Last week, I wrote about why treks in the mountains creates unity of purpose and how it could do us well to replicated that in the corporate world. Volatility in the landscape, Uncertainty of the weather, Complexity of the team’s health and Ambiguity of the terrain brings to fore a unique VUCA situation in the mountains, triggering a different leadership reaction, a perfect setting for “situational” leadership to manifest itself in its truest form! It is awesome to see how different members of a team evolve and assume leadership positions at different points in time. What factors determine this phenomenon? There are several – I am picking what I think are the top three in terms of its unique distinction.
Non-hierarchical
I often organise treks for a group of my regular trekking friends. I choose the location, degree of difficulty, logistics and guide the team through the decision-making process. Once base is reached, the baton passes on to our chief guide who then is best placed to take over the team leadership. I recall a situation in one of our treks in the Garhwal region, when I came down with fever and was temporarily incapacitated. That provided a situation for my colleague to take over leadership reins and instruct the guide to change course that eventually saw us through safely. It is amazing to see how different people slip into leadership roles as the situation demands. Even better is the fact that no previous leader exhibits any ego to take orders from a person previously subordinate. This is true leadership by situation. What is also unique is the confidence that each one has on the other, regardless of background, economic status, mountain experience. It is tacit acceptance of a decision taken by the leader at that moment. Equally true that if a differing point of view is aired the leader listens and takes a call based on facts and the circumstances in hand. Once decided, everybody follows and importantly, takes ownership of the consequences.
Thinking on one’s feet
In the mountains, change is a constant. Unlike our corporate “Monday morning meetings” where budget versus actuals hang like a Damocles sword, budget of time and consequences change by the day, sometime by the hour. What the team plans in the morning before setting off could change by 2 PM the same day. I have had some fascinating experiences. On one such trek in 2016, after a two-day climb to about 2500 meters, we were confronted with a massive landslide that made forward progress impossible. Our immediate go-to person was the local Sherpa who knew places in the wilderness that were amenable to set up camp. We camped for two days after which we all decided to return and move to a different valley altogether. We had not even completed a quarter of the original itinerary when plans had to change. The man on that day to lead us was the simple Sherpa!
Empathy
1996 was the worst ever Everest climbing season. New Zealander Robert (Rob) Hall, who led a team of his clients on to the summit of Everest had just completed his fifth summit success. On his way back, one his clients, Doug Hensen, stone’s throw from the summit, was desperate to achieve his first summit achievement. An immensely experienced climber like Hall, against his better judgement, helped Hensen achieve that feat. In hindsite – not a good decision. Both lost their lives on the way back.
Empathy in the mountains is omni present and in all directions. Empathy with each other, the flora, fauna, and nature herself. No one person’s goal is an individual goal. It is all for one and one for all. In a sense there is no choice. the survival of life in the mountains is on the bedrock of empathy. If anything, mankind is the least empathetic of all. We fell forests for personal gain mercilessly, break into mountainsides to build roads (that cave in any way!), dam flowing water to cease the natural flow of perennial rivers – but that is a discussion for a different time!
If all corporate leaders were mountaineers!!
