The Business Athlete
Out running early this morning, (training for The Jurassic Coast Challenge in March), it suddenly struck me how good I felt! Freezing cold, exhausted, hungry and muddy! Yet ready, with an active mind and full of enthusiasm for the day ahead.
We all know that good things happen to us physiologically when we exercise, good things also happen when we feel good about ourselves. Almost 20 years ago I came across an American organisation who talked about ‘the whole person concept’. The idea was that in order for people, in this case sales people, to perform at their peak most of them needed to have their whole person in balance. The thinking has moved on a bit since then, but I’m not sure the actions have.
How many employers really consider the whole person that they employ or do they just focus on the 9 to 5 bit?
I know I work best when I feel fit, alert, well fed and watered. But it goes beyond that, I also work best when I spend some time with my family and friends, when I have no money worries, when I am doing some voluntary work and supporting charitable causes; and when I am achieving personal goals away from work.
As an employer would you consider the influence of these things on your employees and how would you deal with that?
As an employee would it make a difference to your motivation and performance to have these things considered?
Because to me, employing Business Athletes, sounds like the way to go!
