Ten innovation lessons from Mount Everest

10INNOVATION Lessonsfrom Mount Everest

1. Urgency Pick the right momentIn 1952 the British heard that in 1954 the French had been given permission toattempt Everest. They just had to be first un 1953. The expedition could not fail again.

2. Initiative Take action Hillary read in a newspaper that theBritish were taking an expedition to thesouth side of Mount Everest. He wrote a letter to expedition leader suggesting members of a New Zealand climbingexpedition could make a contribution to the team.

3. Luck Luck will be on your sideWith so many possible setbacks you also need some luck. As New Zealander Hillary was lucky to be classified as a British subject and was therefore invited by the British.

4. Passion Do what you dream As a youngster, Hillary was a greatdreamer. He read many adventure booksand walked many miles with his head in the clouds.

5. Choices Make clear choices The British Himalayan Committee replaced the 1951expedition leader Eric Shipton by Colonel John Hunt, a climber. After eight failed attempts on Everest they needed someone to get them on the top in 1953, before the French had their chance.

6. Overcome Setbacks Shit happens: continue Along the way there are always major setbacks. After the reconnaissance expedition of 1951, when they found a new route up Everest, the British heard thatthe Swiss had obtained permission for two attempts onEverest the following year. The only thing they could do was wait and see if the Swiss would succeed.

7. Test Test-Test-Test-Test-Test……. On the reconnaissance expedition of 1951 team members tested oxygen equipment and did researchon high-altitude physiology. The results of both studies were important deciding on the right approach for Everest in 1953.

8. Teamwork Make sacrifices for each otherHillary wrote: “John Hunt and D Namgyal’s lift to the depot on the South-East Ridge; George Low, AlfGregory and Ang Nyima with their superb support atCamp IX; and the pioneer effort by Charles Evans and Tom Bourdillon to the South Summit. Their contribution had enabled us to make such good progress”.

9. Competition A little internal competition boosts resultsWho would be the top teams? Expedition leader Hunt proposed that Evans and Bourdillon should use the closed circuit oxygen equipment to reach the SouthSummit and Norgay and Hillary would push to the top with the open-circuit oxygen. Hillary describes the terms first – and second assault team as completely misleading.

10. Courage Continue your quest At 7.800 metres Hillary wrote in his diary “Even wearing all my down clothing I found the icy breathfrom outside penetrating through my bones. A terrible sense of fear and loneliness dominated my thoughts. What is the sense of this all? I asked myself”

Inspired by famous explorers like Hillary andTenzing, I developed an innovation map to jump - start innovation projects.

Download the innovation map forth-innovation.com Gijs van WulfenFounder FORTH innovation method The Netherlands gijs@forth-innovation.com +31651483575

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Ten innovation lessons from Mount Everest

by Gijs van Wulfen on Sep 08, 2012

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