A relação entre a prática da atividade física e o desempenho de líderes empresariais: o estudo de campo em duas instituições do Sistema S

Abstract

Pieces of evidence suggest leaders influence organizational outcomes consequently, constant changes elevate the demand and preparedness of leaders to achieve results. While Systematic Physical Activity (SPA) supports the development of various human skills, little to none is known about the impact of SPA on leadership performance. This study aims to fulfill this gap by presenting a quantitative and qualitative discussion about the two "Sistema S" institutions in the Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, where the performance of 60 directors across three dimensions assessed by the Great Place to Work (GPTW) from 2018 to 2021, and their engagement in SPA. However, the quantitative analysis did not observe a significant difference in performance regarding the weekly frequency of physical activity recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2020. Out of 59 directors who reported being physically active, 80% performed in all three dimensions, which is labeled as 'excellence level' by the two surveyed institutions. The only manager who reported not practicing physical activity was the one who achieved a result below 80% during the pandemic. It is worth mentioning that only one manager reported not practicing physical activity and was the only one who achieved a result below 80% during the pandemic. The qualitative research, conducted through two focus groups with 6 directors and semi-structured interviews by the HR manager of the two institutions, and the GPTW Director for the state of Rio Grande do Sul, brought significant contributions and connections between SPA practice and leadership performance. No significant impact on leadership performances was observed in terms of physical activity frequency in the initial phase of the research. Additionally, no statistical differences were observed in the GPTW component (credibility, respect, and impartiality), comparing those who practiced physical activity for less than 150 minutes per week to those who practiced more than 150 minutes. However, it is worth noting that the only manager who does not engage in physical activity had the worst result during the pandemic. Based on the results from the first phase, focus groups were organized with leaders to further advance the research, especially concerning the skills that can be developed through systematic physical activity, as well as to identify its impact on productivity and the importance of physical activity for leaders. Following the results from the focus groups highlighted the fundamental nature of systematic physical activity for effective leadership. It was also possible to identify that there is a contribution from systematic physical activity in the daily performance of leaders, as well as to verify a correlation between the skills acquired by athletes and their transfer to leaders, both directly and indirectly.