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The Twelve Principles of Personal Leadership

Principle #3 – Maintaining Your Health – Part 1

-One Leader’s Perspective

By Greg L. Thomas

Decorative 03 How has your health been lately? What is your attitude about your health and what does it have to do with leadership? We will discuss this third vital principle of personal leadership in this article. Actually, what you think about your health reveals a lot about your leadership perspective! Some folks take their health for granted and think that they have little control over it. They believe there is a cosmic clock that is ticking and “when your time is up” you die. They look at their time on earth as limited to a pre-set destiny and when our time is up… it’s up. Others believe that they have a certain amount of control in their hands over their health and have the ability to delay serious health issues. Which one is correct? It all boils down to your locus of control and this will tell you a lot about yourself.

Your locus of control is a “personality orientation” originally developed by Julian Rotter in the 1960’s. Depending on whether we have a strong internal or external orientation tells us a lot about ourselves and may affect the way we view our health. Those who test and show a strong internal orientation tend to believe that life and its various events are determined more by our own actions rather than by uncontrollable forces or chance. This is an admirable quality in a manager or leader. They think that what they do (or don’t do) can make a difference in the workplace or the world. They don’t view themselves as victims and tend to be more future-orientated. Folks with strong “internals” also feel confident that they have the power to influence others. When problems arise they respond with innovation, flexibility and are less resistant to change in life.

Individuals with a strong external orientation believe that they have little opportunity to improve their lives. They tend to think that fate or chance mostly determines what happens in life. This is not an admirable trait in a manager or leader. These strong “externals” guide one to accept that much in life is out of their control! They tend to accept victimization as a way of life, and lack aggressive goals because really achieving them is felt to be “outside” of their control. They often feel that whatever they do (or don’t do) doesn’t really matter or make a difference. When problems arise they typically don’t respond quickly or effectively and they are highly resistant to change.

Think about your personal locus of control and how this may influence your approach to health. Do you believe that what you do in your lifestyle and eating habits does affect your quality of life? Do you think that having a positive outlook on life and your role in the world does influence your physical health and well-being? If you do, you have the right perspective and attitude about your health as a 21^st century leader! For a moment, just consider the thousands of talented individuals who worked hard for 20 or 30 years to grow to the top of their chosen professions only to lose it all because of destructive lifestyle habits or addictions. Yes, in understanding our health there are things we have limited control over, and things we have a large amount of control over.

One area where we have limited control is our genetic make-up or DNA. We are all the product of thousands of years of genetic mixture that makes us both truly unique and prone to physical strengths and weaknesses. Research is revealing that many health problems are common within families and the tendency or trait to have specific diseases are often inherited. Our own particular DNA can be both good and bad depending on the genetic tendencies. It is bad if it is a specific disease we may inherit. It can be good if it is longevity. Many have jokingly remarked about how Winston Churchill smoked five cigars, and drank a quart of brandy each day. Yet he lived to be age 91! In his case the fact that some of his ancestors lived to a ripe old age worked in his favor. On the other hand, Winston’s father, Lord Randolph was also a talented man and a Member of Parliament yet he squandered his life and died at age 46 reputedly from the ravages of a venereal disease.

Worried 2 But the thing to consider is that even within our genetic make-up we do have some flexibility and control. For example, I know that my father and all his siblings died of various forms of cancer. This can alert me to the need for careful annual physicals and attention to anything unusual going on in my body. Some died of cancers due to the habit of smoking and this can remind me of the fact that I should not even consider smoking since it has proven to shorten the lifespan of many individuals. Folks that have a family history of diabetes or high blood pressure can take steps to improve their health by noticing early warning signs and taking medication. Understanding our genetic family tree can help us to be on guard for potential diseases and take aggressive action when detected early.

One area in which we can have enormous control over our health is in monitoring our daily lifestyle. The facts are clear… what we eat, and how much we eat can have a significant impact on chronic disease and quality of life. Along with this, we should be concerned with exercise, and possessing a positive mental outlook toward life. These are all areas in which we can have significant control and influence, but they take effort and commitment. Again, this goes back to our personal locus of control. If our personality has a strong internal orientation we will tend to make changes and be pro-active toward our health. If we have a strong external orientation, we will allow “time and chance” to control us and our future. What a tragedy to work so hard at the first two principles we have discussed only to let it all slip away due to negligence. We may work very hard to develop and seek the right visionary goals. We may spend years growing in a continuous and complete education to prepare for leadership. However, if we take for granted or abuse our body the result will be poor health. It is hard to lead when your mind is distracted with constant pain, anxiety or a lack of energy.

For the rest of this article I will discuss the importance of exercise. In part 2, I will discuss other important lifestyle habits that lead to good health. Perhaps the greatest change that has occurred in the modern history of mankind in our western world is the lack of activity. For thousands of years, exercise was a normal part of daily living. Activities such as farming, making crafts, or building were hard work and resulted in exertion, strengthening of muscles and cardio-vascular exercise. However, the latter part of the 20^th century brought about a whole new lifestyle for millions of individuals. It was the result of new career roles including managers, supervisors and parts of the service industry. Now many workers were given the sedentary work of analyzing and monitoring various activities, often from a desk and in front of a computer screen. The activity that our bodies were designed for to maintain strength through vigorous work and movement was displaced. The result is a slow but insidious deterioration of our health.

Exercise properly stresses and tones our body so it can maximize its potential. We are not talking about lifting massive weights or “bulking up” on protein powders. We are talking about a regular exercise routine that pushes our heart, lungs, circulatory system and major muscle groups in order to strengthen them. Once you begin you will notice a marked improvement in your energy level and alertness through the day. The benefits of exercise are both short-term and may even extend your quality of life. Many excellent books have been written about the benefits of exercise and various types of exercises. It is not my goal to provide these details, but to convince you why exercise should be important to you!

