Leaders, Take your Meetings on the Road

Week 5

Week 5 Mileage: 32

Long Run Distance:  14

 

When you are training for a marathon, you spend a lot of time with the people you are training with.  Thirty-two miles for us this week equaled about three to three and half hours together on the road.

You would think we would run (no pun intended) out of things to talk about.

But we don’t.

Whether it is talking about the weather (when on earth is this heat going to let up??), talking about sports (college football kicked off last week in case you missed it), politics and culture (Colin Kaepernick not standing up for the national anthem led to a lively discussion) or talking about funny things kids did or said, I find running generates discussion that leads to problem solving and ideas generation. 

Other the last week of runs, I can think of a least three good ideas that arose from our conversations. We also talked our way through solving a variety of problems for each other, or at least providing varying perspectives on them that could lead to better problem resolution.

As a leader, problem solving and idea generation is critical to innovating and therefore surviving in business.  Most of this comes through cultivating an environment and mindset that allows for fluid thought to take place. And research shows that simply moving helps generate a natural flow of thinking and conversation that leads to creativity. 

So the next time you need to have a meeting don’t get everyone around the conference table.   Get outdoors, on the road or trail and start walking or running and talking.

 

Like this post? You may also want to check out:

Guide to Walking Meetings

7 Powerful Reasons to Take Your Next Meeting for a Walk

Harvard Business Review: How to do Walking Meetings Right