Participants are encouraged to create plans
for entrepreneurial ventures and development projects for
Bhutan, and awards for the best plans are presented at
the trek’s final dinner and celebration.
Among the projects proposed on past treks are
the introduction of solar power for the spinning of prayer
wheels along the trail, investment in the development of
athletic facilities for a primary school,
and establishment of a residence hall at a secondary school.
TREK READINGS
Books and articles on leadership, teamwork,
trekking, mountaineering, Himalayan lore, and Nepalese culture
are usefully read as preparation for the trek. Everybody should
independently purchase and read Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air:
A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster.
(Villard/Random House, 1997).
The trek reader includes the following
articles and book excerpts:
Jamie
McGuinness, Trekking in the Everest Region. Surrey,
U.K.: Trailblazer Publications, 1998 (3rd Edition),
pp. 146-177.
Edwin Bernbaum,
Sacred Mountains of the World. Berkeley, Ca.: University
of California Press, 1998, Introduction (pp. xiii-xxii) and
Chapter 1, “The Himalayas: Abode of the Sacred” (pp. 2-23).
Infoplease.com,
The World’s 14 Highest Mountain Peaks.
MntEverest.net,
Quotes on Everest.
National Outdoor
Leadership School, Leadership Education Toolbox. Lander,
Wyoming: National Outdoor Leadership School, 2000, pp. 30-32
and 40-42.
Maurice Herzog,
Annapurna: First Conquest of an 8000-meter Peak. New
York: Dutton, 1997. Foreword; Ch. 1 “Preparations”; Ch.12, “The
Assault”; Ch. 13, “The Third of June”; Ch. 14, “The Crevasse”;
Ch. 15, “The Avalanche”; Ch. 17, “The Woods of Lete”; Ch. 20,
“There Are Other Annapurnas.”
Arlene Blum,
Annapurna: A Woman’s Place. San Francisco: Sierra Club
Books, 1998 (20th anniversary edition), Chapter 7,
“The Mountain Gods,” pp. 96-108.
David Roberts,
“Rewriting Annapurna?” Climbing Magazine, December 15,
1997 – February 1, 1998, pp. 72-78.
Edwin Bernbaum,
The Way to Shambala: The Search for the Mythical Kingdom
Beyond the Himalayas. Garden City, N.Y.: Anchor
Press/Doubleday, 1980, Ch. 1, “Behind the Ranges”; Ch. 3, “The
Hidden Valleys”; Ch. 5, “The Wheel of Time.”
Excerpts from
Buddhist Scriptures, Edward Conze, translator. New York:
Viking Press, 1959 reprint.
Sherry B.
Ortner, Life and Death on Mt. Everest: Sherpas and Himalayan
Mountaineering. Princeton: Princeton University Press,
1999. Chapter 3, “Sherpas”
Christoph von
Furer-Haimendorff, The Sherpas of Nepal: Buddhist Highlanders.
Berkeley: University of California Press, 1964, pp. 281-283.
Edwin Bernbaum,
compiler, Mountain Passages.
Thomas F.
Hornbein, Everest, The West Ridge. New York: Mountaineers
Books, 1998, excerpts.
Trip Gabriel,
“Scaling Corporate Heights Without Going Over a Cliff,” New
York Times, June 1, 1997, p. F 10.
Bowen McCoy,
“The Parable of the Sadhu,” Harvard Business Review,
September-October, 1983, pp. 103-108.
Excerpts from
The Song of God: The Bhagavad Gita. Swami
Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood, translators. New York:
New American Library, 1987.
Excerpts from
The Way of Life According to Lao Tzu, Witter Bynner,
translator. New York: Berkeley Publishing Group, 1986 reprint.
Merck and River
Blindness.
We recommend reading John Gardner’s On
Leadership (Free Press, 1993) and Mike Useem’s The
Leadership Moment: Nine True Stories of Triumph and Disaster and
Their Lessons for Us All (Random House, 1998) as general
foundations for thinking about leadership. We also recommend,
time permitting, the full books by Arlene Blum, Maurice Herzog,
and Thomas Hornbein cited above.
