Walk-In and Opening:

Participants walk-in to a conference room transformed into Mt. Everest Basecamp, high up on the Tibetan Plateau.

Decision One:
Vision, Values, Ethics and Strategy on the Mountain:

Participants go on a multimedia journey which takes them from Katmandu through Nepal to Tibet. Along the way participants discuss their objectives for climbing the mountain and then go and stand under one of four large posters:

1. Ensure people reach the summit
2. Bring people back alive
3. Climb in an environmentally responsible manner
4. Take a new route

Then, each of the four newly formed groups will have the opportunity to defend their objective for the expedition and to convince other groups to cross the floor and join them. The decision is then debriefed by the facilitator and links are made to the workplace.

Building trust, balancing multiple perspectives, respecting other points of view;

Decision Two:
Choosing the Summit Team and How Everest is Climbed:

How will individual roles and responsibilities align and contribute to the achievement of the overall objectives of the expedition? The challenge at this point in the expedition is to choose the summit team that has the best chance of success. It cannot be known with certainty in advance who will work well together or how people are going to acclimatize and perform at high altitude. Yet there are many tools that can help us maximize our personal contribution and aid us in the smooth functioning of the team.

Participants begin with a short self assessment based on the DISC, Smart Skills, Myers Briggs or similar profiling tools. Each participant receives a handout that includes six climber profiles along with their climbing experience. Next, six participants are chosen to represent the climbers and their names are input into the computer. Each table group is challenged to choose the two climbers best suited for the task of reaching the summit. The results are input into the computer, which then provides feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of each summit team combination.

Finally, with the summit team chosen the group discusses ways of celebrating personal excellence rather than simply focusing attention on the high profile roles. To illustrate this, the story of Jane Fearing, the expedition cook is told . It is a story of creativity and commitment and how her contribution changed the outcome of the expedition.

Differences provide strength, everyone is vital to the success of a team, building on complementary skills, outcomes are not always fair

Decision Three: First Epic Attempt at the Summit

The first summit team makes an unsuccessful bid to reach the summit. The two climbers struggle down in the dark after 23 hours of continuous of climbing. They reach Camp Six. That night a storm comes in pinning them down in their tent, cutting off all communication and closing the entire mountain down. Their food runs out, as does their propane. They must come down in the raging storm or perish in their tents. Participants get immersed in this true story which culminates in a situation where one climber must decide to cut, or not to cut the rope connecting him with his climbing partner in order to save himself. There are two posters displayed on the walls:

1. Cut the Rope
2. Don’t Cut the Rope

Participants rise and stand under their choice. The ensuing conversation is about trust, courage, choice, fear and motivation. Unlike the first decision the group does not often argue with each other. They are more inquiring and respectful of each other’s points of view. The group realizes that they are concerned for the others well being no matter where they stand.Finally, the actual outcome of the harrowing story is told and participants discover how watching out for each other can have a powerful impact on a team.

Courage, trust, sacrifice, fear, choice, motivation and commitment;

Decision Four: No More Up!

A rousing soundtrack accompanies breathtaking scenes as the summit team progresses up the mountain to within 500 feet of the summit. Actual walkie-talkie transmissions from the mountain as well as video of dramatic weather on the mountain are played to help participants to make this decision. Also, they find out about the psychological and physical well being of the summit climbers as well as what other expeditions have done at this point under similar conditions. Each member of a group has some information that is needed to make this decision. In their table groups they share this information and come to a decision on the best course of action:

1. Continue on to the Summit
2. Bivouac and spend the night where they are
3. Go down to Camp Six and hope there is another opportunity to reach the summit.

Following the decision, participants watch and listen to the outcome of their choice. Symphonic music, combined with photographs of two climbers dwarfed by the vast landscape, takes the audience above the clouds and onto the top of the world.

Risk, decision-making, exhilaration, achieving goals and objectives;

Finale: Coming Down the Mountain.

Celebrate! No accomplishment stands for all time, No resting on your laurels, the next mountain, how your experience benefits those around you, discussion and debrief.

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