Leadership Lessons from the Gym - Don't Build on a Shaky Foundation

I had dinner with friends the other night, and before we went out to eat they came over to work out with me at our local gym.  One of my friends is a personal trainer with a very successful practice, and he surprised me by giving me a very simple set of expercises to follow.

They were not hard.  They were not tiring, but they were precise.

In the end, he asked if I had "enough" exercise, and I remarked that I was far less tired than I was used to being after a workout.  He commented that it was important to build a good foundation of core muscles before you work out too hard.  He said that the small mistakes I make in body movement just get replicated during hard workouts, and then they cause strain and problems later on.

"If your foundation is weak, you need to build that first before you are ready to do more intense workouts."

If it is true for the body - can it also be true for the workplace? It got me thinking about this idea of building a solid foundation for our leadership practice before we take on too much.  So often we take our good people and we throw them into the fire.  If they get the work done, that is great, but what foundation are they building on.

Little bad habits, repeated over and over, may cause strain.

What does a "shaky foundation" in a manager?

- Poor feedback skills.
- Insecurity/defensiveness.
- Lack of Listening
- Blindness to Strengths/Weaknesses in a Team
- Making excuses for self or others.
- Weak Planning/Procrastinating
- Weak Critical Thinking Skills
- Weak Project Management Skills
- Lack of Assertiveness

It's easy to see how small things can multiply over a career, causing long term problems.  I love the way that we can fix these things early, and build a good foundation.  And as we all mentor and encourage our less experienced managers, it is so important that we help them build that foundation for themselves.

Something to think about.  Meanwhile, I'll be working on the foundation for my physical fitness.  For great workout tips, check out www.survivalseattle.com and Cody's newsletter.

Comments

[Betty]

I enjoyed your article. I could relate to it as I just started a new exercise routine that has me building my core strength first. As far as leadership goes, I could relate to that also. A manager with a strong foundation can move mountains with their team. I've started reading a book called "Words for Warriors" by Ralph Puckett. Through a collection essays, Colonel Puckett gives a brief tour of his storied lifetime in leadership. As he identifies the winning ways of best practices, you can see the mind of a soldier who has willed himself to become one of the best of the best. It's an amazing book! http://www.ralphpuckett.com/words-for-warriors/

[Cheri]

Hi Betty,

I'm so glad you enjoyed the article, and I'll definitely check out Ralph Puckett's information. I'm always on the lookout for inspirational leadership stories. Thanks!

Cheri