I worked for a commander who prioritized PT and appearance for a very simple reason: It was easiest for him. He was not smart and he knew it.

Evaluating decision-making, technical skills, team-building and other critical aspects of leadership is hard. It takes work and actual analysis. Counting pushups and picking the starchiest fatigues or shiniest boots is easy.

It is comforting to know those leaders usually hit their ceiling, typically at the O4 level, when the need for actual thinking trumps the fascination with shiny things and buff bodies.

Then again, there are other fields for such individuals to advance. We’ve all worked for or seen the boss fixated on “always wearing a sharp suit” or the like. I wear a uniform and it always looks sharp; but I’ve found that leaders for whom that’s their main focus almost always lack needed critical basic leadership skills that are much more important than looks.