Theories surrounding the workings of the human brain are based on a belief that the brain's basic operation hasn't evolved much from the time of our early ancestors who were much more concerned with the very real excitement of basic survival than such mundane pursuits as corporate success.
These theories are supported by extensive research using enormously complex devices that can measure the smallest chemical reactions within the brain.
From that understanding of how the brain works, and considerable personal experience, Eric Haseltine has developed interpretations of these primal responses and in Long Fuse, Big Bang: Achieving Long-Term Success Through Daily Victories, he presents a slate of techniques which will help the modern executive, leader, or even salesman understand and effectively utilize these inborn tendencies.
The human brain seems to be wired to conserve energy, respond quickly to perceived threats, and seize current certainties over the future possibilities.
By understanding these deeply ingrained tendencies, one can achieve greater success when working with other people.
Haseltine uses numerous stories, many from his own experience in the U.
S.
intelligence community, Disney, and other places to illustrate his points.
The long fuse refers to taking a long-term look at what can be and setting a series of actions in motion that will produce a big bang in the long run.
His examples show how the technique of using small, incremental steps over time produces a big result.
Unfortunately, as Haseltine himself points out, a short fuse, small bang approach tends to be much more common as governments and companies are hesitant, or even unable, to take the longer view rather than the quick, need it now approach.
As Haseltine points out, the business world, often focused on the next quarter's profits at the expense of a long term strategy, makes this short fuse mistake.
A notable exception is Apple and their long-fuse approach to new technology starting with the IPhone and, years later, leading to the IPad.
There's much to be learned in Long Fuse, Big Bang, and many of the author's lessons unfortunately resonated with me as I recognized past situations where a long term approach would have been much more successful.
One of the most important points he makes is that the approach to leaders is critically important as one must overcome that leader's natural tendency to look at the short term.
I found one other thing very interesting about the book.
To comprehend this point the reader should read the author's biography and pay attention to the positions he's held.
Haseltine holds a PhD in Physiological Psychology and has held high level positions in both the Department of Defense, the intelligence community and at corporate giants as Disney and Hughes Aircraft.
Yet, with such impressive credentials, he is quite free to illustrate his points with examples of his own lessons learned from violating these principles.
Anyone who, like the author, has been a senior leader and is willing to freely admit to mistakes and present the resultant lessons learned is certainly worth reading.