Great Leaders Care – For Themselves by Richard Tyson

My business career has spanned more than five decades. I’ve spent much of that time studying exceptional business leaders. Most of what I have gleaned has been focused on cause and effect, the actions that lead to strong business outcomes.

In these early months of 2024,I think it’s important to dig deeper into the actions you might take to cause the effects you desire. Becoming an outstanding leader is a very personal pursuit. It boils down to what you do, day-in and day-out over time. The easy answer is to work hard, put in long hours, nose to the grindstone. Diligence is, of course, a key element here, but diligent at what?

I suggest that you form New Year’s Resolutions for diligently strengthening your personal leadership. And rather than focus directly on what you do at work, I want to direct your attention to the person you see in the mirror each morning. That person is the single most important and essential member of your leadership team. If you don’t invest significant time and effort in caring for YOU, you are neglecting the maintenance of the engine that everyone in your business relies upon.

In this new year, you should take time to assess your personal maintenance program. How is your health? Are you physically, mentally, and spiritually fit? How are your relationships outside of work, with family, friends, and neighbors? If you are like most of us, there is room for improvement. But just acknowledging that doesn’t get the job done. You need  a plan that you will act on. That plan needs metrics by which you will measure your progress over the days, weeks, and months ahead.

Physical fitness is a good place to start. When I finished my two years of drinking at the firehose of the Harvard Business School in 1977, I was a 26 year-old flabby 245 pound guy. I had neglected my fitness, and at graduation, I resolved to turn things around. Even so, I had just started working for a Fortune 100 company and my work life was very busy. My resolution didn’t start well. I decided to run 5 miles every morning, but after day one (and about 4 ½ miles short of my goal), I realized my plan was flawed. I decided to scale it back to running one block, adding an additional driveway each day. Before long, I was running one mile, then two, and so on until I actually did 5 miles. This gradual, steady approach was also manifested in weight loss to 200 pounds and overall improvement in my health.

Today, at age 73, I still have a daily fitness routine requiring at least one hour of vigorous exercise each day. Age has added some new challenges including a diagnosis of diabetes, but with guidance of good physicians, I’m managing the problem. I’ve resolved that neither age nor infirmity can be an excuse for melting into my recliner. I rely heavily on my own “metrics for success” including my weight (still at 200), blood pressure, blood glucose levels (I continuously monitor them), exercise time and mileage which I record every day.

I’ve also applied this method to my intellectual and spiritual development. I strive to read 4-5 books a month, including at least one historical and/or religious book as well as 3-4 business books. I even occasionally read a novel. This reading regimen keeps me on the leading edge of things relevant to my business, as well as helping me have an active and engaged mind. I have resolved to read every day. (Audible is a great blessing here; I can listen while I workout or travel.)

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, I believe you must make time for your relationships outside of work. One effect that virtually everyone wants is joy with loved ones. But far too often work eats up every hour of every day, finally swallowing up a whole lifetime of what is most important. This is certainly a challenge for me, but I’ve resolved to carve out time to enjoy my wife, children, grandchildren–and now even great-grandchildren. I’m grateful for today’s technology that allows for regular texting but I’m careful not to allow this to replace face-to-face time with each of them. This isn’t always easy, but my “dates with grandpa” are some of my happiest times!

My point here is that you can (I might say, you must) take care of your most important asset in order to be a successful leader. If you don’t focus on the maintenance of YOU, you increase the likelihood of burnout, illness, and even premature death. None of this bodes well for your success as a leader! My sincere wish is that you will realize the importance of maintaining YOU–and find  joy in doing so. Happy New Year!