What Mountain Guiding Taught Me About Leadership

Before boardrooms, I spent years guiding in the Alps and on five continents.

In the mountains, the plan matters. But conditions change. Weather moves faster than forecasts. The route you chose at the bottom looks different halfway up.

The best guides aren't the ones who stick to the plan. They're the ones who read the environment, make a call, and keep the team moving safely.

Leadership is the same. Adaptability isn't a backup option for when the strategy fails. It's built into the strategy from the start.

The leaders I most respect aren't thrown by uncertainty. They expect it. And they've done the work to build teams that can respond well when it arrives.