N4L 108: "Five Seconds at a Time" by Denis Shackel

SUMMARY

Denis Shackel’s book, Five Seconds at a Time: How Leaders Can Make the Impossible Possible, is a hybrid, combining compelling memoir with applied business practices. Borne out of a harrowing mountain-climbing accident on Mount Ruapehu in New Zealand, the book captures leadership principles Shackel has been teaching for decades. Left alone after his brother-in-law, a much stronger and experienced climber fell to his death, Shackel managed to stay alive by breaking the solitude and long hours into five-second intervals. Taking this same approach to business, executives and corporations now use this same measured approach to success by “eating an elephant one bite at a time.”

LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM SHACKEL

“Today, effective leaders need the ability to anticipate and quickly adapt to change. Perhaps most important, in this new, flattened world, standout leaders are no longer found in the corner office alone. Leadership happens throughout the enterprise, from top to bottom; we are all leaders, no matter what our title.”

“Leaders must be exceptional team players. More than ever, they must be able to influence and persuade those over whom they have no power. They need to build, foster and influence a complex web of relationships across all levels—from employees, partners, and suppliers to customers, citizens, and even competitors.”

“The literature on vision sometimes confuses it with mission. Vision is the future desired state. Mission, on the other hand, is the means by which the vision is realized—for example, the reason a person, department, team or organization exists.”

“Next time you are faced with something difficult, step back and pause before you act. Take at least five seconds to reflect on the issue from a broader view. Use this time to look at the whole forest and not just the trees. This will help you gain a clearer perspective before you step forward to face an overwhelming challenge.”

“We need to strive for excellence, not perfection. Excellence tolerates mistakes, perfection doesn’t.”

"Celebrations should be frequent and involve doing something that gives you pure joy and restores your energy, perhaps going to your favourite class at the gym, picking up a new book, taking a rejuvenating nap, or socializing with friends. Your mind and body need the reward of rest and recharging to function optimally." 

“Morale and productivity are much higher when people see the results of their efforts sooner and use the energy produced from those results to move on to the next project.

“Whereas mountain climbers must focus on the rocks, mountain bikers quickly learn that when on a narrow trail, if they look at the loose rocks, they will likely hit them, so they focus on the spaces between the rocks, and that’s where they ride…It is our imagination that creates the reality—our imagined crash facilitates the real one.”

“It is unrealistic to expect to accomplish the impossible alone, which makes developing leadership skills essential since you will need the support and guidance of people who believe in you, believe in your vision and believe in your ability to accomplish the challenge. They must know that when you make a mistake, you will take personal ownership and act to correct it…People want to be led, not managed. The only person we manage is ourselves—that’s self-discipline.” 

BUY Five Seconds At A Time: How Leaders Can Make the Impossible Possible

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