Chase the Marginal Gains

Olympian and sports scientist Professor Greg Whyte OBE says the most important factor in achieving great performance is human health – and we can improve human health by making small adjustments to how we live and work. A clear plan with a focus on marginal gains will produce huge benefits.

Addressing the National Highways Commercial Vehicle Safety on the Strategic Road Network conference in March, Greg explained that this is absolutely applicable to the fleet industry.

“Formula One used to focus entirely on the car. Then a performance physiologist worked with the drivers and suddenly, a great pilot won in a mediocre car. The health of the driver is fundamental to the success of the vehicle – not the other way around,” he says.

Yet many of us live and work with suboptimal health. “Eight million people have chronic lower back pain, which not only affects their performance at work but can prevent them from turning up to work.”

Breaking it down

Improving health for an individual, let alone across an organisation, can seem “impossible, too big, too complex, too many factors,” says Greg. “But this is how we make the impossible possible.”

Fleet operators should break down their improvement plans into small manageable steps – and the more often one takes that step, the greater an impact it will have. “This is how we see marginal gains,” he says.

“Physical actions drive positive lifestyle changes. People who are more active eat better, drink less alcohol, and smoke less. The more we move the better.”

Ideally, we would walk briskly or do some other moderate intensity exercise for 30 minutes each day with strengthening exercises twice a week.

Marginal gains matter because the difference between Gold and Silver at the Olympics is 0.1 of a second. Minute improvements can be the difference between fame and obscurity – or between becoming fitter each day or less fit.

Standing up burns one calorie, and engages all the core muscles. Rocking from foot to foot while filling a vehicle with petrol burns 3.5 calories a minute, and engages more muscles, improving circulation. These are examples of marginal gains, which when repeated each day, can change the body’s trajectory over time from slouch to sleek.

The #DrivingChange Challenge

Fleet change can seem too large a project but it can be broken down into many small, sustained steps, each of which bring marginal gains.

Just as making one small step on each part of your list over time can transform health and fitness, - and taking small, sustained steps towards a safer fleet can #DriveChange.

Here’s Greg’s top tips:

1. Don’t be deterred. At the beginning, Greg says, challenges always seem overwhelmingly hard. Motivation is key – to start and to keep improving. Regularly remind people of their goals – not just where they are headed, but why.

2. Education is important. “People do not make behavioural changes without education,” says Greg. Fleets can access numerous educational resources at Driving for Better Business, including toolbox talks and videos across a wide range of subjects.

3. Believe in yourself and your team. Greg says: “Belief drives commitment. If we believe we can achieve something, we will.”

4. Don’t be swayed by the idea it’s impossible. Greg cites the many celebrities he has coached through challenges to raise £60m for Comic Relief, such as David Walliams swimming the Channel and Eddie Izzard completing 43 marathons in 51 days. “Eddie had never run before,” says Greg. “In fact, the very first step was to buy him trainers because he didn’t even own running shoes.” Eddie had just three weeks to prepare for his first marathon – and in his final marathon he achieved his fastest-ever time.

5. Respect the challenge. “Nothing comes easy. We must always respect a challenge, but we conquer it one step at a time,” he says.

“By educating and supporting drivers, we can enhance their health, improve their productivity and make them safer on the road.”

How to achieve better fitness

• Make a plan

• Create a list including:

• Physical activity

• Mindfulness and meditation

• Optimised sleep and recreation. Avoid electronics before bed, sleep somewhere cool quiet and dark

• Limit caffeine – it takes 30 minutes to affect the body and lasts for 60 minutes. Too much caffeine can cause serious toxicity.

• Have fun and socialise

• Improve your diet. Sugar is particularly problematic.