Marathon running insights for more effective leadership behaviors

As a marathon runner and a professional leader, I have come to realize the remarkable parallels between the world of long-distance running and effective leadership. Both require dedication, perseverance, agility, and the ability to navigate through challenges while seizing opportunities. In this article, I will share insights from my marathon running experiences that have helped to enhance my leadership skills and help me achieve greater success. For each insight I share recommendations for books that provided me with valuable insights and reflection moments.

Planning, Discipline & Ownership. Marathon training demands meticulous planning, disciplined execution, and taking ownership of goals. The average training program for a marathon is 16-20 weeks. You start with a certain baseline (fitness, mileage, performance) and then choose and/or tailor a training plan that will (hopefully) lead to the envisioned goal. Once you embark on the journey you stick to the planned training sessions with the eyes on the final goal of crossing that finish line..... until you decide to (or are forced to) deviate from the plan (more about that in the next paragraph). I am grateful for all the runners, experts and coaches (including my wife) who share their approaches and training plans, so I never have to start from scratch and can build on the achievements of others who came before me. Similarly, effective leadership entails strategic planning, disciplined decision-making, and taking responsibility for the outcomes. By adopting these traits, you can cultivate a results-oriented mindset, drive progress, and inspire your team to achieve their objectives. “Discipline equals freedom” is a quote by Jocko Willink, retired US Navy SEAL, author and leadership consultant. When you have a certain level of lean processes and structure, a shared professional toolbox, engrained in the hearts, minds and daily activities of a team can you achieve a level of adaptive leadership and execution that achieves greatness.

Book tip: Extreme Ownership: How US Navy Seals Lead and Win, Jocko Willink and Leif Babin.

Book tip: The Phoenix Project: A Novel about IT, DevOps, and Helping Your Business Win, by Gene Kim, Kevin Behr & George Spaffor

Flexibility to Adapt to the World. While a marathon runner meticulously plans their race strategy, they must also be able to adapt to unexpected circumstances like injuries, sickness, family matters, weather conditions or other unforeseen challenges. When I was training for my 8th marathon I had a history of the previous 5 years with lower back injury, sciatic pain, IT band injury and other inconveniences when going further than 15 km. I built up the mileage slowly and steadily, and things were looking good, until I had an injury and I had to decide to do a full stop rest of one week. That was followed by another injury and I took another 2 weeks of complete rest (from running). I started to doubt if it was realistic to continue with the marathon training as the race day was nearing rapidly. My wife, who is a running trainer and coach, helped me to give it a final try. She re-designed my training program for the last few weeks and I did it, and arrived to that finish line without injuries. Likewise, leaders need to be flexible in their approach, adapting to dynamic market forces, changing customer needs, and evolving business landscapes. Embracing agility allows you to navigate uncertainty and seize opportunities for growth. There will also be times when one needs to pause and reflect on everything that is happening, before moving forward again.

Book tip: Immunity To Change - How to Overcome It and Unlock the Potential in Yourself and Your Organization, by Robert Kegan & Lisa Laskow Lahey

Book tip: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams

Patience & Trust are Virtues. Marathon runners understand the value of patience and trust. It takes time and consistent effort to build endurance and see progress. When embarking on a months long training program for a selected race event one has to trust the, at some times simple and other times complex, process. Also, a long distance runner always has to remind her/himself that a lot of the physical growth is achieved on rest days - only the balanced combination of training and rest will lead to success. Similarly, leaders must cultivate patience, especially when faced with challenges or setbacks. Patient leaders foster an environment that encourages learning from failures, promotes innovation, and enables long-term success. The success of Agile approaches in business is often hindered by the oversimplified thinking that with Agile no structure or processes are needed. The key however, is to establish a well- balanced combination of processes, structure and flexibility, as that will lead to sustainable success in an ever-faster changing and often chaotic (business) world.

Book tip: EDGE: Value-driven digital transformation, by?Jim Highsmith, Linda Luu & David Robinson

Book tip: A Promised Land, by Barack Obama

Supportive Environment. Running a marathon requires a strong support system, including suppliers (think of shoes, running gear and nutrients for example), trainers, fellow runners, race organizations, volunteers, strangers cheering you on during a race event, and friends & family. It is crucial to be open for feedback and input from the great variety of people that are in someway part of the running endeavor, and incorporate it into the never-ending process of fine-tuning and improvement. Similarly, leaders must create a supportive environment for their teams, fostering collaboration, open communication, and a sense of belonging. By investing in your team's well-being and growth, you cultivate a culture of trust and loyalty, enabling them to perform at their best. Aim for psychological safety in the team, and see how this transforms a team to become the best version of itself.

