Mountain Top Experiences

We had great guests this weekend  – Kerri and Carrie.  Kerri and I worked together while I was in Raleigh.  We share not only a passion for wildlife, but for the outdoors in general.  I had told her about Grayson Highlands State Park near Whitetop, Virginia and suggested a day hike to that area when she came up to visit.  

Although it was cool when we left Bullhead, the forecast promised sunshine and temperatures into the 60s.  Yet, when we parked near the trailhead at Massey Gap, the clouds suggested the possibility of cold rain.  The wind was especially threatening.  I slipped on a fleece pullover before leaving the car.  We walked past a sign that I have read many times and like most folks, chose to ignore.

The wind intensified with every step upward.  We passed a small herd of “wild” ponies and after a ½ mile climb we intersected the Appalachian Trail.  The wind was unsettling and the temperature dropped at least 10 degrees.  I made a mental note to throw a toboggan in the car – my ears were beginning to ache from the wind.  We followed the AT from the Grayson Highlands State Park into the Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area.

My son, John, with a pony on a previous summer hike

We picked our way up a rocky section of the AT through a stand of spruce and fir to a blue blazed, side trail.  We took that worn path toward a rocky knob that I knew would offer a nice view of the surrounding mountains.  The wind continued to build in both sustained velocity and force.

A winter hike to Grayson Highlands - 2013

We topped out on the knob.  Clouds enveloped the mountain rising beyond us.  Kerri and Carrie were rocked by the wind.  They braced for a quick photo.  We had a short discussion about moving on up before deciding to turn back.  As we scrambled back down the trail, each step down brought us more securely into the lee side of the mountain and to progressively warmer temperatures.  We met hikers on their way up; many with small children and others wearing shorts and light jackets.  I found myself wanting to warn them of the changes ahead, but reasoned they would ignore a warning that seemed illogical at their position on the trail. 

Kerri and Carrie

I thought later of how that climb provided a metaphor for those in positions of leadership.  We are often warned of the challenges (or is it perils?) of the climb ahead but rationalize that, “It can’t be that bad.”  We may have exactly the right tools for the trail, but not have them in hand (I have a drawer filled with winter head gear.  Of course, they were of no benefit until they were actually on my head) or the ability to use them.  And even though each step upward reveals a changing environment, we tend to dismiss the change and the need to adapt by clinging to those things that served us well in the past.

In the book, The 4 Disciplines of Execution, the writers describe the “whirlwind of daily activities” that overwhelm our ability to focus on the things that matter most to the organization.  While standing on those rocks, I could only think about how the wind was causing my ears to hurt and how numb my fingers had become.   The clouds concealing the mountain ahead were disconcerting and obscured the trail.  I was uncomfortable for many reasons and I desperately wanted the discomfort to end.  Turning back seemed like the only rational choice.

So, how do leaders deal with the wind whirling around the mountain top?  Below a couple of suggestions.

1)   Make sure you have the right equipment or training before you begin the journey.  Both are essential.  But, we often worry too much about having the absolute best gear.  A cheap knit toboggan could have kept me on the mountain.  Our knowledge, skills and abilities don’t have to be perfect to meet the needs of the journey.

2)   Define what success will be like.  I had a predetermined spot that I envisioned us reaching for the hike.  Success was linked to that spot.  We still had an enjoyable hike even though we stopped well short of my intended destination.  Sometimes success must be redefined along the way.

3)   Having the right people around us helps us deal with the wind.  There is always a need for a strong coworker/friend that can anchor you when the gusts kick up or who can provide shelter from the wind.  Leaning slightly on each other allowed Kerri and Carrie to stand against the wind.

4)   Realize that the perspective of those at the bottom of the mountain may be very different from your's at the top.  While I fully embrace that leaders should solicit the opinions and perspectives of those throughout the organization, the fact is until one stands on the mountain, often just trying to keep from being swept away, those opinions are nothing more than a theories.

Finally, we should never let the fear of failing drive us beyond our capabilities.  I believe that few people reach their full potential because they pull up short when things get tough.  However, sometimes the most difficult observations to embrace are those where we find ourselves in over our heads and that the best thing for us is to turn back (for a deadly example of how this can play out, read Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air).  A leader's most difficult dilemma is to discern when to lower our head and plow forward, and when to take a step back, regroup and begin the journey refreshed.