Photographs of Bhutan and information on a feature film on
Bhutan due in U.S. theaters in early 2005 can be found at
http://www.travellersandmagicians.com.
TREK ITINERARY AND
SEMINARS
Himal jane bela ayo!
Nepalese: It’s time to go to the Himalayas.
Tanda ngantso kangrila dro goyö.
Tibetan: Now we must go to the glacial snow mountains (the
Himalayas).
APRIL 25, 26: TRAVEL TO BANGKOK OR CALCUTTA
Depart your home city for Bangkok or Calcutta.
APRIL 27: PARO (7,480 feet)
Today depart on the Druk Air flight from Bangkok or Calcutta to
Paro, Bhutan. If the weather is clear, we’ll see Kanchenjunga
(the third highest mountain in the world), Mt. Everest (the
highest), and Chomolhari, Bhutan's most sacred mountain. We
drive to the Paro Druk Hotel, set amidst the pines above
the fertile Paro Valley. Stay at Paro Druk Hotel (or similar).
Discussion:
Workshop on Leading Teams and Himalayan Trekking.
Self-introductions, the purpose of the trek, personal reasons
for joining the trek, and building a trekking team. Future
prizes are announced for participants who can name all of the
world’s fourteen 8,000-meter peaks and who know the names of all
of our guides by dinner at Tso Phu.
APRIL 28: PARO
Our first stop is the impressive Ta Dzong,
the ancient watchtower above Paro Dzong that now houses the
National Museum. The museum has an interesting assortment of
costumes from different regions of Bhutan, along with a
wonderful collection of painted and appliquéd thangkas. After
visiting the museum, a short walk takes us to the base of the
dzong, or fortress monastery, and across a traditional
cantilevered, covered bridge. We then pass Ugyen Pelri - a small
jewel-like palace that belongs to the Royal Family of Bhutan.
After lunch, we make a pilgrimage to one of the most important
religious sites in the Himalaya, Taktsang Lhakhang, the “Tiger’s
Nest.” This magical monastery clings to a vertical granite cliff
3,000 feet above the valley floor. The legend of Taktsang dates
back to 747 AD when Guru Rinpoche (Padma Sambhava), a
semi-mythical figure credited with introducing Buddhism into
Tibet and the Himalayas, is said to have flown to this site on
the back of a tiger and subdued the evil spirits of the region.
We hike from a roadhead up the mountain for a view of the temple
from a small chorten or Buddhist monument directly across from
it. Stay at Paro Druk Hotel (or similar).
Tiger's Nest
Lunch seminar and evening discussion:
The Buddhist Path to Awakening
A
survey of the nature and history of Buddhism as a basis for
approaching Eastern conceptions of action and leadership.
Readings: Ed
Bernbaum, The Way to Shambhala, Chapter 5, “The Wheel of
Time,” and selections from Buddhist Scriptures
Exercise: We become
acquainted with basic techniques of relaxation and meditation
and explore their possible applications and benefits for those
in stressful leadership positions. We also examine their
relevance for doing business in Asian cultures, such as Japan,
China, and India.
APRIL
29: SHANA (9,482 feet)
We drive
the winding road northwest up the Pa Chu to Drukyel, the ruined
Dzong which once defended this valley from Tibetan invasion.
This fortress, now a burned shell, was once strategic in
Bhutan's defense against Tibetan invasion. Chomolhari (24,500
feet), the beautiful sacred mountain of western Bhutan, reaches
skyward beyond the Dzong. The road ends and the trek begins at
8,202 feet, following the river gently uphill through a
narrowing agricultural valley. Many farms line the valley.
Camp (as on all succeeding nights of the trek).
Lunch seminar and evening discussion:
Mountain Lore and Metaphor
Trekking and climbing provide natural metaphors for moving
through a corporate environment and attaining personal and
organizational goals. By examining the variety of ways people
approach mountains, we can use mountains as metaphors to help us
find new and more creative ways of dealing with problems in the
office or at home. Discussion establishes a framework for
relating experiences on the trek to issues of leadership and
teamwork in the workplace. We look during the days that follow
to identify a mountain that best represents the work career and
personal course that lie ahead for each of us.