Earth 7 There are many excuses we don’t exercise regularly. See if any of these seven reasons are ones you have used…

Excuse #1 – “Exercise is boring”. If you are doing the same repetitious exercises day after day, of course it's boring! There's a superior alternative to doing the old fashioned sit-up, jumping jack routine. It's called "cross-training". Cross-training involves mixing and matching two or more various activities. It will help you to not only avoid boredom, but to also gain a more balanced level of fitness. Visit your local library or, bookstore and borrow a "how-to" book on this subject. The best exercise routine is one that mixes strength training with cardio-vascular exercise.

Excuse #2 – “I don't have enough time”. This is a pretty lame excuse. I seem to find enough time to relax or perform other activities which I enjoy. The average American spends over 33 hours a week watching television. To have a healthy body only requires about 60 minutes of exercise 4 or 5 days a week. First, get your doctor’s approval that you are able to physically stress your body through an exercise program. Then start slowly… you can begin to condition your body with only three 30 minute sessions of aerobic exercise per week. I am talking about low-impact exercising like swimming, walking or cycling. Then you can grow into a more complex program to meet your needs.

Excuse #3 – “Exercising is expensive”. Yes, exercise can be expensive but it doesn't have to be. You don't need to join a health club or fitness facility to get in shape or stay in peak physical condition. You can purchase a piece of home exercise equipment for less than a one year’s membership to many health clubs. For even less money, you may be able to find that your local community has a "recreation" center which offers a variety of programs for a small fee. Of course, don't forget that many types of exercise can be performed in the privacy of your own home without any cost. Because of competition the cost of in-home exercise equipment has declined in recent years. Some equipment can include items as simple as a floor mat, chair or a jump rope.

Excuse #4 – “I'm not in the mood”. This is the classic excuse not to do anything we desire to put off until another time. This is really a lack of self-discipline. Use some of the ideas we learned in leadership principle #1 of this series! Set a realistic goal for yourself with short-term steps for achievement. Keep track of your progress and remember to reward yourself for being consistent and committed to a program. During the earliest stages of your program it's important to give yourself a lot of encouragement and incentive. Treat yourself to some new (smaller) clothing, or a night at the movies for exercising regularly. This could be the difference between establishing a short fad or a permanent lifestyle change.

Excuse #5 – “I Travel Too Often!” This is one of my favorites because I do travel quite often. I'm usually at a different hotel or city and it's hard to establish an exercise routine. Pretty good reasoning, isn't it? Well, not really. Many hotels offer pools or exercise facilities and you can ask before you make a reservation. And even if they don't, a simple hotel room has enough space to perform a group of balanced aerobic exercises. In my travel bag I keep a small stretchable cord-set manufactured by a company called Bally that offers over 10 different exercises. After a day’s work why not put on some walking shoes and take a brisk two or three mile walk? Travel is not a valid excuse. As a matter of fact, the sedentary life usually associated with travel is all the more reason to get a good workout while on the road.

Excuse #6 – “I need a partner to be motivated”. There's no doubt that getting in shape with a friend can be a great motivator. Your friend can push or encourage you to workout even when you don't feel like it. But don't forget about other group activities. Many shopping malls have "walking clubs" you can join. Your community probably has an aerobics class you can join, and if you can afford it, acquire the services of a personal trainer at a health club or "rec" center. Group activities can be as fun as training with only one partner. As an alternative you can turn on an interesting TV program or peppy music as you exercise. I do this as I walk on my home treadmill and it does seem to make time go more quickly. Remember that to be successful at any endeavor requires dedication and commitment.

Excuse #7 – “My grandfather never exercised lived until age 97”. This line of reasoning states that since my grandfather never exercised a day in his life and lived to a ripe old age, so will I. The odds of this happening are actually quite small because our grandparents had a different set of genes and hereditary traits than we do. As a matter of fact, we have only inherited about 1/4 of any one of our grandparents’ genetic characteristics, and only about half of any one of our parents. On top of this our stressful lifestyles are different and more demanding than what our grandparents experienced. Add to this a more polluted planet and greater food additives and the disparity is even greater. Don't risk losing an additional 15 or 20 healthful years to your life because of a lack of regular exercise. Your health is too important to gamble on the false reliance of an ancestor’s good health.

The goal of an effective leader is not simply to appreciate the gift of life, but care for ourselves and our health. Length of years is not as important as the quality of life… the number of years we experience an active, exciting and productive lifestyle. There are no guarantees but one way to put the odds in our favor is to understand and regularly engage in exercise. Like anything worthwhile in life, it is not always easy or convenient. However it offers the short term-benefit of increased alertness, energy and weight control. Long-term it may even extend our life. I encourage you to make it a regular part of your life.

Next month we will continue to discuss exercise, and focus on other important health considerations including the right foods to eat, and water.

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About the author:

Greg has an extensive thirty-five years experience in public speaking and has spoken to hundreds of audiences worldwide. Greg has a Master of Arts degree in Leadership from Bellevue University, where he also has served as an adjunct professor teaching courses in business management and leadership since 2002. His first book, 52 Leadership Tips (That Will Change How You Lead Others) was published in 2006 by WingSpan Press. His second book, Making Life's Puzzle Pieces Fit was published in March 2009. Both are available at amazon.com. Greg is also the president of Leadership Excellence, Ltd and a Managing Partner of the Leadership Management Institute. Leadership Excellence, Ltd. effectively builds individuals and organizations to reach their highest potential through enhanced productivity and personal development using a number of proven programs. He is also the president and founder of weLEAD Incorporated.