ServiceNow CFO Gina Mastantuono Rejects the Grind Culture Mentality

Mastantuono draws a direct parallel between corporate management and elite athletics, where recovery is treated as a core component of performance rather than an afterthought. Speaking at a recent Fortune event in Santa Barbara, she emphasized that high-level output requires intentional downtime. By prioritizing personal health, she has found herself more capable of remaining calm under pressure and listening effectively, creating a trickle-down effect that benefits her entire organization.

This perspective is shared by other industry leaders, including Deloitte’s Alicia Hatch and Olympic champion Janet Evans. They note that the discipline required in sports serves as a rehearsal for the C-suite, where executives must frequently make high-stakes decisions with incomplete data. With 94% of female C-suite executives having participated in sports during their youth, the correlation between athletic training and professional resilience remains clear. For these leaders, the shift away from the glorification of exhaustion is not just a personal wellness choice, but a strategic move to foster better decision-making and long-term team performance.