ServiceNow CFO Says Working 14-Hour Days Sets a Bad Example

Working punishing hours and skimping on sleep may look like dedication in the executive suite, but it sends the wrong signal to employees, according to ServiceNow president and CFO Gina Mastantuono. Speaking at a Fortune event in Santa Barbara, California, earlier this month, she argued that finance chiefs should take cues from elite athletes, who build recovery into their routines rather than simply pushing harder.

Recovery is part of the work

Mastantuono, who helps lead the Fortune 500 software company with a market capitalization of $157 billion, said the long-held belief that more hours equal more commitment is outdated. She called the 14-hour-day, four-hours-of-sleep model a “terrible example” for the people leaders manage, since staff may read it as an unspoken expectation. Recovery, she said, is part of performing well, and that balance applies from entry-level roles to the C-suite.

She has championed fitness as a way to support both personal health and effective leadership. Making time to recharge, she said, has helped her become a more attentive listener, stay calm under pressure and strike a healthier balance between work and home. Her team benefits from that steadier approach, too.

What sports teach leaders

The panel also featured Olympic champion Janet Evans and Alicia Hatch, Deloitte’s U.S. sports chief commercial officer and women’s sports leader. Hatch noted that executives often make consequential decisions without all the facts while many people watch, much as athletes do. She cited a statistic that 94% of female C-suite executives played sports growing up, describing sport as a training ground for performing amid changing circumstances.

Evans added that athletes learn to stay committed to a goal without locking into a single path to reach it. That adaptability, together with a willingness to take risks and push through setbacks, prepares them for ambitious leadership roles.

The panelists’ shared message was clear: sustainable high performance depends on rest as much as effort.