Fitness and Leadership

by Seth Sinclair

In October 2014, the Harvard Business Review published an article by management consultant Ron Friedman entitled “Regular Exercise is Part of Your Job.” Friedman lists the physical benefits of regular exercise including lower blood pressure, better heart health, and an improved physique. 

The author also lists the cognitive benefits of regular exercise, including improved concentration, sharper memory, faster learning, prolonged mental stamina, enhanced creativity, and lower stress.  Exercise can also result in an elevated mood, which is critical in the world of a leader who is constantly communicating and collaborating.  He argues that for managers and leaders exercise is a necessity, not a luxury.

When you are evaluating yourself as a leader and looking for ways to improve, ask yourself if your health and fitness are in a good place.  If not, how might this be holding you back?  Getting control of your health is important for a lot of reasons, but it can actually make you more effective at your job.

There is scientific proof of this.  A 2011 Dutch study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine looked at 10,624 European workers.  The study found that those who engage in unhealthy habits such as smoking, eating poorly, and not getting enough exercise are less productive on their jobs, have a greater need for sick leave.  They also take longer periods of time off from work when they do take sick leave. 

“More than 10 percent of sick leave and higher levels of productivity loss at work may be attributed to lifestyle behaviors and obesity,” one of the researchers told U.S. News and World Report.

The researchers found that 56 percent of the 10,600 Europeans they surveyed had taken off at least one day in the year before the survey because of poor health.  Obese workers were 66 percent more likely to call in sick for 10 to 24 days than those of normal weight—and 55 percent more likely to take off 25 days or more. 

Those who smoked were 30 percent more likely to take off 10 to 24 days because of poor health.  Interestingly, though, those who drank 10 or more glasses of alcohol per week were less likely to take time off for poor health. (No, the study did not recommend heavy drinking as a fitness aid.)

The team concluded that primary interventions on lifestyle might significantly contribute to maintaining a productive workforce.  This means not only that leaders should be mindful of their health, but that their organization can benefit from them encouraging others to do so as well.

Another Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health article, this one prepared by researchers with the State of Minnesota’s Center for Health Promotion, looked at lifestyle-related health risks that can be modified by changes to behavior such as physical activity, heart fitness, and obesity.

The research team asked 683 workers in a variety of occupations about their sick leave usage, the quality and quantity of their work, their relationships with their co-workers, and how they rated their overall performance.  They found that when employees get more physical activity, their work performance improves.  They also found that fit workers are likely to be physically stronger, have greater endurance, and are less likely to feel fatigued.

The data indicated that higher levels of physical activity improved both the quality of the work people did and their overall job performance.  It also showed that workers who exercised regularly were more likely to rate their job performance higher; that cardiovascular fitness reduced the amount of extra effort workers needed to do their jobs; and that obesity made it more difficult for people to get along with their co-workers—and severe obesity related to a higher level of sick leave usage.

In summary, getting healthy and fit might be a game changer for those looking for ways to improve professional performance.  It’s a great asset for people who want to do well at their jobs.  In future posts, we’ll talk about ways to improve your personal health and wellness, and how leaders and managers can encourage and support their teams to do the same.