Hitting the Ice.
This week, I laced up my skates and played hockey for the first time in about seven years. It was a pick-up game for players 55 and older, serving as a practice run before joining a regular weekly group next week. Heading into the rink, I had three main worries: Do I need new equipment? Just how rusty are my skills (and let's be honest, I'm starting with a very low bar)? And finally, could my body actually handle this kind of exertion?
Last time I played regularly my biggest fear was my lack of conditioning. This time around, however, I actually felt confident in that aspect. For the past two-plus years, I’ve consistently walked 5–10 kilometres every day. Recently, I also joined a gym and added strength and conditioning to my routine. I'm certainly not an elite athlete, but I'm in the best shape I’ve been in decades.
Why the fitness push? The reasons have evolved. Initially, it was about dropping weight to address health concerns. Later, having more free time after stepping away from full-time work turned exercise into a daily staple. But today, the core driver is much simpler: maintaining my mobility into old age. My son recently joked, though mostly seriously, that he hopes I'll always be able to go for walks as I get older, knowing how foundational walking is to every aspect of my well-being and my mood.
I’ve watched my parents struggle with mobility in their late 80s. Both worked physically demanding jobs and were always active, but maintaining mobility as a preparation for old age wasn't on their radar at my age. It’s certainly on my mind. And because I naturally look for parallels between daily life and leadership, this experience got me thinking: how do the core components of physical mobility apply to leadership growth?
When we enjoy repeated success as leaders, we often drift into complacency. Our confidence grows, and we stop searching for ways to develop, effectively losing our leadership mobility. We can perform at a high level for today, but we grow ill-equipped for an unknown future.
Looking back at my own career, I can recall countless times when past successes created a comfortable routine. Early on, I spent years living and working in student residences. I became adept at managing conflict and crisis in that environment. Yet, year after year, I relied on old playbooks. Without realizing it, I regressed. Complacency was actively eroding the skills I had and blinding me to the reality of a changing environment. Students evolved over those 14 years, but my leadership practice didn't keep pace. I shifted from leading to lagging. Fortunately, I was flexible and surrounded by a strong support network, which masked my lack of leadership mobility at that moment. I certainly wasn't preparing for future challenges.
When I transitioned into more senior academic roles, I intentionally shifted my mindset from meeting present needs to anticipating future demands. I realized true high-performance leadership requires sustained mobility; you cannot rely forever on yesterday's skills while driving change only as a reaction to failure.
Here are the key lessons I've learned about sustaining leadership mobility:
Range of Motion: Leading in only one way leaves you vulnerable to the future. You need functional flexibility, not just in practical tasks, but in your leadership style. Lean into the skills you usually avoid due to lack of experience, interest, or ability. I never enjoyed detailed administrative work, but I learned not to shy away from it when leading others. While I’ll never master it, engaging with those tasks expanded my overall leadership range of motion.
Atrophy: Success breeds complacency. We assume that because we excelled at a skill yesterday, we will effortlessly deploy it tomorrow. Just because I used to skate backwards with ease doesn't mean I can still do it today (spoiler: I learned this week that I can't!). When leadership skills aren't regularly exercised, they fade. Great leaders continually sharpen their foundations rather than assuming those muscles will take care of themselves. If interpersonal communication is your foundation, are you actively building new relationships, challenging your team, and finding fresh ways to express ideas?
Awareness: During this week's hockey game, I ended up playing right wing, far from my comfort zone as a left defenceman. I spent most of the game disoriented, trying to figure out where I was and where everyone else was heading. If I played regularly, that lack of awareness wouldn't have been a liability. In leadership, awareness dulls when our networks shrink, work becomes predictable, and we avoid challenges. Great leaders actively broaden their contextual awareness: What are the real barriers preventing your team's success? When a senior executive once told me everyone says they were "doing fine," I suggested asking a different questions, such as: "What can I do to make your job better?"
Freezing: On the ice this week, I received a great pass, wide open for a shot on goal. What did I do? I froze and promptly lost my balance and fell. When we lose our agility, we become indecisive and unbalanced, trapped inside a bubble of our own making. When the outside world inevitably bursts that bubble, we scramble. Leaders must remain decisive, cultivating the mental balance needed to navigate high-stakes, unpredictable moments.
Elasticity and Connectivity: While physical mobility naturally declines with age, leadership mobility doesn't have to. Throughout your career, you can continually expand your leadership capacity. Over time, I grew into a more open, flexible, and connected leader, learning how to foster psychological safety and cultural awareness across my teams. I worked at developing my skills in making connections with people, with ideas, and experiences.
Ultimately, maintaining leadership mobility comes down to three things: First, lead daily. Keep your core skills sharp while strengthening your weak spots and uncovering new skills. Second, lead for future motion rather than from a prevention mindset; expanding your core capabilities prepares you for new challenges. Finally, seek guidance. Just as I rely on doctors, family, and networks for physical health improvement, leadership is never a solo sport. Build strong connections, ask questions, and embrace different perspectives.
Working on your mobility pays dividends today, but more importantly, it builds the longevity needed to make a lasting difference.
