INSEAD Library

Includes bibliographical references and index

Digitized

Destructive Goal Pursuit The Mount Everest Disaster Contents Foreword Preface Acknowledgements Introduction Trouble on the South African team Search for answers Organization of the book Part I: Learning from the Everest Disaster 1 The 1996 Mount Everest Climbing Disaster: Recounting the Tragic Events History of climbing Everest The guides The climbers Push for the summit Traffic jam at the summit The descent The huddle Rescue attempts Learning points Learning questions xiii xvii xxiii 1 1 3 7 11 13 16 17 18 20 20 21 22 24 25 2 "Why Haven't They Turned Around?": The Search for Answers Potential explanation 1: Ambition and style Potential explanation 2: Dysfunctional psychological process Potential explanation 3: Past experience Need for a more complete answer Goal striving in the 1963 American Expedition Learning points Learning questions 27 28 31 32 33 34 36 37 viii CONTENTS Part II: Destructive Goal Pursuit 3 The Problem of Goalodicy: The Unintended Consequences of Goal Pursuit Perspectives from mythology The problem of goalodicy Consequences of goalodicy on Everest The limits of goals Goals are difficult to abandon Goals limit learning Goals increase risk taking Pursuit of goals may lead to unethical behavior Learning points Learning questions 4 The Problem with Leadership: How Leadership Contributed to the Tragedy Dysfunctional dependence Group dependence: A Brief history Dependency in teams Helplessness Pairing Fight flight responses Loss of team identity The complexity of leadership Competing goals Competing commitments on "K2" Dual demands of leadership: Task and interpersonal Learning points Learning questions 41 42 43 44 45 45 47 48 48 49 50 51 54 55 56 57 58 59 59 61 62 63 64 66 67 5 Warning Signs: Indicators of Goalodicy Narrowly defined goal Public expectation Face-saving behavior Idealized future Goal-driven justification Achieving destiny Learning points Learning questions 69 69 71 74 74 75 76 76 77 n CONTENTS ix 6 The Recipe for Disaster: Seven Steps Leading to Goalodicy The problem of identity Collapse of identity in the Mann Gulch disaster Identity maintenance as goalodicy on Everest Writer's block at Mann Gulch vs. "reverse writer's block" on Everest The breakdown of learning in teams Breakdown on Everest Recipe for a breakdown Step 1: Motivation to achieve goals Step 2: Narrowly defined goal Step 3: Team membership as a means to accomplish the goal Step 4: Dependence on the team and especially the team leader Step 5: Decrease in the exercise of autonomy Step 6: Increase in complexity Step 7: A breakdown of learning Learning points Learning questions 79 80 81 82 82 83 84 86 87 87 87 87 88 88 88 89 89 Part III: From Destructive to Productive Pursuit 7 Teamwork: Building the Foundation for Effective Goal Pursuit Everest expeditions as teamwork Expeditions as groups Expeditions as teams Teams in action Task forces Conversation in teams Coordinating Debriefing Storytelling Team shared beliefs Interpersonal beliefs: Interpersonal understanding and interpersonal trust Task beliefs: Goal sharing and team efficacy Higher team functioning Learning points Learning questions 93 95 95 96 97 99 99 100 100 101 103 104 106 108 109 110 x CONTENTS 8 Team Learning: Responding to Organizational and Environmental Complexity Taking advantage of opportunities for learning Team learning Learning vs. performance The process of learning Proximal team learning: The TArT approach Team learning behaviors Tacit coordination Adaptation Collective problem solving Team learning and goals The goal development process Phase 1: Individual purpose Phase 2: Sustained purpose Phase 3: Individual purpose to serve the team Phase 4: Team-driven purpose Phase 5: Multiple-goal team Goal-setting on Everest Learning points Learning questions 9 Beyond Goals: Overcoming Destructive Goal Pursuit Through Learning Recognizing ill-structured problems The goal is unclear The means to achieve the goal are unclear Experts disagree Learning from experience Engaging in recovery On human error Learning from errors: Factors related to individuals Learning from errors: Factors related to the task Example of recovery: Rescue at 20,000 feet Fostering trust Fostering inclusiveness Minimizing power differences Communicating humility Developing tacit coordination Cross-team coordination Uncoordinated action 111 112 113 114 115 116 120 120 121 122 122 123 124 124 124 124 125 125 127 127 129 130 131 132 132 133 134 135 136 138 139 140 141 141 141 142 143 144 n CONTENTS xi 145 146 147 147 Minding the gap Cultivating multiple goals Learning points Learning questions Part IV: Rethinking Leadership in Organizations 10 Rethinking Leadership in Organizations Leadership and goals: Conventional wisdom Leadership and goalodicy Beyond conventional leadership: Reciprocal leadership Reciprocal leadership in the Blackfoot Indians Reciprocal leadership in the rescue on Everest Reciprocal leadership and teamwork in high-reliability organizations Developing coordination in leaders Learning in high-reliability organizations Learning defined by what leaders ignore The wisdom of "not knowing" Learning points Learning questions 11 Conclusion: Putting Leadership into Action Everest and the contemporary organization 151 152 153 154 155 156 158 159 161 162 164 165 165 167 169 Note on Method References About the Author Index 171 173 179 181