Road to Recovery

Coaching an elite athlete is all about having the athlete at their peak in the finals.

Too early or too late and they fail.

But what is the one thing every elite athlete does following a high-profile competition? – they choose to recover.

Pushing yourself to your limits on an ongoing basis will only leave you exhausted and potentially lead to burnout. Work hard, but also take the time to recharge.

Following an Olympic competition or the finals of a football competition the athletes choose to recover.

Recover takes 2 forms

1. Firstly, the athlete needs to repair their physical body. Allow the body to regain its strength, repair what is damaged and prepare for the next round of competition.
   
2. Secondly, and equally important, the athlete needs to recover psychologically. Rest their mind and realign their wellbeing so mentally they are prepared for the next round of competition.

For most athletes this takes the shape of eating their favourite food, going on a holiday, spending time with family, having a sleep in, and refraining from physical training.

Being a great leader is no different to being a high performing athlete.

Leaders also need coaching, so they are at their peak when the business needs it the most.

They also need to make sure they do not push themselves to the limit or fast track burnout.

Many athletes have not made the conscious decision to recover and have burnt out, only to try a comeback and fail.

Returning from burnout is one of the hardest things to perform, whether that be an elite athlete or an amazing leader.

Ensuring you manage your workload and understanding your internal triggers prior to burnout is key.

Great leaders know when to step up and perform, and they also know when to step back and recover, letting their people take the reins and lead the team on the journey towards success.

Recovery is a conscious decision made by the leader to ensure they maximise their long term contribution, build their own leadership skills, and ensure they offer opportunity to their people allowing them to grow.

Being a great leader or an elite athlete is a choice, not a privilege or an entitlement.

RdL coaches leaders at all levels (C Suite to new leaders) from multi nationals to smaller start up operations.

Please contact us to arrange a time to discuss your coaching needs.