The article argues that executive readiness should be assessed like athletic readiness, considering physical, cognitive and emotional capacity, recovery and sleep—not just skills and experience. Leaders’ demands also shift during acquisitions and restructurings.
A 2025 meta-analysis in Sleep Medicine Reviews examined 79 publications on sleep loss and found impairments in working memory, inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility. The article identifies heart-rate variability, resting heart rate and sleep trends, alongside aerobic fitness, blood pressure, metabolic and mood measures, as possible readiness signals. It says these indicators should be considered in the context of a leader’s broader baseline.
The article says demands can differ between a stable quarter and periods involving a capital raise, product launch or weeks of international travel. It recommends aligning training, energy and recovery with those periods and building shorter recovery opportunities into days and weeks, framing readiness as an ongoing practice rather than a one-time assessment.
