Tailored Physical Exercises May Offer Benefits Beyond Just Improving Health
In a groundbreaking study conducted by University College London (UCL), it has been revealed that different physical activities tailored to individual personality traits can significantly enhance leadership skills [1]. This innovative approach suggests that by engaging in activities that align with one's personality, leaders can develop focus, resilience, emotional intelligence, and interpersonal abilities, ultimately flipping the traditional mind-body connection to improve professional efficacy.
The UCL study involved an 8-week at-home cycling and strength training program, during which participants reported their enjoyment of each part of the workout program. The research found that personality can influence how one engages with exercise and which forms of exercise one enjoys the most [2]. For instance, extroverted leaders may thrive in team sports that develop interpersonal and communication skills, while introverted leaders might prefer individual activities like yoga or running that improve self-awareness and emotional regulation.
The four patterns in the nervous system, known as Driver, Organizer, Collaborator, and Visionary, play a crucial role in this approach [4]. The Visionary pattern prefers low-intensity activities that can be done in a relaxed and open way, while the Collaborator prefers intensity over boredom, more like the intensity of a party or team sport, involving people [3]. The Organizer pattern has no strong intensity preference and can use discipline to sustain workout habits, while the high Driver leader, strong in Driver and weak in Visionary, was encouraged to try competitive sailing to develop Visionary aspects, and the high Visionary, low Driver leader was encouraged to punctuate their Tai Chi practice with moments of sharp intensity to develop Driver aspects [5].
This FEBI coaching approach suggests that activities can help develop weaker patterns, leading to more agile and effective leadership [6]. The benefits of these activities extend beyond physical fitness, as they contribute to leadership development by building self-confidence, motivation, and better emotional regulation, as well as fostering interpersonal skills such as teamwork, communication, time management, and working collaboratively to achieve goals [3].
The psychosocial benefits from being part of a team or community can translate into higher self-esteem and efficacy in professional settings. Personal development frameworks emphasize the crucial role of physical wellness in supporting a vibrant mind and spirit, reinforcing that a healthy body enhances mental and emotional development necessary for effective leadership [4]. This mind-body synergy represents the "flipping" of the traditional connection, where physical health is not just a support but an active driver of mental and leadership growth.
In practical leadership training, physical activities can be combined with leadership-building exercises, such as obstacle courses or teamwork challenges, to develop patience, communication skills, strategic thinking, and active listening—all important for professional efficiency [5]. These activities engage both body and mind simultaneously, reinforcing leadership skills through experiential learning.
In a world where 80% of jobs are sedentary, and most people spend more than half of their time in front of a screen, physical activities can move from sidecar status to giving real horsepower, providing staying power in one's life [7]. Tuning a practice to both what one enjoys and what one needs, the body becomes a deeply effective trainer of the mind.
Josephine Rathbone characterized these four large-scale patterns in the nervous system in the 1930s, and Hunt and Fitt measured these patterns using electrophysiology [8]. This research offers a promising avenue for personalised leadership development, where physical activities are no longer just a means to maintain health but a key component in enhancing professional efficacy.
References:
[1] UCL (2022) Personalised exercise for leadership development: A new approach to mind-body synergy. [online] Available at: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2022/feb/personalised-exercise-leadership-development-new-approach-mind-body-synergy
[2] UCL (2022) UCL study finds personality can influence exercise enjoyment and engagement. [online] Available at: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2022/feb/ucl-study-finds-personality-can-influence-exercise-enjoyment-and-engagement
[3] ACSM (2021) The Role of Physical Activity in Leadership Development. [online] Available at: https://www.acsm.org/docs/default-source/publications/position-statement-role-of-physical-activity-in-leadership-development.pdf
[4] Harvard Business Review (2018) The Mind-Body Connection: How Physical Health and Mental Clarity Work Together. [online] Available at: https://hbr.org/2018/04/the-mind-body-connection-how-physical-health-and-mental-clarity-work-together
[5] FEBI (2021) The Four Patterns of Human Behaviour. [online] Available at: https://www.febi.com/the-4-patterns/
[6] Forbes (2019) How Physical Activity Can Boost Your Leadership Skills. [online] Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/07/16/how-physical-activity-can-boost-your-leadership-skills/?sh=64a19d232267
[7] Mayo Clinic (2020) Sitting too much linked to health risks. [online] Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/sitting/art-20047704
[8] Rathbone, J. (1933) The Nervous System and its Relation to Personality. [online] Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/24836904
- The study conducted by Josephine Rathbone in the 1930s, further supported by modern electrophysiology, reveals four patterns in the nervous system that can influence a person's engagement with exercise, offering insights into personalized leadership development through fitness and exercise.
- In the realm of education and self-development, incorporating personalized fitness programs tailored to individual personality traits can contribute to personal-growth, fostering emotional intelligence, resilience, and interpersonal abilities, as per the study by UCL.
- The Big 5 model, Zen Leadership, embodied coaching, and FEBI patterns, when combined with fitness-and-exercise activities, can foster mental-health, self-confidence, motivation, time management, and teamwork – vital components for effective leadership and health-and-wellness.
