Note to readers: Fit to Lead is a series of interviews with business leaders on their approach to fitness, leadership and navigating the new normal.
Chandramohan Mehra had never run a marathon when his wife “randomly” signed him up for the New York City Marathon in 2012 because she was running it. “Through a lottery system, I got through the entry by chance. I had never thought of pursuing a full Marathon race,” he recalls. 
That was a turning point for Mehra, 47, who has now run all but one of the six World Marathon Majors. “The thrill of getting a chance to run in New York City got me initiated. The Marathon bug bit me… I got sort of addicted to it.”
Mehra, who grew up in rural Maharashtra before making his way to Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani and then breaking into the advertising world where he spent years working in agencies. Over the years he has become a man dedicated to the process, both at work and in his running. Mehra, who has an MBA degree from Insead, enjoys the process of co-creating and problem-solving with his team. “As much as I enjoy running marathon races, I enjoy the process of training for them,” says the senior president and chief marketing officer of insurance company Bajaj Allianz Life, who works through the week in Pune and spends the weekends with family in Mumbai. He finds the process goal-oriented when you’re your competition.
Your health and fitness routine…
Primarily, it is running supplemented with strength and flexibility workouts, averaging two hours a day. Five days a week, I run in the morning while strength training, yoga and pilates are saved for the evenings and on non-running days. On Mondays, I usually avoid any form of workout.
Favourite fitness activity…
Long-distance running is meditative and rejuvenating. It allows me to clear my thoughts, dream a bit, and plan ahead.
The toughest?
Running downhill makes me very nervous.
The new normal for you…
At work, I prefer to maximise the offline interactions and meetings with teams and partners. That’s something I missed during the fatiguing video-call days. I take micro breaks for tea or coffee or to chat with colleagues. It is so much faster and easier to solve problems this way. Now that things have opened up, I am trying to participate in as many offline races as I can. I just got back from the Reykjavik Marathon (Islandsbanki, Iceland).
Mehra running the recent Reykjavik Marathon in Iceland (Photo courtesy Chandramohan Mehra)
How has your fitness routine helped you navigate uncertainties of the current times?
I added yoga to my routine during the pandemic and that kept me calm and composed.
The one change you would encourage your teammates to make to deal with the challenges of current times.
All of us are provided with an axe, allotted the same amount of time and a task, say, chopping trees. Balancing time between sharpening the axe and chopping the trees will make the task faster and easier than merely trying to chop all the time. Sharpening the axe translates to pursuing activities that lead to being physically and mentally fit. Learning new skills and exploring new passions can help cross the finish line efficiently.
Leadership lessons in your fitness journey…
Contrary to the perception of running being an individual-centric sport, it is a team sport that relies on collaboration of multiple players, including running peers, coach and other support teammates including physio, nutritionist, etc. Even Eliud Kipchoge, the fastest marathoner ever, could not have broken the 2-hour barrier without the support of his running mates, data scientists, coach, etc. Running alone may help one run faster for a short distance, but one needs to run together to go far.
Mehra has run marathons all over the world.
What impact does your image of a 'fit leader' have on your team?
When I started running, I was inspired by a few business leaders who were pursuing long-distance running despite their hectic work and travel engagements. Hope I can do my bit to break the psychological barrier of time constraints and get as many initiated, to follow a consistent fitness regime or other passions that eventually impact work-related productivity and holistic well-being.
Has being fit helped you become a better leader and a better version of yourself?
It keeps me energised, organised and improves resilience. Equally, it allows me to focus on maximising every unit of time.
Your leadership style…
I enjoy the process of co-creating, and co-solving problems and challenges through ideation with the team. Every team mate has a unique strength and brings a diverse perspective. I encourage speaking, giving feedback and suggestions for everything we do. Discipline towards processes, agility of execution and accountability for results are non-negotiable.
What about work-life balance?
Both feed into each other. An exciting solution or a winning moment at work has a positive impact on the next running session and vice-versa.
Goals for the year…
To run the Tokyo Marathon and complete the last race of the World Marathon Majors circuit. Get closer to 3:15 finish time or the full marathon and improve my personal best time of 3:33. At work, there are two exciting programmes under way in the areas of advanced digitalisation and customer experience.
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