70, 75, 80, 85

Today I managed the kind of cross-training session that I managed at my fittest last year. It came after an experience today that made me think about what kind of man I want to be, and what kind of man I want to my kids to aspire to be, or know.

Part of running, as with any kind of physical activity, is an essential kind of machismo. A sense of testing yourself, and your limits. What I love about running, though, is that the person you test is yourself.

When I was young, I thought that any manager or leader had to be better than the person he or she was leading. As I grew older, I read that the leaders of professional organisations needed to use the skills of people better than them. Therefore, for a leader to be better than those he or she leads does not mean that he or she is more skilful. The one definitive thing is that a leader has to work harder than those he or she leads.

If a leader isn't perceived as working harder than those being led, then (in my eyes) they aren't leading well. That isn't to say that a leader needs to be working 80 hour weeks every week (although that might not be far off what is necessary at times) but it does mean that effort and endeavour are non-negotiable bench marks required by those who deserve to be led.