Climbing Mountains

(note: this is from an entry I've been drafting for some time).

I took my boys out sledding (er... I mean removing my garbage can lid since I didn't have a sled or dish or toboggan). There is this big hill near our house with some fun jumps. Of course we weren't alone. Massive amounts of kids, parents, and animals running every which way. Watching my boys go down that hill and then seeing the perilous climb back up - dodging other kids who had no control on their trashcan lids - got me thinking about mountains that we climb in the business world. Many of the financial goals we face may seem overwhelming but so did Everest, at first, and look how many people have conquered that feat. So what does it take to climb a mountain? Funny you should ask. Here are my thoughts...

1. No one can climb alone - Everyone remembers Sir Edmund Hillary as the first to climb Everest but very few remember the Sherpa who got him there. It was Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay. Successfully climbing a mountain takes a team. Each team member contributes in some special way. A leader counts on every member of the team to contribute, in your own special way, to get us to the top of these two mountains.

2. Timing is important - You have to know when to climb and when to regroup. You can't get to the top by sheer will alone. To get to the top, you must understand, and work with, the ebbs and flows of the mountain, the weather, and other elements. Take what the mountain gives you and take advantage when the moment is right. When the moment is upon you, the next item is critical.

3. Preparation and Knowledge are key - To get to the top of our mountain, you must have 1) a plan and 2) understanding of how to get there. Success depends on how well we execute our plan and understand our solutions.

4. If the unexpected happens, don't panic - Many people have been injured (or worse) due to panic and not staying with the team. Things will come up you don't expect. A deal won't close that you expected to close. A project will come off the rails. Stuff happens. The key to staying on on track is to continue to rely on each other and stay focused on the goal - satisfying your customers.

5. Sometimes it pays to take the road less traveled - the translation here is that there is more than one way to get to the top. Obviously, many people use the same path but that doesn't mean that is the best path for you. This is a critical component of achieving breakthrough goals - creativity. Leaders count on their team's creativity and resourcefulness to find new paths and better methods to get everyone to the top.