This past week, an editor from the New York Post contacted me to let me know that she was going to run a story on those training for the New York Marathon with their colleagues or bosses. They were interested in how this dynamic might translate to the workplace. As a runner myself, I was happy to lend them some insight.
The truth is that any group activity that involves a specific goal and employs both leadership and teamwork is a great way to form a deeper bond with those you work with – running especially! This is what I told the Post:
This deeper relationship is common, says executive coach Joelle Jay, author of “The Inner Edge.” “Their walls come down when people have the time and opportunity to connect on a personal level with running or walking or on a long car ride,” she says.
Jay adds that marathoners’ contagious attitudes can even inspire their non-running colleagues to take up the sport — like vice president Melissa Sgaglione and senior account executive Max Puro did at their company.
It’s also important to note that there should be a way to include those who didn’t participate in the run. Those not running can still participate in other ways, such as cheering at the finish line, handing out water or holding up encouraging signs at different mile markers along the way, or even making team shirts. A post-marathon briefing, where the experience and stories can be shared, can bring other coworkers up to speed and help them feel in the loop and part of the team.
You can read the full article from the New York Post here.
Related: 4 Secrets Top Managers Utilize to Revolutionize Their Team
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