10 INNOVATION Lessons from Mount
Everest

1. Urgency Pick the right
moment In 1952 the British heard that in 1954 the French had been given permission to attempt 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 the British were taking an expedition to the south side of Mount Everest. He wrote a letter to expedition leader suggesting members of a New Zealand climbing expedition could make a contribution to the team.

3. Luck Luck will be
on your side With 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 great dreamer. He read many adventure books and walked many miles with his head in the clouds.

5. Choices Make clear choices
The British Himalayan Committee replaced the 1951 expedition 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 that the Swiss had obtained permission for two attempts on Everest 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 research on 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 other Hillary wrote: “John Hunt and D Namgyal’s lift to the depot on the South-East Ridge; George Low, Alf Gregory and Ang Nyima with their superb support at Camp 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 results Who would be the top teams? Expedition leader Hunt proposed that Evans and Bourdillon should use the closed circuit oxygen equipment to reach the South Summit 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 breath from 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 and Tenzing, I developed an innovation map to jump - start innovation projects.

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