable the world is. As we grow older, perhaps we can take solace in the idea that leadership encourages us and others to learn how to move forward.

Suzanne Bates is the managing director btsBoston.