How Great Leaders Warm Up

Skilled athletes and performers would never contemplate going into action without a full warm-up routine. Yet many leaders do it all the time.

Without a sequence to get them primed and ready, leaders put themselves at a disadvantage in performing at their highest potential.

Great leaders don’t make that mistake.

Instead, they have designed daily warm-up or practice sessions to help them prepare for the leadership challenges of the day.

Here is a set of common warm-up routines practiced by leaders who understand the need to gear up for the leadership day ahead:

• Some leaders ground themselves in their values by meditating, journaling, or engaging in quiet self-reflection with a focus on what matters most to them in life.

• Those who face the physical challenge of sitting and listening in meetings can boost their energy by performing a light physical activity, such as a short jog, a walk, or climbing a long flight of stairs.

• Given the importance of a positive mindset, many leaders cultivate a positive attitude by reviewing what went well yesterday, those on the team they are proud of, and what they are grateful for.

• Other leaders prep for the day by reading, listening, or watching content that gets their leadership juices flowing, like Admired Leadership Field Notes.

• For those who have important conversations on the docket, rehearsing for the interaction by outlining the key points to be made is a great warm-up.

• The same is true for upcoming meetings. Knowing what viewpoints must be explored gets the mind thinking about them hours before the meeting occurs.

Great leaders, like great athletes, need to warm up to prepare the mind and body for the day. The focus and clarity a good warm-up routine provides is an invaluable start to a busy day of leadership.

Athletes who fail to warm up experience an increase in injuries. Leaders who skip a warm-up often stumble their way through much of the day.

What is your warm-up routine or sequence? Do you do it at the start of every day?