Reading: Ed Bernbaum,
“Lessons from the Top: Mount Fuji, Mount Sinai, and Other Peak
Paradigms,” Sacred Mountains of the World, Introduction
and Chapter 1, “The Himalayas”; Quotes on Mt. Everest.
Exercise: While
hiking, we divide up into teams and pair up and interview each
other about our lives and interests. The ground rule is that we
talk about matters outside our jobs. You are not being asked to
reveal anything personal that you would feel uncomfortable
discussing with others. You may want to talk about spouses,
children, hobbies, sports, music, travel, and places you have
lived. Each person presents his or her partner to the entire
team, and we discuss the pros and cons of getting to know people
personally in order to build teamwork and leadership.
Evening
discussion: Setting
the stage: Debriefing on the day, what lies ahead, a report on
the day’s leadership experience, a reporting by all on their
physical and health conditions, and an introduction to all of
the members of the support team (we present trek shirts to
each).
Reading: National
Outdoor Leadership School, Leadership Education Toolbox,
excerpts.
APRIL
30: SOI THANGTHANKA (11,920 feet)
The trail continues uphill through the river
valley with rocks and tree trunks to maneuver over and around
the entire way. After lunch along the river, the afternoon
portion of the trek is a little steeper both up and down until
we reach camp. Camp is in a meadow with stone shelter that the
government built for trekkers. Views of Chomolhari approaching
camp make an excellent photo opportunity.
Lunch
seminar: Leadership,
Decisions, and Risk
We use
excerpts Maurice Herzog’s and Arlene Blum’s books on Annapurna
to discuss the extent to which the leader should become directly
engaged in the daily work of the organization, and how they make
decisions and manage risk.
Maurice
Herzog’s climb of Annapurna is unusual in that it offers one of
the few examples of the leader of a large expedition actually
going to the top and making a first ascent. Given what happened
to Herzog and others on the way down, would they have been
better off if he had stayed below in a better command post where
he could have communicated and coordinated evacuation efforts
more effectively? On the other hand, did his act of leading to
the top prove critical in motivating and guiding the team on the
way up?
In Arlene
Blum’s expedition, she does not go for the top for herself, but
four others do succeed in reaching it. Then, two others set out
for a second ascent despite Blum’s misgivings and her cautioning
against it. The two never return. Should – and could – Blum and
others on the expedition have prevented the twosome’s fateful
decision to go for the summit?
As two
teams from Rodrigo Jordan’s expedition to K2 are planning to go
for the summit the following day, Rodridgo must decide where to
position himself on the mountain to ensure his expedition’s
success. Should he join the summit teams, place himself at base
camp two miles below, or locate somewhere in between?
Readings: Chapters
from Maurice Herzog, Annapurna, and Arlene Blum,
Annapurna:A Woman’s Place; Rodrigo Jordan, Mark Davidson,
and Mike Useem, "Life and Death Decisions on 'The Savage
Mountain': Leadership at 28,000 Feet."
Exercise: Today the
leaders experiment with walking at the front of the group, in
the middle, and at the rear, focusing on the pros and cons of
each for team leadership, both on the trail and in the work
world. On succeeding days, the leaders experiment with this and
other approaches, and the day’s experience becomes part of each
evening’s discussion.
Evening
discussion:
Divergent Participant Accounts of Shared Events
Why was
Maurice Herzog’s account of his historic climb of Annapurna
different from the memories of some of the other expedition
members? More generally, what explains why participants in the
same set of events often have such different memories of them or
create such different accounts of about them?
Reading: David
Roberts, “Rewriting Annapurna?”
MAY 1: CHOMOLHARI BASE CAMP (13,268 feet)
On up the Pa Chu (River). Pass a small army
post where the valley begins to widen again. Now views of high
ridges and then snowy peaks are all around. We camp beneath a
ruined fortress at the base of Chomolhari.
