Fantastic Leadership Traits From Expert Mountaineerer Ed Viesturs
Lessons in Courage, Patience and Teamwork from the World’s Highest Peaks
This is a free post from Northbeam - Ideas you can use this week
I first heard of Ed Viesturs in 2014, when I was at my lowest. Depression had knocked me flat and the only reason I left the house was to walk my late dog, Mr Sox. Headphones in, hood up, I would wander the lanes listening to audiobooks. One voice kept me company more than most: Ed’s calm, measured reflections on climbing the highest peaks in the world without bottled oxygen.
For me, those walks weren’t about exercise. They were about finding a rhythm, one step at a time. In Ed’s words I found both comfort and challenge. He wasn’t just describing climbs. He was describing leadership, resilience and the art of making hard choices when everything inside you screams for the easy one.
Ed's book inspired me so much, I listened to is story three times.
A Mountaineering Vision 18 Years in the Making
Ed set himself a colossal goal: to climb all 14 of the world’s 8,000-metre peaks without supplemental oxygen. It took him 18 years. He became the only American, and just the fifth person ever, to achieve it.
What struck me wasn’t just the audacity of the goal. It was the patience. The humility. The mantra he repeated to himself and others: “Getting to the summit is optional, getting down is mandatory.” That single line became a kind of walking stick for me, steadying me as I tried to rebuild life after illness.
The Power of Teamwork
Ed reminds us that the rope between climbers is more than nylon. It’s trust. On a mountain, your life might hang in your partner’s hands. The same is true in work, families, or even friendships. The best teams aren’t built on hierarchy. They’re built on unspoken trust that says: I’ve got you.
When I think of Mr Sox trotting beside me, keeping me honest, I’m reminded that leadership isn’t always about leading the charge. Sometimes it’s about walking steadily together, not letting go of the rope.
Leading in Crisis
In 1996, a blizzard on Everest killed eight climbers. Ed was there, filming an IMAX documentary. He could have pressed on for the summit or the cameras. Instead, he and his team downed tools and joined the rescues. No fuss, no fanfare. Just a leader making the right call in the storm.
It’s easy to lead when the sun is shining. The real test is when everything goes wrong. As the saying goes in the military, a plan seldome survives first contact.
The Courage to Turn Back
Ed is famous for walking away from the summit within sight of the top. Days of climbing, weeks of effort, sponsors waiting, and he still turned back when conditions weren’t safe. That’s courage. That’s leadership.
How many of us press on when we know deep down the conditions aren’t right? Whether it’s a project, a business deal, or even a relationship, sometimes the bravest act is to turn around and come back safe.
Takeaways You Can Use This Week
- Set clear goals, but never at the cost of your values.
- Build trust that holds when the storm hits.
- Listen to your instincts, not just the crowd.
- Be patient. The summit will wait.
- Have the courage to turn back.
Ed Viesturs taught me, through headphones and hard days, that leadership isn’t about standing on the highest peak. It’s about knowing when to step back, when to trust others, and how to walk down safely together.
Next time, I'll be diving in to the adventures of Pete Goss, a British yachtsman who has sailed more than 250,000 nautical miles. Check back next week. It's an adventure you won't want to miss it.
Subscribe to Northbeam today
Paid readers get the full tools:
✦ Why subscribe?
Weekly, practical frameworks you can actually use.
Full access to the Northbeam archive.
Support the project and keep these lessons going.
👉 Upgrade to a paid plan today and save 10% with an annual subscription.
Buy me a coffee
Subscribe to our newsletter.
Be the first to know - subscribe today
Member discussion