The Himalayas are majestic, serene, and sacrosanct. Seasons change, friends become foes, families disintegrate, and hundreds of generations have passed away, but these mightiest of mountains have remained stubborn, stout, and immortal for years, decades, and centuries. The stories of the courageous mountaineers who inspired the world with their camaraderie, altruism, and spirit of quest resonate with the magnificence of these mountains.
Growing up, the story of the mountaineers Raymond Lambert and Tenzing Norgay made a lasting impression on me. They had traveled together on two expeditions on Everest in 1952. Unfortunately, both times, they were defeated and were forced to turn back less than 300 meters from the peak due to harsh weather conditions. They aborted the mission, and at the end of the expedition, Lambert gave a red scarf to Tenzing, suggesting that perhaps Tenzing could use some time.
The following year, Tenzing successfully climbed Mt. Everest with Sir Edmund Hillary. As a tribute to his friend Raymond, Tenzing had taken that red scarf with him, which he pulled more tightly around his throat as he remembered Lambert at the summit. After returning home, Tenzing sends the scarf back to Lambert as a souvenir of the climb. (Man of Everest, the autobiography of Tenzin)
It took over two decades and a dozen expeditions to conquer Mount Everest. During this period, the dreams of many people aspiring to climb the world’s highest peak could not be achieved but the knowledge and experience gained by each expedition served as the building blocks of success that gradually paved the way for Everest. John Hunt, the leader of the first successful expedition of 1953, pays tribute to the work of the earlier expeditions and shares the glory with the predecessors in his book, The Ascent of Everest.
The above story echoes a combination of many virtues such as camaraderie, altruism, and high endeavors to achieve a vision and ignite the flame of success. Perhaps, the story also carries human values in the realm of rational thought that a sense of fulfillment comes from fulfilling a sense of duty.
Leaders are ethically bound to think of others more than of themselves, and integrity is the guardrail they hold against the propensity to deviate from their ethical standards. In an organizational framework, the existence of a closely knit team with a high degree of selfless cooperation is possible through leadership that is grounded on humility by a genuine sense of duty towards others and such fabric of culture can stay strong with everyday leadership actions that spring from genuine motives.
One critical element that characterizes the effectiveness of a leader is the quality of decisions they make by recognizing the human side of those they lead. Leaders often hold the handrail of knowledge and experience to make decisions. Looking back and analyzing what tools or methods they use in making such decisions and steering their values and beliefs as needed through the process of rational thought, can guide leaders to think more clearly and shape their trajectory of leadership- what they care about, what kind of leader they are going to be and what memories and legacy they will leave behind.
In the long term, business adds value to humanity by serving the needs of people. Organizations help people reach their potential by providing growth and development opportunities while doing business. When humanity is regarded more favorably, society becomes a cozier place for everybody to live. Great leadership is about humanity and fostering an environment where people and businesses can prosper.
It is a beautiful and glorious feeling to be in the Himalaya and see oneself in the reflection of many mirrored tender gazes where the Himalaya stretch out into a hundred ranges as if it crosses its own peaks to meet you. An illuminated moment in the peak is more meaningful even with a brief glow of goodness than an entire journey of gloominess.
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