Lunch seminar:
Obligations and Responsibilities
What is
our obligation and responsibility for assisting those who are
faltering around us? Arlene Blum writes about her discomfort in
unloading tons of goods and expensive equipment in front of
children with bare feet. Is there an obligation of the fortunate
to aid the less fortunate, and if so when? Did Buzz McCoy do or
not do the right thing when he encountered the freezing Sadhu
near the high pass not far from Annapurna? Did Anatoli Boukreev,
Rob Hall, Scott Fischer, and others take the right actions in
assisting others in distress as the storm enveloped Mt. Everest
late on the afternoon of May 10, 1996? Should Simon Yates have
cut the rope holding Joe Simpson on the Andean face they were
descending? What were his responsibilities to an injured
companion? Were the two of them irresponsible in attempting an
extreme climb in a remote place with only a two-man team and no
backup?
Readings: Bowen
McCoy, “The Parable of the Sadhu”; Jon Krakauer, Into Thin
Air. Simon, Touching the Void (film or book)
Exercise: Teams are
formed for the day’s hike, and each team creates a name, slogan,
logo, theme, joke, and song for a dinner-time presentation.
Evening discussion: Each team presents
its name, slogan, logo, theme, joke and song to the entire
group. We discuss applications of this exercise to team
building, branding, marketing, and
advertising.
MAY 2:
JANGOTHANG (CHOMOLHARI BASE CAMP)
A rest and
acclimatization day with opportunities for beautiful hikes in
three directions: Chomolhari (24,500 feet) to the west, Jichu
Drake (22,290 feet) to the north, and unclimbed summits and
ridges to the east.
Lunch seminar:
Divergent Conceptions of Leadership and Teamwork.
Sherpas
traditionally elect people to serve as village heads only if
they do not aggressively seek the position. Anybody who wants
the job for personal benefit is viewed as unfit to serve the
community. This leads to a more general examination of divergent
conceptions of leadership in non-Western cultures.
eadings: Christoph
von Furer-Haimendorff, The Sherpas of Nepal.
Exercise: Each of us
selects an inspirational passage from “Mountain Passages” in the
reader – or a passage of our own choosing – and goes off in the
afternoon to a scenic spot to contemplate the view in light of
the chosen passage, going back and forth from mountains to
text.
Evening
discussion: We
discuss our impressions of the Mountain Passages exercise and
relate the experience to the role of inspiration and renewal in
leadership.
MAY 3:
TSO PHU (14,100 feet)
A short
day. The trail crosses the river and begins to climb up to the
lakes. A steep climb with spectacular views of Jichu Drake and
Chomolhari, which grow more and more impressive as we gain
altitude. On reaching the top of the plateau, the trail levels
out and after crossing a small hill, the first lake comes into
view. This is a spectacular walk with the three major peaks
rising above the valley, a broad stream on the right and snow
covered peaks in the distance. Our camp will be set up between
the lakes and near several yak herder's tents which we may
visit.
Lunch
seminar: Alternative
Paths to the Top
In Thomas
Hornbein’s Everest: The West Ridge, an account of the
first American ascent of Everest and the first-ever ascent of
its West Ridge in 1963, we see two objectives and two kinds of
leadership and teamwork at work: those who choose the unclimbed
but less certain West Ridge and those who choose the previously
climbed but more certain regular route via the South Col. The
former is achieved by a small group in “alpine” style, the
latter through a large team effort in “siege” or “assault”
manner. What are the distinctive styles of leadership and
teamwork required to make small teams and large organizations
successful?
Reading:
Thomas Hornbein, Everest: The West Ridge, excerpts.
Evening
discussion: Reaching
the Summit and Getting Back.
Discussion
turns to the question: Did George Mallory and Andrew Irvine
reach the summit of Mt. Everest on the afternoon of June 8,
1924? What accounts for the immense interest in whether they did
reach the summit? What defines reaching a summit, and why is
that so important in mountaineering – and in management? What
are the pitfalls and dangers of getting to the top and then down
from it, both in climbing and business? How can we better
anticipate and plan for problems?
We plan
our goals and logistics for the next day. How can teams within
your organization seek alternative route to the same – or
perhaps even different goals – without undermining the
objectives of one another or the whole?
