Question

What worked against the individuals involved in the Everest event "High-Stakes Decision Making: The Lessons of Mount Everest in terms of group behavior?

Answer 1

The Everest tragedy in which 5 people lost their lives in a powerful storm does provide a few noteworthy things in terms of group behaviour and provides a few tips about effective leadership.

1. It is important for leaders to make the critical decisions and the onus of the final decision rests on them. But these decisions should not be taken individually but with the help of well trusted confidantes and taking the whole team into confidence. If this process is followed the degree of guilt as ws in the case of everest would not have occurred.as the decison regarding the turn around time was made primarily by the leaders of the group

2. There is a delicate chord between over and under confidence which needs to be balanced. Under-confident people can be apprehensive which may lead to costly delays. on the other hand with over confidence leaders may not much heed to others views, not look out for information contrary to their views and try to avoid any bad news. This can lead to detrimental effects.

3. Ideas should be contoniusly evaluated and challenged by team members as alternatives emerge and finally once outcomes are arrived at they shoud be ensured that everyone is aligned to support the implemetation. Any dissent within the group should be eliminated by providing a good rationale for the final decision.

4. It is equally important to not follow a course of action since ample resources and time have altready been spent in pusuing so. It is important to emerge of these sunk cost traps by being vigialnt , rasing tough questions so that flawed decisions do not arise.