Fit to Fight, Fit to Lead: Are You the Best Leader You Can Be?

In the military, it is an essential job requirement to stay in good physical condition. As matter of fact, it is “sine qua non” to leadership effectiveness. Soldiers expect you to be able to “hang” with them physically and will be unforgiving if you cannot. In my experience, however, this essential job requirement has not always been the case. In 1976, when I entered the Army, there was little if any emphasis placed on physical training (PT). When we did PT, it was usually comprised of some simple calisthenics, the daily dozen, followed by a run at a fairly slow pace, called the ‘Airborne Shuffle’. It was ugly, painful, and often done in combat boots. Fortunately, over the years, greater and greater emphasis has been placed on PT. It is not uncommon to hear soldiers referred not as just fit, but as athletes, even elite athletes.

While emphasis is placed on PT in the Army, there are times when it can be a challenge to work out. When I was the Master of the Sword (Director and Head of the Department of Physical Education at West Point), I had a lot of meetings; matter of fact, it seemed my day was often one long meeting. It was often difficult to find the time to work out, but I made it a priority; my job required that I do. Not only was exercise important to me physically and to my overall wellbeing, but it was also important for my staff and faculty and especially the cadets to see me working out, setting the example, in the fitness center or just running around post.

The benefits of regular physical training are well documented. Physical fitness is linked to all other types of wellbeing. The bottom line is if you work out, you feel good, and if you feel good, you will do well in most aspects of work and life. However, it is not unusual to see individuals in high-level positions in business and industry who are overweight and significantly out of shape. The demands of these positions can be extremely time consuming, and staying physically fit can quickly get squeezed out of ones to do list. Add to that the global nature of business and ubiquitous nature of technology with the expectation that one is available 24/7, makes it difficult to fit in a workout into an already busy day. So, are these individuals really fit to lead? Are they the very best that they can be for their employees, their business, and their families? Frankly, it seems pretty clear; the answer is no!

The major difference between the military and business is that physical fitness is a part of the military culture. Being in great physical condition is valued and respected; it is badge of honor. Matter of fact, the Army provides a patch that can be worn on one’s fitness uniform, for those who achieve high fitness standards.

So, what to do? The idea of getting in shape can be daunting and often does not survive the harsh reality of life. Life takes over and that shiny new treadmill quickly becomes an expensive clothes rack. All is not lost; there is hope if you are able to make a few commitments to self!

Here are the principles of exercise for thinking about and planning a fitness regimen:

• Progression – Focus on a systematic increase in workload. For muscular strength, you must increase in weight or repetitions. For cardio, increase intensity by distance or duration.
• Regularity – Schedule regular training sessions and stick to it.
• Overload – Stress your systems by increasing the amount of physical work you do. For example, if you are training to run a mile, then you must run farther than a mile.
• Variety – Participate in different activities; vary your routine, this will help prevent boredom.
• Rest – Your body must rest in order to heal itself. When weightlifting, it is recommended that following a session you should rest 48 hours before the next session. This doesn’t mean you take a nap!
• Realism – Don’t do too much too soon; this often hampers progress and adherence to an exercise program.
• Balance – Work all of the systems; cardio, muscular strength, muscular endurance and flexibility.
• Specificity – If you are going to run a road race, then you must be running; if you are going to be tested on certain physical events, for example the push-up or sit-up, you must train for these events.

Set a goal for yourself; it might be as simple as taking the stairs instead of riding the elevator. Get a fitness monitoring device; it will help you keep track of the number of steps you take, flights of stairs climbed, and get immediate, positive feedback on your progress.

Very often when getting into shape, individuals try to do too much all at once in diet and exercise; it becomes overwhelming, especially if you haven’t done anything physical for a while.

As a final takeaway, here are some questions you need to ask yourself:

• Are you at your proper weight?
• Are you getting quality sleep?
• Are you eating well?
• Are you exercising on a regular basis?

If you answered “no” to these questions, are you the best leader you can be? Are you fit to lead? If not, get up, and get moving!