Leaders Put On Their Walking Shoes
”For me, walking has proved
to be a great way to promote
a healthy lifestyle, while
facilitating my
communications skills and
leadership efforts.“
Louis Sullivan, HHS Secretary
89-93
How To Integrate Walking Into Work
• Recognize when you are not productive
sitting and take a five minute walk around
your office, stretch
• Incorporate 30 minute walk at lunch
• Meet for walks, not coffee or lunch or drinks
• Walking meetings with your team
• Don’t think of walking as “exercise” think of
it as time to think about challenge of work
• Walking commute to work, if possible or
park far away or get off bus a stop early
It’s Your Turn Now!
• Find a walking buddy
• Line up
• We are going to walk for 15 minutes in a
line
• Discuss: What did you learn from today?
What will you apply?
More about walking at work:
http://www.bethkanter.org/category/walking/
Let me tell you a personal story about why I’m so excited about the power of data to inspire change, leading to better outcomes.
Six months, I went into my doctor for my annual check up and got some test results back …
My Tryglycerides were
If you know these numbers .. You know that less than 150 is the healthy range to avoid heart disease …
I have cut out non-productive work time where I sit at my desk and can’t concentrate! I have incorporated mini-breaks to walk in the middle of the day help me think and digest when I am writing or thinking through a problem for a client. Also, if I’m on calls I do them while walking around. I have gotten good at taking notes while I walk. I’ve also replaced networking requests for “coffee” for “walking meetings.” It isn’t about making the time or thinking about physical activity or movement as a separate exercise time, but something that is integrated into your life – including work time. –
The benefits of walking to “clear your brain” or build relationships is not a new leadership technique. As Louis Sullivan, HHS Secretary in 1989-93 and famous for walking meetings, notes in an HBR blog post ”For me, walking has proved to be a great way to promote a healthy lifestyle, while facilitating my communications skills and leadership efforts.“ -
I have cut out non-productive work time where I sit at my desk and can’t concentrate! I have incorporated mini-breaks to walk in the middle of the day help me think and digest when I am writing or thinking through a problem for a client. Also, if I’m on calls I do them while walking around. I have gotten good at taking notes while I walk. I’ve also replaced networking requests for “coffee” for “walking meetings.” It isn’t about making the time or thinking about physical activity or movement as a separate exercise time, but something that is integrated into your life – including work time. –
I have cut out non-productive work time where I sit at my desk and can’t concentrate! I have incorporated mini-breaks to walk in the middle of the day help me think and digest when I am writing or thinking through a problem for a client. Also, if I’m on calls I do them while walking around. I have gotten good at taking notes while I walk. I’ve also replaced networking requests for “coffee” for “walking meetings.” It isn’t about making the time or thinking about physical activity or movement as a separate exercise time, but something that is integrated into your life – including work time. –