Prizes are
presented to those who identify all fourteen of the world’s
8,000-meter peaks and all of our guides.
Readings: David
Roberts, “Out of Thin Air: 75 Years Later, Everest Finally Gives
up Mallory’s Ghost.” David Brashears and Audrey Salkeld, Last
Climb: The Legendary Everest Expeditions of George Mallory,
Ch. 6, “Into the Mists”; ch.7. “Into Legend”; Ch. 8, “Reading
the Clues.”
MAY 4: LINGSHI (13,156 feet)
Wide yak pastures line the way up and down
the highest pass of the trek, 16,043 feet, with possibly some
yak herders who have arrived early in the season with their
tents. Great views of Lingshi Dzong present themselves as we
come down into the Lingshi basin. Tserim Kang (22,268feet) and
its descending glaciers are at the north end of the valley.
Because today is the first day we use yaks for transport instead
of ponies and there are usually some delays before they arrive
in camp.
Lunch Seminar:
Leadership, Teamwork, and Responsibility When It Really Counts
What
went right – and what went wrong – on the fateful day of May 10,
1996 when three climbing expeditions, simultaneously nearing the
summit of Mt. Everest, are hit by a violent storm?
Readings: Jon
Krakauer, Into Thin Air; Trip Gabriel, “Scaling Corporate
Heights Without Going Over a Cliff”; Eric Byrne and Michael
Useem, "Decision at Dzongri"
MAY 5: LINGSHI AND ABOVE
From our camp at Lingshi, different groups
will head for different objectives, ranging from high points
around the glaciers of Jichu Drake, beneath its sharply pointed
peak, to the spectacularly located dzong or fortress monastery
of Lingshi.
Evening
discussion: The
evening discussion is also devoted to a reporting of the day’s
experiences by the various groups.
MAY 6:
SHODU (13,025 feet)
The trail
climbs steeply up the valley side before making a sharp U-turn.
From the corner, in clear weather there is a great view across
the valley to Tserim Kang, its glacier, and Lingshi Dzong. A
descent into a broad valley occupied by grazing herds, followed
by a steep climb into an impossible-looking cirque leads up to a
pass at 15,781 feet. The descent on the far side is long,
continuous and gentle with possible sightings of herds of blue
sheep. Camp at Shodu near the ruins of a settlement.
Lunch seminar and evening discussion:
Leadership in a Multi-Cultural World
Starting from our earlier of Sherpa conceptions of leadership
and teamwork, we go on to explore these issues in Indian,
Chinese, and Japanese cultures and how they influence the way we
do business across cultures in general. What relevance do the
Bhagavad Gita’s conceptions of selfless action and Lao Tzu’s
ideal of invisible leadership have in today’s world, both in our
work and personal lives?
Readings: Excerpts
from the Bhagavad Gita and from The Way of Life
According to Lao Tzu
Exercise: We begin by focusing on our destination ahead. During
the next phase of the exercise, we focus on what is around us.
Finally, we imagine a place or activity where we would like to
be or be doing if we were not trekking into one of the great
mountain landscapes on earth. With this experience, our evening
discussion also addresses issues of strategic planning, goal
setting, process, personal inspiration, and responding to
changing situations and evolving conditions.
MAY 7:
DOLAMKOINCHO (10,911feet)
A lovely day hiking down a spectacular
valley. High peaks in the distance, rugged sandstone cliffs on
one side and pine forests on the other with of wild flowers in
bloom, many variety of moss and Golden Larch trees. The route
follows the river through a steep-walled canyon with many stream
crossings. After the last crossing, the trail climbs steeply and
continuously through dry country on the north side of the river
to the deserted Barshong Dzong. The trail then drops steeply to
Dolamkoincho and a camp on the river bank.
Lunch seminar:
Divergent Concepts of Mountains, Money, and Responsibility
Westerners often view mountains as an objects to be conquered,
while many Sikkimese see mountains as sacred places not to be
disturbed. When the Western expedition that made the first
ascent of Kangchenjunga in 1955 got their permit, they agreed to
stop just short of the top out of respect for Nepali, Sikkimese
and Indian fears that treading on the summit would offend the
deity and provoke calamities in the region. Can you think of
similar situations in the workplace where it makes more sense
and is more respectful of others’ values to stop just short of
your goal or objective?
