“There Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”

I was scared, whole body from toes to top of head scared. First, before I started, I was certain that I would fail miserably and lose all credibility and self respect. Then, when I did start, I was sure I was not going to make it and get really sick in front of them. I remember that day over 14 years ago as if it was yesterday. I also remember what a difference a person makes in your life and in the colors of the tapestry of your life.

Several years ago, I had the most exciting consulting engagement possible. I was part of an effort that transformed an industry and impacted millions of people for the better. I was fortunate and honored to be a trusted advisor to executives that made some big things happen. It was in England, a land of two of my grandparents and ancestors, rich with history and wonderful people. My role included facilitating the development and execution of a strategy that had huge commercial impact, even larger societal impact, and requiring focus, resilience and constancy of purpose from the executives and their teams. I did a lot of “barking” about the focus, resilience and constancy of purpose part. I developed a nickname having to do with evangelism and I have no clue as to why.

I became good friends with the Chairman of the organization, a charming, eloquent, elegant, brilliant and visionary man, Mark Baker. Mark enjoyed long walks through the countryside and invited me to one in Wales. Mark, Jeremy Wright (a barrister friend of Mark’s) and I headed out, spent the night at a bed and breakfast and after the lovely full English breakfast, with boots on, drove to the place of our walk. When we stepped out and Mark pointed the way, I stopped breathing. The walk was up and over a mountain in the beautiful Brecon Beacons, Pen Y Fan, a big one. One additional bit of data, I was a smoker who did not exercise at the time.

So, here I am, the coach on sticking to it with courage, facing a chance to become a coward who does not literally “walk the talk.”  The whisper in one ear screaming, “No way” while the other whisper barking, “Don’t you dare give up,” offering no comfort between them. So, off we went with Mark at the lead, who, I learned later, had hiked the Pyrenees. I also learned that a “walk” means something other than a walk in the UK. Ten minutes later, I am gasping for air, and well into the second phase of scared. I felt a tap from Jeremy’s hand on my shoulder and then heard, “See that ledge up there? Let’s get to that one and we’ll stop and take a break.” I gasped, pushed on, and made the ledge.

When we stopped for the break, Jeremy again tapped my shoulder and had me turn around and face out and down from Pen Y Fan, saying “Isn’t this view glorious? It made the extra effort worthwhile, didn’t it?” When I nodded as I absorbed the splendor before me, Jeremy said, “It is even more spectacular from that next ledge up there. Would you like to see it?” And so on and on as I eventually made it across the top and then down to a beautiful meadow.

The life lessons from that day remain fresh and put light on my world.

• We may be coaches and guides to others, but we are not without needs for coaching.
• Nothing can replace a kind act from another, a helping hand, or a courage pill.
• What looks hard and insurmountable when in front of us looks breathtaking and inspiring when looking back upon it.
• Big mountains are conquered with little steps and the effort is fed through renewing rewards all along the way.
• I have to do for others what Jeremy Wright did for me. We all do.
• Tell the stories of what others have done. They feed a special hunger.

I have told this story from time to time, adding facial expressions and minor expletives. The faces of those who have heard it light up, perhaps remembering their own mountain

Who’s up for a walk? It promises some great views …

Mark Baker added his insights yesterday:

Most walkers – and certainly most walk leaders – would say your check list of learning points is lacking the prime one.  And it matters in businesses as well as in walking.  Leaders have a responsibility for their back markers and should be sensitive to vibrations of distress.  I failed in my job that day and it was very fortunate that the third party was a man with a high EQ as well as intelligence.  So I learned two things that day:
– remember your job as a leader means looking back as well as forward and down as well as up
– make sure your team has people with human skills

In fact the biggest lesson of all was an enormous admiration for Jeremy’s human sympathy.  Up until then he had been a good fellow – after that he became somebody to respect and trust.

You are welcome to build some of that in if you like…..

Another wonderful discovery was that Mark introduced me to Highland Park, a wonderful malt, and I introduced him to Springbank, the nectar of the kilted gods.