WEW 27 - Holistic Leadership and Personal Growth

My health and fitness journey is inseparable from my growth as a leader in business. I have found that being healthy, being strong, and being focused helps me maintain my energy, my calm and has increased my decision-making power.

So why do we overlook this aspect of leadership?

In Peter Attia's Outlive he references his own experience during his medical residency where sleep-deprived doctors-to-be clocked long hours. This had adverse health effects for them but also increased risks to the patients. We also know that driving drunk, or getting behind the wheel when you are extremely tired or distressed is dangerous. This isn't news. If we know these states change how we operate why do we lead others from them as well?

When you are leading a team they depend on you for many things, and a key dependency is the ability for you to make the right decision at points of inflection. To do this you need to be clear, focused, and able to recall and rely upon the deep context you are responsible for maintaining.

Because of this I coach and evangelize taking a broader view of what it means to be a leader. Your health and energy aren't things to spend to lead better, they are things you need to build up and have more of to lead better.

Outlive isn't a book about leadership, it is a book about Loving to be 100 years old. To live a long life you need to make good decisions and work for it.

We strive to be better leaders so we can be successful. I would bet you don't want your success to stop short because of age either. Longevity in a role or life is part of success.

I filter everything I do through the acronym PASTE. Passion, Strength, Transparency, Empathy. S stands for Strength, and it is the letter people have the most trouble relating to in the work context. The above is one way to relate to it. As a leader, you need both physical health and mental health. Being a strong person in these areas enables you to be a strong leader.