U.S.
companies operate across national boundaries, and they
frequently encounter enormous disparities in wealth and wage
rates. How well should you compensate your factory or office
workers in a third-world country? Do you have an obligation to
assist people who are destitute? Did Merck do the right thing in
committing itself to donating Mectizan for treating river
blindness forever?
Reading: Merck and
River Blindness
Evening discussion:
Conservation and Environmental Leadership
We
expand our discussion of responsibility at lunch to examine
questions of sustainable development, environmental protection,
and the differing roles of national parks and conservation
efforts in developing countries and the U.S. We also consider
the role of culture in preserving the environment and how
business leaders can contribute.
MAY 8:
THIMPHU (7900 feet)
The trail
winds gently downriver through small riverside meadows and
wildflowers, then begins a long ascent to a pass at 11,532 feet
through forests of rhododendron. The descent on the other side
is precipitous with nearly 3000 feet of elevation loss.
Transport meets us at the road end below Cheri Monastery. The
drive down affords a view most tourists don't get of the
villages and side valleys far above the capital of Thimphu, our
destination. Stay at Druk Hotel.
Lunch seminar: The
Myths and Mysteries of Modern Life
Beliefs
and assumptions, both true and false, underlie almost every
facet of modern life, functioning for us as myths do for people
in traditional cultures. Elaborated in the form of stories,
theories and ideas, they shape the ways we think, feel and
perceive ourselves and the world around us. We explore Himalayan
legends – including Hilton’s Shangri-La – and the myths of our
own work world to examine the ways they shape our behavior and
the ways in which they can be used to shape the behavior of
others.
Reading: Ed Bernbaum,
The Way to Shambhala, excerpts; Ed Bernbaum, “Functions
of Myths.”
Evening celebration:
We celebrate the end of our trip with trek staff and guides
through local songs and dance – and American songs and dance.
MAY 9:
THIMPHU
In the morning, we will visit some of the
workshops where young men are trained to continue the handicraft
tradition. Some are busy making masks for the religious dances
while others are learning the ancient art of thangka painting. A
nearby building houses the National Library. Ancient archives
are carefully stored in this repository of religious and
historical texts. Later, we may be allowed to visit the
impressive Taschicho Dzong. The name means, "The Fortress of the
Glorious Religion." This vast building, constructed totally by
hand and without a single nail, is home to government offices,
the king's audience chambers, the Je Khempo, (the head of Drukpa
Kagyupa sect of Mahayana Buddhism in Bhutan) the national
assembly, a multitude of temples and many, many monks. Stay at
Druk Hotel.
Lunch seminar: We
review our experiences during the trek, focusing on the
leadership and teamwork implications for our work and careers
back home.
Evening
celebration: Lasting lessons from the Himalayas, and awards for
the best entrepreneurial and development plans prepared during
the trek.
MAY 10:
PARO TO BANGKOK OR CALCUTTA
Wake-up very early and drive to Paro for our
return flight to Bangkok or Calcutta aboard Druk Air.
Geographic
Expeditions tour arrangements end with arrival in Bangkok or
Calcutta. Transfer to the hotel of your choice.
MAY 11:
CALCUTTA OR BANGKOK TO USA
Depart for
home by mid-morning
and arrive on the same day.
keeping out the rest of the world, Bhutan preserves a far more
pristine environment and a much more intact culture than its
Himalayan neighbors to the west. Thick forests of pine and
rhododendron still coat most of its mountainsides, wrapped like
green blankets around the feet of snow peaks draped with shining
glaciers. Whereas the people of Nepal and Sikkim have generally
adopted modern clothing, most Bhutanese still wear their
national dress of plaid material – kilt-like gho for men,
long dresses called kira for women. Villages of
well-constructed houses surrounded by well-tended fields and
terraces are guarded by impressive fortress monasteries called
dzongs, from which comes the name of the country’s
language - Dzongkha or the Speech of the Fortress Monasteries. 