Just sitting listening to Jack Fleckney list his recent activities is enough exertion for most people – but his latest challenge is to demonstrate to businesses and individuals how they can benefit from what he’s learned from pushing himself to the limit.
Kayaking at Rushden Lakes may not quite match up to adventurer Jack rowing across the Atlantic Ocean, but it’s just as important in helping clients find within themselves what they need to set and achieve their goals.
An idea for leadership workshops that combine motivational speaking, learning new skills, facing new challenges and making plans for the future led Jack to team up with Canoe2, the canoe and kayak hire specialists based at Rushden Lakes, to formulate a day’s activities.
“I’ve been lucky enough to take on a whole variety of activities and challenges, some I’ve achieved and some I’ve failed, but it doesn’t matter, whatever happens you learn from it and take that forward and do things differently and better the next time,” said Jack.
“I wanted to do a workshop that wasn’t just classroom based, we were looking for something outdoors in a natural environment, and so it made sense to partner with Canoe2 to put together something that took people out of their comfort zone.”
After leaving school at 15 to play professional rugby, Jack passed selection to the Royal Marines at 18 and served for five years. Leaving the Marines, Jack used the money he’d saved to start his own gym business in Wellingborough, opening in four locations in the next five years and building a franchise scheme with 20 members of staff.
His gym business gives Jack the opportunity to focus on charitable causes and he founded the Jack Fleckney Foundation. With the foundation run by a board of trustees, Jack is free to devote his time to the pushing himself to the limit – past challenges have included an attempted 24 hours of chin-ups, completing the 250k Marathon des Sables across the Sahara, Alpine mountaineering and rowing across the Atlantic.
His challenges form the basis of the motivational talk that opens his one-day workshops, looking at what he did well, the times when he could have prepared better and what he learned from his triumphs and his failures. After that, the participants are given a map reading course and then work in teams to put what they have learned into practice in the great outdoors, followed by a Canoe2 kayak challenge.
Over lunch, it’s time for one-to-one feedback and a group discussion about how they performed and what they did well or could have done better. Then the teams are invited to think about their own individual goals and how they can set targets to get them to where they want to be, how they are going to get there and the reasons why they want to do it.
Jack said: “We’re aiming the workshops at businesses that have team leaders, who come along to complete the workshop together, and also sessions that bring together individuals from different companies, or those planning to set up their own business, or maybe someone who has a goal like training for a marathon.
“There’s an outdoor element and it’s designed to challenge, but it’s not hard core. We’re not going for SAS Who Dares Wins levels, it’s suitable for everyone, regardless of their age or fitness, it’s just about getting them out of their comfort zone physically and mentally.
“One of the most important things about achieving your goals is recognising when you are ready. If I don’t complete a challenge, I look at why. Maybe I could have prepared better, or maybe I could have seen that I really wasn’t mentally ready to do it. If you’re not ready, then it’s the wrong time to do something, and that is something that can be carried over into the business world.
“The workshops bring all of my experience from all the things I’ve pushed myself to do, and learned from. At the end, there’s a question and answer session where I’ll answer any questions people have about how your experience translates into helping you be a better leader or set yourself challenging but realistic goals. We also agree a timeline and revisit the goals a few weeks later to see how everything is progressing.”
All Things Business is offering a lucky winner a one-day workshop free of charge for up to 20 people. Email news@allthingsbusiness.co.uk telling us more about your business and why you’d like to work with Jack for a day.
Find out more about the workshops on 07554 664962, email fleckneyjack@gmail.com or visit www.jackfleckney.co.uk
