Another Reason to Sweat: Exercise Makes Better Execs

Here's an interesting one.  Not that it's all that surprising--to me or to any one of the already-converted choir who would bother reading a blog like this (as opposed to this), but executives who exercise may be better at their jobs:

Don't have time to exercise for the sake of your health? Well, do you have time to become a better leader? Exercise physiologist Sharon McDowell-Larsen of the nonprofit Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) has collected data suggesting that senior executives who exercise are not only healthier than those who don't, but also more effective at their jobs.

...executives who exercise rate significantly higher on such skills as leading others (inspiring commitment, creating synergy and interpersonal savvy), leading by personal example (specifically credibility) and results orientation than non-exercisers.

While McDowell-Larsen stops short of claiming a definite cause and effect, "what we can say," she reports, "is that there is definitely a difference" between the two groups.

 

 

Throw in the well-known stress-reducing benefits of exercise, the association of exercise with improved blood lipid profiles and cardiovascular health (which many heart-attack prone execs desperately need) and it seems like you have a no-brainer prescription for exercise among the pinstriped, briefcase-carrying set.

And yet.

The usual m.o. for hard-driving business types--and I train a few of these folks--is to become a martyr to the cause.  If you're not exhausted, harried and frayed; if you're not running five minutes behind and need to leave five minutes early to get to the next thing, and the next, and the next, well, you're obviously not working hard enough.  Heart attack-level stress is a perverse badge of honor. 

One client of mine comes from a family of such red-liners.  He tells me that when they get together, "You look tired" is considered a compliment.

But here's evidence that suggests you can improve your effectiveness by doing something for yourself.  No less than the leader of the free world seems to think so--and if you think you're more stressed than he is, well, you need a reality check, my friend.   

The article mentions that most execs believe they don't have time to exercise; that it's a zero-sum game, in other words:  time at the gym or in the park or at the track will detract from time doing important business stuff that won't get done otherwise. 

That's a tough argument to counter, but the researchers believe it's possible:

"That's allowing the belief of lack of time to drive their behavior," observes McDowell-Larsen. The perceived benefit must outweigh the cost of taking the time to exercise, so focusing on the job-related benefits may be the way to get their attention.

Interesting selling point--both for execs and for folks in the fitness business.