You can see the summit; it’s right there, a lifelong goal. Unfortunately, you’re out of oxygen, it’s getting dark and a storm
is brewing.
Setting goals and doggedly pursuing them is a corporate religion, so it seems blasphemous to assert that focusing on goals can be fatal. However, the 1996 Everest disaster shows that sticking to stubborn, simple goals in complicated, shifting environments can lead to fiasco. D. Christopher Kayes evaluates the dynamics of teams and leaders in crisis, as illustrated by this tragedy, where climbers died trying to reach the summit who might have survived if they hadn’t single-mindedly pursued that goal. getAbstract recommends Kayes’ compellingly written study to those who wish to understand leadership’s vulnerabilities, and goal setting’s potential to cause unforeseen and dire results. To ensure that your goals lead to success, build resilient teams that can learn on the edge of the cliff.