Maybe nothing. But in selecting my workout this morning on an elliptical trainer, I was presented with the following options: Manual, Interval, Rolling, Fat Burn, Random, Heart Rate, and Constant Watts. So I started thinking, as is my want during mindless workouts, what does the choice of workout mean about me and my leadership style?
If I choose manual, does it mean I am a command and control leader?
If I choose Interval, Rolling or Constant Watts, does it mean I want to know what’s coming—no surprises? Does that make me a good manager? A Six Sigma expert? More interested in the process than the outcome?
If I decide on Fat Burn or Heart Rate, does that make me more goal oriented? Am I a leader who will establish objectives and metrics, and then work hard to achieve them?
And what about random? Does it mean that I prefer the chaos of not knowing what’s coming next? Am I creative leader remaining open to the ideas of others and making order out of chaos?
All are predictable except Random, which is, well, random.
For the record, I chose Random.
It an interesting perspective looking at the workout control panel on a exercising machine. From this point on, I’ll never look at control panel the same without thinking, what does this mean if I choose this button or that button today. Working out is hard enough, now it just got a little more interesting. Thanks for the insight.