Although climbing very high altitudes will always be risky, proper preparation may prevent disasters. Indeed, the 1996 Mount Everest tragedy demonstrated that such a dangerous adventure requires physical and mental endurance, planning, and adequate guidance. Fifteen people died during the 1996 endeavor because of several critical mistakes of the leaders and groups (Roberto & Carioggia, 2003). It appears that the root cause of this disaster was insufficient planning by the group leaders.
Although the team leads were experienced in such expeditions, they did not have time to establish good communication with clients to create a team and not a crowd of people who paid them money. The main reason for this unpreparedness was that the guides had to solve many logistical problems that appeared during the transport of oxygen supplies for the participants to Nepal (Roberto & Carioggia, 2003). The group noticed that their leader looked emotionally exhausted before the trip began (Roberto & Carioggia, 2003). Moreover, since this expedition was commercial, most clients did not have any experience in high altitudes, and they only underwent elementary physical training in the camp (Roberto & Carioggia, 2003). Overall, it seems that the leading cause of the tragedy was the lack of preparation of both the troop and its leaders.
The two main leaders of the group were Scott Fischer and Rob Hall, who have experienced climbers and good leaders, but they made some erroneous decisions during this expedition that led to the catastrophe. Both were charismatic and aspiring individuals who had good reputations. Fisher and Hall showed that they are good leaders by hiring additional consultants, professional climbers, and Sherpas, people living in these mountains, to assist clients on this trip (Roberto & Carioggia, 2003). Furthermore, they conducted a six-week training in a Himalayan camp to ensure that their clients were mentally and physically ready for the expedition and climate. However, the problem arose when Fisher and Hall made four particular mistakes. Firstly, they failed to create a team spirit; thus, everyone felt isolated as if they were climbing alone (Roberto & Carioggia, 2003). Secondly, they did not bring enough radio devices to communicate with each participant personally (Roberto & Carioggia, 2003). Thirdly, Fischer was not in good health, which affected his ability to assist his clients (Roberto & Carioggia, 2003). Lastly, they relied on unconfirmed information and did not send Sherpas to affix the ropes.
Business managers can extract five crucial lessons from the 1996 Mount Everest case. The first lesson is that the leader has to care for oneself because a physically ill and emotionally unstable individual cannot inspire and motivate others. Secondly, managers must always be oriented toward the final goal, but they should never forget about the team’s needs. The third lesson is that it is critical to establish communication between the leader and group members to ensure all collaborate to attain objectives with minimum losses. Fourthly, business managers should not hesitate to hire consultants and experts in particular fields to increase work efficiency. Lastly, leaders need to develop their independent sources of insight to continue guiding the group toward a goal even if external circumstances insist on surrendering. Overall, business managers do not usually engage in such dangerous expeditions, but they can study cases like the 1996s Mount Everest disaster to make the correct conclusions to avoid similar mistakes in their organizations.
Reference
Roberto, M. A., & Carioggia, G. M. (2003). Mount Everest – 1996. Harvard Business School.