4 Tips to Climb the Leadership Mountain
A new book combines leadership lessons with the high-altitude sport of mountain climbing.
In “Reaching Your Next Summit,” author and mountain climber Manley Fienberg shares a series of nine lessons leaders can use to take their projects to new heights.
Feinberg is a former executive with Build-A-Bear Workshop. Since leaving the company, he’s launched a successful career as a motivational speaker, sharing with audiences the story of how helped take the company from 40 stores to more than 400 worldwide.
“Climbing is easier than what most leaders are trying to accomplish in their lives every day,” Feinberg says. “Think I’m crazy? I honestly believe this for several reasons. Number one is that climbing demands a unique clarity of purpose and an outright declaration of focus. So does leadership.”
Here are four ways Feinberg puts forth for generating momentum in the workplace:
1. Declare only one initiative as your “current climb.”
“In the mountains, you must declare a current climb or you will get nowhere,” Feinberg says. “After all, you can only climb one mountain at a time. The same is true for initiatives in the workplace.” Feinberg recommends picking out one major project at a time to tackle.
2. Select your current climb.
This takes some careful thinking. Feinberg suggests finding one task or goal that really excites you and tackling it with commitment. Make a promise to yourself that you’re going to do something every day to move it forward.
3. Build and maintain momentum.
Feinberg suggests constant, daily action is the key to staying motivated. He recommends three strategies: taking action first thing in the morning, making sure you do something to advance your goal every goal and acknowledging that even short bursts of activity will pay off in the end.
4. Visibility drives velocity.
It’s easy to lose track of things that you don’t see, so Feinberg recommends using calendars, sticky notes and project management software to stay on track. A written note on the car dashboard or mirror can work wonders to keep the drive going.
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