A dynamic new vision of leadership and performance that incorporates the principles of Executive Coaching, Movement, Nutrition and Fitness training.

Leadership 101 Revisited

When I began my career, leadership development was really about knowledge; learning stuff in a classroom and then trying to apply it. Then along came Daniel Goleman with "Emotional Intelligence" and self-awareness, emotional connection and feelings came to the fore. That was 1995.

20+ years later it is time to acknowledge the role of the body. Yep - that inconvenient thing that drags around your brain. The belief that your body is somehow separate from your mind (dualism) has a long tradition in Western philosophy most famously being championed by Rene Descartes.

It is this belief that we challenge in our new book: "Fit to Lead". Knowledge is important. "Emotional Intelligence" is important. Your physical state is every bit as important.

Neuroscience is on our side. Everyday, more research comes out showing the impact that your body has on everything that you think, do and feel.

At one level, it is just basic, common sense; if you are physically healthy, then you are set up to perform better. However, even at that level, people often miss the link. For example, when you live a sedentary life and eat junk food, you are not just impacting your waistline, you are impacting your whole body and that includes your brain!

What is becoming increasingly clear is that movement and nutrition do not merely slow down decay, they can also improve cognitive abilities and develop important qualities such as resilience. Yep. That's right. Your body can make you smarter and help you to develop as a leader.

http://consciouslifenews.com/new-finding-different-types-exercise-affect-different-parts-brain/11121031/#

In "Fit to Lead" we focus in on two particular types of movement: "Dynamic Energetics™" and High Intensity Interval Training. These movements offer you the possibility to develop capacities such as: certainty, tenacity lightness, excitement and calm.

When you exercise you are building new neural pathways that are not only useful in physical health:

“Exercise affords the body an opportunity to practise responding to stress, streamlining the communication between the systems involved in the stress response. The less active we become, the more challenged we are in dealing with stress.” Dr J. Kip Matthews

So, do you need to be an athlete to be a leader? No you don't, but if you are willing to incorporate your physical state into your development plan, alongside your mental and emotional states, you will notice impacts that go far beyond the physical.

At Sarius Performance we use "The 5 Pillars Of Performance" methodology to recognise the equal importance of these 3 elements. In order to sustain any development or growth, then practice and support are also critical.

Our new book, "Fit to Lead" examines all 5 of these pillars, beginning with the 4 challenging questions of personal development and the impact of 'mood' upon performance. In the second section, we examine the role of the body and nutrition before developing a new leadership model in the final section. The leadership model focuses on Purpose, Energy, Resilience and Movement. Throughout the book we stress the importance of including the Physical State Pillar in your pursuit of peak performance and powerful leadership.

Fit to Lead is available online at fittoleadbook.com and Amazon (physical and e-book) as well as on-shelf in Singapore, Malaysia and Blackwell's bookstore in Oxford, England!

Marcus & Sari Marsden: Co-founders of Sarius Performance International and co-authors of "Fit To Lead"

Marcus is a PCC certified Coach and Leadership Development and personal development specialist with more than 25 years of experience.

Sari is a PCC certified Coach, NASM certified Personal Trainer, elite trainer with Nike+ Training Club and a Championship winning Fitness Physique Competitor for Team Singapore.