Years ago, a friend challenged me to run a half-marathon with her. I wouldn’t consider myself a runner, but I did run cross-country in high school. So, I figured if she could run a half-marathon, so could I.

She sent me her training plan. I ignored it. I thought, “If you want to run a long way, just run a long way. Do it over and over again, and it gets easier.” I didn’t need a plan, or so I thought.

I started running a lot, in old shoes. I logged many more miles than her plan called for because I believed I was better than the plan. Then my hip started to hurt. It hurt so badly that I could no longer complete training runs. Even then, I didn’t realize that my ability to “gut it out” didn’t match my body’s ability to adapt to repetitive stress.

I didn’t know how to train properly. I didn’t give myself time to build up. I figured recovery was for wimps, and decent shoes were a waste of money. I had to settle for a 5K, the distance I could tolerate before my hip seized up. I completed the race, but that’s about all I can say about my performance. As it turned out, there is more to running than just running.

There is more to leadership than just being called a leader.

Most leaders end up in their roles for reasons other than knowing how to lead. If you are like them, you’ve already achieved some level of professional success or competency. You see your peers in leadership roles and you figure, “If they can do it, so can I.”

But then a situation arises—a conflict, rapid growth, a crisis, or a risky opportunity —and you realize, “I don’t know how to handle this.” What do you do?

The path into leadership doesn’t need to be mysterious.

The role of a leader is the role of greatest impact in any organization. Despite this, most leaders have never been taught how to lead. Leadership skill wasn’t even a criterion for the role in most cases. Leaders are often promoted due to their professional excellence, ability to sell, longevity, or because they are trusted. Others are entrepreneurs who built the position themselves. Some became leaders because of a decision based on family, familiarity, or politics.

Regardless of how they got into leadership, many leaders discover that they’ve never been taught how to lead. This is where many leaders find themselves at a loss. They know their industry, products, or services inside and out. But leading people is a whole different ball game.

Leadership, like running, requires more than just “gutting it out.” It requires a plan, the right tools, and a structured approach to developing your abilities over time. In my new book Train to Lead, I lay out a simple plan that, if followed, will improve anyone’s leadership in 90 days. This plan is based on the same principles that build elite athletes:

Good nutrition: To be an effective leader, you need to build healthy habits. Just as good nutrition is the foundation of fitness, healthy perspectives, and good habits are the foundation of effective leadership.

Conditioning: Next, conditioning is essential. Learning to manage yourself prepares you to lead and manage others well. This involves learning how to handle stress and develop resilience.

Strength: Strength builds on conditioning with the ability to make things happen. Leaders must be able to exert force to create or resist movement. They need to be able to move people and vision forward.

Power: Power adds speed to strength. It’s about being decisive and creating momentum. Leaders need to act quickly and effectively, especially during times of conflict, change, or crisis.

Endurance: Endurance is crucial for staying the course over the long haul. Leadership is often a long game. It demands mental toughness and the ability to persevere.

Recovery: Finally, recovery is where true growth happens. Leaders need to incorporate self-maintenance and recovery into their routines to sustain their effectiveness and personal well-being. Embracing rest prevents burnout and fosters resilience.

Just as I learned that there is more to running than just running, you will learn that there is more to leading than just being called a leader. With the right approach, you can develop into the kind of leader who not only achieves success but also inspires others to achieve their best.

This excerpt was adapted from Train to Lead: The Unstoppable Leader’s Plan for Peak Performance. Discover more and purchase the book at www.traintoleadbook.com. 

Take good care,

Christian

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