Fit Leader: Enhancing Decisions and Emotional Intelligence Through Exercise
Do you have a yoga mat or running shoes tucked away in your office? Over the years, I’ve noticed a trend among the best leaders I work with: A deep commitment to staying fit.
Yet many of them assume that committing to regular exercise only benefits their personal health and well-being. Many don’t realize that those regular workouts also boost their professional performance. Staying fit doesn’t just benefit the body; it also sharpens the mind.
Stressful meetings suddenly feel more manageable, and problem-solving and decision-making becomes quicker and sharper.
Science backs this up
A major review found that aerobic fitness helps prevent age-related brain loss and strengthens key focus and executive function regions. Fit individuals “allocate greater attentional resources” and process information more efficiently. In short, exercise literally primes the brain for sharper focus and faster, smarter decisions.
Leaders who prioritize fitness enjoy benefits that ripple through every part of their work. Recent studies highlight some key findings:
Sharper cognitive performance: Physically fit leaders “process information more quickly” and respond better to challenges. Aerobic exercise strengthens brain networks for attention, problem-solving, and executive function, leading to clearer decisions. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
Greater resilience and stress tolerance:Regular exercise lowers stress hormones and builds mental stamina. One study found that executives who worked out regularly were rated higher in leadership effectiveness, coping better with the stresses of their roles. ccl.org.
Enhanced emotional intelligence: Physical fitness improves emotional intelligence –helping leaders perceive, understand, and regulate emotions. Fit individuals report more calm, happiness, and resilience under pressure, which are key traits for the patient, as well as empathetic leadership. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Stronger presence and energy: Leaders who prioritize fitness often report higher energy levels, confidence, and presence. A brisk workout acts like a mood and gravitas “tune-up” – helping you to arrive alert, positive, and ready to inspire.
In other words, exercise puts your brain and mood through high-performance training. It releases endorphins and brain-derived growth factors that improve memory, attention and creativity while cutting down stress and fatigue. The result? Leaders who think more clearly under pressure and recover faster from setbacks. ccl.orgpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Inspire and motivate your team
Some leaders I know keep their exercise routines a secret from their teams, as if working out were a form of slacking off. Instead, I would encourage leaders to be open about prioritizing fitness – modelling a work-life balance for their teams.
When leaders prioritize wellness, they quietly permit everyone to do the same. As Harvard Business Review notes, we need self-care for “optimal functioning” and to be “healthier and more efficient leaders” – yet many still struggle to practice it. Lacing up our running shoes or hitting the gym sends a powerful message: work-life balance and personal well-being matter. And that, in turn, can boost morale and productivity across the board.
In my own experience, the facts have proven true. Staying physically active helps me stay focused and bring my best energy to my clients.
By treating our body well, we are also treating our mind and team well. In short, taking care of ourselves isn’t just a personal win – it makes us better leaders and role models. hbr.org
