I’ve lost count of the number of breakfast buffets I’ve stared at somewhere between Heathrow and Hong Kong, knowing full well that my choices in that moment would decide whether my morning meeting sparkled or sagged. Leadership, like travel, is a test of judgement – not just about which airline to fly.
In my three decades of roaming the world’s runways and boardrooms, one truth has become as apparent as a delayed departure board: your ability to lead is powered less by PowerPoint and more by the contents of your plate, pillow, and water bottle. Call it FSN Food, Sleep, Nutrition, a decidedly unsexy acronym that quietly separates the leaders who flourish from the ones who merely survive.
Food: Fuel, Not Filler
Stamina and leadership are intertwined
A quick confession: I used to think leadership fuel came as an airport muffin and a double espresso. It doesn’t. If you want to think quickly, argue clearly, and keep your shirt buttons from popping on the red-eye to Singapore, build your plate like you’d create a fresh, balanced, deliberate strategy.
Colour from vegetables, protein from fish or chicken, nuts for crunch, fruit for sparkle. Heavy carbs? They’re the business-class equivalent of turbulence: guaranteed to slow you down. And yes, I’m fond of a pint as much as the next traveller, but moderation saves embarrassment and waistlines.
Sleep: The Quiet Superpower
“Sleep is for the weak,” some bright spark once told me. He now naps through his own board meetings. Seven or eight hours, blackout curtains, phone in another room – these aren’t indulgences, they’re tactics. Long-haul regulars know the value of a controlled nap in a hotel room at 3 p.m. It’s not laziness; it’s recharging the battery that makes you good at your job.
Nutrition: The Fine Tuning
Even the best leaders splutter without hydration. A slight lack of water can turn your pitch from crisp to croaky. Omega-3s, leafy greens, fresh fruit: they’re not lifestyle hashtags but brain oil. Caffeine and alcohol promise a lift, but like dodgy low-cost carriers, they leave you stranded later. Treat supplements as you’d a trusted deputy: helpful when you’re away, but not a replacement for the real thing.
Making wise choices – taking charge
The FSN Dividend
Sceptical? So was I. Yet I’ve repeatedly watched leaders who live this way handle pressure better, travel harder and still look fresh in the photos. As one globe-trotting CEO told me over a lukewarm coffee in Copenhagen, “The best productivity hack I know isn’t an app it’s FSN.” He’s right. Teams mirror the energy of the person at the helm; if you’re fuelled, rested and hydrated, they will be too.
A Final Boarding Call
FSN isn’t a fad; it’s respect for your body, time, and team. Pack it alongside your passport. Eat for endurance, sleep for strategy, hydrate for clarity. The next time you see a serene executive gliding through airport security, don’t assume luck or luxury. They’re simply practising FSN and arriving ready to lead.
By Andrew Wood
BIO:
A Yorkshireman by birth and a Bangkokian by choice, Andrew J Wood has been exploring Southeast Asia’s hospitality and culinary landscapes since 1991. A seasoned travel writer, raconteur, and hotel reviewer, Andrew combines old-school courtesy with a dry wit that’s unmistakably English. His love of gracious service and good manners, traits he believes the world could use more, shines through every word he writes. From the gleaming hotel lobbies of Bangkok to the bustling markets of Hanoi, he finds joy in the details: a warm smile, a well-brewed cup of tea, or a perfectly folded napkin. For Andrew, travel isn’t just about movement; it’s about meaning, memory, and the gentle art of slowing down. In his book, the perfect Sunday is unhurried, well-fed, and always finished with something sweet.
