The 5 Gears

Be present, connect more effectively, all while being as productive as possible

5 Gears: How to Be Present and Productive When There Is Never Enough Time teaches you to shift into the right gear at the right time so that you can grow in your relational intelligence and increase your influence. This revolutionary text introduces you to the five different gears, or mindsets, that carry you through various facets of your day. These include:

• First gear—when you fully rest and recharge
• Second gear—when you connect with family or friends without the involvement of work
• Third gear—when you are socializing
• Fourth gear—when you are working and multi-tasking
• Fifth gear—when you are fully focused and 'in the zone,' working without interruption

Using these gears consistently allows you to bring a new level of relational intelligence to your life that offers a competitive advantage in our task-driven world.

All too often people go through life without truly connecting—and can, as a result, miss out on experiences and relationships that have the power to bring them great joy. By understanding how the five gears presented in this engaging book work, you can improve your ability to connect with the world around you.

• Explore why some people stay disconnected from the people and events around them, and why others always seem to have a deep connection to their friends, family, and surroundings
• Learn how to set triggers and markers that help you shift into the right gears at the right time, which will increase your relational dynamics and make you more productive
• Create positive change in the dynamics of your relationships
• Improve your respect and influence—and learn a sign language that, when used, can change your perspective and your world.

5 Gears: How to Be Present and Productive When There Is Never Enough Time is the perfect resource for anyone who wants to live and lead connected.

Introduction 1

Section One Connectivity 9

Chapter 1 Driving Too Fast 11

Chapter 2 Reality Check 23

Section Two 5 Gears for Practical Connection 33

Chapter 3 Getting in Gear 35

Chapter 4 5th Gear—In the Zone 51

Chapter 5 4th Gear—Leading in a Task World 69

Chapter 6 3rd Gear—Why Being Social Matters 83

Chapter 7 2nd Gear—Connecting Deeply 97

Chapter 8 1st Gear—Learning to Recharge 113

Chapter 9 Reverse—Being Responsive in a Resistant World 131

Chapter 10 Ranking Your Gear Order 143

Section Three Living and Leading Connected 155

Chapter 11 Master Your Settings—Right Time, Right Place 157

Chapter 12 Shifting Well—Learning How to Transition 169

Chapter 13 Intentional versus Accidental 183

Chapter 14 Making the U-Turn—Challenge and Plan 193

Chapter 15 What Is Your Story? 205

Transformational Leadership Resources 223

About GiANT Worldwide 225

Acknowledgments 227

Index 229

JEREMIE KUBICEK is co-founder of GiANT Worldwide and the GiANT companies. He is a bestselling author of Making Your Leadership Come Alive and speaker to organizations throughout the world on transformational leadership, emotional intelligence, and personal growth. He currently resides in Oklahoma City with his wife and three children.

STEVE COCKRAM is co-founder of GiANT Worldwide and a recognized expert on personality development, applied leadership learning and culture change with executive teams and organizations around the world. Steve is a soughtafter speaker and teacher on apprenticeship, personality development and team building. He resides in London with his wife and three children.

People around the world struggle with work/life balance. It is difficult to be productive and manage the relational dynamics of staying connected with others, while consistently recharging personally. 5 Gears came to light as Jeremie Kubicek and Steve Cockram applied what they learned through their own experiences and their work with leaders from around the globe. It is a powerful concept that has the ability to radically change the way you live and lead.

While many people focus on adding a new time management method to their lives, Kubicek and Cockram have gone to the source of conflict and created a common language that, if implemented, will decrease drama and insecurity and instill a secure confidence that people everywhere need.

The leaders of GiANT Worldwide, Kubicek and Cockram share stories of successful transformation and leadership skill that will help you master the art of being present with those you lead. The 5 Gears are highly transferrable and are designed to be sticky and memorable. You will inevitably experience these results as you add your own story of what being in the right gear at the right time does to your influence and respect.

Praise for 5 Gears

"5 Gears will profoundly change the way you see yourself and your interaction with others in every area of your life. How many books do that?"
—PATRICK LENCIONI, President, The Table Group; author, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team and The Advantage

"One of the most important skills a leader must have is the capacity to observe oneself and self-regulate. Looking at your gears is looking at yourself. A very valuable exercise."
—DR. HENRY CLOUD, speaker, psychologist, and bestselling author of Necessary Endings, Integrity, Boundaries and other books

"5 Gears is a simple, but very effective analogy. I have seen firsthand how leaders disconnect by being in the wrong gear at the wrong time. And, I realize now how much more effective I could have been had I not been so stuck in 4th and 5th gears. If you want to increase your influence and connect more effectively, read this book."
—PATTYE MOORE, Board Chair, Red Robin Gourmet Burgers; author, Confessions from the Corner Office

"5 Gears is a practical system to take your emotional intelligence to a whole new level. If you want to become a more powerful connector and improve your relationships, this is a must read!"
—JON GORDON, bestselling author of The Energy Bus

"I wish I had been given the gift of the 5 Gears approach to relationships before I became a husband, a dad, and a business leader. This is an outstanding framework that leads to stronger relationships."
—CHRIS HERSCHEND, President, Ride the Ducks; Vice Chair, Herschend Enterprises