a hbr on mount everest (1)

A Journey to Mount EverestPresented by-Vaibhav Agarwal (06)Harshit Anjaria (07)Ayyappa Tejomurthula (08)Schuyler D’Souza (09)Neeti Bedekar (10)

Facts about Mount Everest

• 8850 Feet above sea level• Temperatures below sub-zero• Adverse climatic conditions• Attempts to reach summits• Expeditions• Commercialization

Expeditions and team formation

• Company Name: Adventure Consultants

• Rob Hall – a joint venture

• Past Failures.. Learn from it

• Recruited Guides… Relevant experience and freshers

• Sherpas in form of Consultants.

• Clients

Expeditions and team formation (contd…)

• Company Name: Mountain Madness

• Scott Fischer – the founder, a deterministic individual

• Hierarchical structure formed

• Not experience but attitude matters - Fischer

And the Journey begins

• Problems galore at Start Logistic Issues No plan B Health related issues Overall readiness Question over ability Trust factor Group but invidualistic feeling

Stage 1From Base Camp to Camp 2

• Issues for Kruse• Issues for Hansen• Goran(adventure climber) returning back

unsuccessfully

Team Members

Adventure Consultants• Rob Hall• Mike Groom• Andy Harris• Dr Beck Weathers• Doug Hansen• Frank Fischbeck• Lou Kasischke• Dr John Taske• Yasuko Namba• Jon Krakauer• Dr. Stuart Hutchison• Ang Dorje

Mountain Madness• Scott Fischer• Anatoli Boukreev• Neal Beidleman• Sandy Pittman• Charlotte Fox• Tim Madsen• Pete Schoening• Klev Schoening• Lene Gammelgaard• Martin Adams• Dr Dale Kruse• Lopsang Jangbu

Stage 2From Camp 2 to Camp 4

• Harris hit by a boulder• Kasischke and Fischbeck struggling• IMAX Team returning back unsuccessfully • Manual work of melting ice to get water• Hall’s take on the altitude levels

Team Members



Stage 3From Camp 4 to the Summit

• Leaders at the rear end• Distribution of oxygen canisters• Issues with the ropes • Utilization of reserve oxygen canisters• Fischer’s health problems• Dr Weather’s health issues

Arrival at the Summit

• 1:00pm Krakauer, Harris and Boukreev• 1:25pm Beidleman and Adams• 2:30pm Hall and a group of others• 3:45pm Fischer• 4:15pm Hansen

Team Members



Descent from the Summit

• Low self confidence shown by Beidleman• Change in weather conditions at South

Summit• Critical error by Harris regarding the

availability of oxygen canisters• Boukreev arrived at Camp 4 first• Hall staying back with Hansen• Final result of the expedition

Team Members



Case Analysis

Journey to Base Camp• Fischer faces a series of logistical problems-

fischer could have delegated this to his team guides(work delegation)

• No feeling of reliance among members Ohio state studies-initiating structure and

consideration Both hall and fischer were low on consideration

The Leadership grid

Concern for results

ConcernFor people

1 2 3 98

1

2

9

8

Hall & Fischer6

6

7

74 5

3

(1,1)

(9,9)(1,9)

(9,1)

9,9 –team manager

Need for Opportunistic management

Case Analysis (Contd)

Acclimatization• Concerns over self-potentialQuestions clients self – efficacy and motivation • Hansen’s health concernsSummit Bid• Hall’s style of leadership• Team only for name’s sake • Ambiguity about when to turn back

Case Analysis

Summit Day • Biedelman didn’t speak up when he should

have – questions the need for balance of power and decision making in times of crisis

• Communication among team members is important

Take Aways

Implications for leadersProvides a framework for preventing failures in

many organisations Need for balancing confidence, dissent,

commitment within a team Need for leaders to have clarity when there is

ambiguity Effect on group’s perceptions and beliefs based

on leader’s words or actions

THANK YOU

a hbr on mount everest (1)

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