This is a place for displaying some concepts of the Sherpa System.
Please click here for the official Sherpa website.
Achieve Peak Performance
by Becming a Cognitive Athlete
A lot of people look at what I’ve climbed and say “That’s pretty extreme.” But the day-to-day life of a modern executive is just as extreme. From today’s always-on communication culture to the constant avalanche of fires, quests, and an ever-changing business landscape, you have to become a cognitive athlete to succeed.
In the climbing world, we deal with many complex systems. There are systems for anchoring, hauling, safety, and life-support; even your toothbrush is tethered to a line. Climbers master these systems on a climbing wall or other low-stakes environment, so they’re well-prepared when they show up at the bottom of El Capitan.
In the business world, you need similar complex systems for managing your day. But business leaders are often given a computer and email account and left to their own devices. Nobody teaches you how to manage your attention and cognitive energy – not even in business school.
FACTS:
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Mountaineers and business leaders both need complex systems to do their jobs.
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Climbers go through extensive training before tackling their first mountain.
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Business leaders receive no formal training on managing their attention and energy – their most precious resources.
Clients tell me they’re constantly worried about things falling through the cracks. Even when they’re very successful, they often rely on working long hours, coming home late and spending weekends on their laptops, and failing to achieve the work-life balance they want.
Climbers, on the other hand, are using systems that have been honed and perfected since the 1830s, and are designed to cover any eventuality. We cook, anchor our gear and ourselves, and even use the bathroom in a vertical environment. We have life support systems for operating in extreme cold and low oxygen.
If you ask me, both groups are operating in extreme conditions. The difference is that climbers utilize established systems, while business leaders are forced to develop their own.
SOLUTIONS:
Apply one or two
of the Sherpa
Tactics.
Budget your time and attention like you do your department’s resources.
Manage your cognitive energy like an endurance athlete manages their physical energy.
“Climbing is an enterprise where you have to perform at your peak under the worst conditions possible with the smallest margin for error.”