Book tip: The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth, by Amy C. Edmondson

Book tip: Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest, by Suzanne Simard

Perseverance, Grit, and Growth. Marathon running epitomizes perseverance and grit. The ability to push through physical and mental barriers is crucial for success. Long distance running is not about winning or losing; it is about progress and improvement. I'll never forget what happened at the California International Marathon. It was my third marathon and my objective was to qualify for participation in the Boston Marathon. I was well on track to achieve the desired finish time (3:10) when during the last kilometers extreme fatigue and sore muscles forced me to slow down. So much was going through my mind while I pushed on, but after the initial thoughts of disappointment I told myself to not give up and make the best out of it, whether I qualified for Boston or not. When I crossed the finish line near the Capitol in Sacramento two race stewards had to support me as I had given all I had. My time was 3 hours 15 minutes and 59 seconds. A few hours later I realized that the next Boston Marathon would take place after my next birthday, meaning that I would change of age category and I had 5 minutes extra to qualify. In the end by, by not giving up, I had qualified for Boston with not a single second left. Likewise, leaders must exhibit resilience in the face of adversity, inspire their teams to overcome challenges, and foster a growth mindset. By embracing setbacks as opportunities for growth, leaders can build a culture of continuous improvement and resilience.

Book tip: Mindset - Changing The Way You think To Fulfil Your Potential, by Carol S. Dweck

Book tip: Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, by Angela Duckworth

Self-Awareness over Inflated Ego. Marathon runners understand the importance of self-awareness. They listen to their bodies, recognize their limits, and make necessary adjustments. I can post all the nicest running pictures and Strava run summaries on social media, but in real life what happens on the road/trail, what happens to my body and what happens in my mind, determines my successes and failures, my true experience and achievements. No need to obsessively compare to others, the only comparison that matters is with the me from yesterday. Similarly, effective leaders prioritize self-awareness over an inflated ego. By understanding their strengths, weaknesses, and blind spots, leaders can make informed decisions, seek feedback, and surround themselves with complementary talents to drive collective success.

Book tip: Search Inside Yourself - The Unexpected Path to Achieving Success, Happiness (and World Peace), by Chade-Meng Tan

Book tip: Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, by Susan Cain

Self-Worth Comes from Within. Marathon running teaches runners to find intrinsic motivation and define their self-worth through personal achievements, rather than external validation. For my most recent marathon I had to be very honest with myself and consciously move away from setting a finish time objective. With my recent and recurring injuries in mind, I made a choice to set the following race objective: enjoy the race, the surroundings & the people and cross the finish line without injuries. That was it, and I loved it. Even though the last 5 kilometers were (mentally tough) I crossed the finish line with a big smile: I had achieved all my objectives. Likewise, leaders should focus on their values, purpose, and personal growth to derive a sense of fulfillment and motivate others. By leading with authenticity and inspiring from within, leaders can foster a culture of purpose-driven success. In the business setting one wants to avoid the 'group think' situation, when team members are too concerned with not upsetting the group (or manager) and they slowly stop speaking up when they have (valuable) diverging opinions.

Book tip: How Will You Measure Your Life?, by Clayton M. Christensen, James Allworth, Karen Dillon

Book tip: Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl

Get into 'The Flow'. One crucial aspect of marathon running and effective leadership that often gets overlooked is the importance of enjoying the journey and finding joy in what you do. In marathon running, there is a concept known as "the flow," where runners experience a state of effortless concentration and peak performance. It often happens during training long runs that I have 'missing kilometers', when I look around and wonder that I am already at a certain location and can't remember the kilometers leading up to it. This state of flow is also attainable in leadership. When you truly love what you do and find passion in your work, you are more likely to experience moments of flow, where your creativity, productivity, and problem-solving abilities are at their peak. By infusing joy and enthusiasm into your leadership style, you not only inspire others but also create a positive and energizing work environment. Remember to celebrate successes, embrace a sense of humor, and cherish the moments that make your leadership journey fulfilling. Ultimately, when you love what you do, leadership becomes a gratifying and fulfilling experience, and your team will thrive under your positive influence. So, embrace the joy, find your flow, and lead with passion and love.

Book tip: Dare to Lead, by Brené Brown

Book tip: The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho

In summary, incorporating the insights highlighted in this article into your leadership approach can significantly enhance your effectiveness as a leader. By embracing planning, discipline, adaptability, patience, and perseverance, you can navigate challenges, inspire your team, and achieve exceptional results. Creating a supportive environment, prioritizing self-awareness over ego, and deriving self-worth from within will enable you to lead with authenticity, foster growth, and drive long-term success. So, lace up your metaphorical running shoes, embrace these leadership behaviors, and watch yourself and your team soar to new heights. Remember, the marathon of leadership is not a sprint, and with the right mindset and approach, you can achieve remarkable feats.