Mountain communication

Every year, I climb a mountain to raise money for cancer research with ClimbForHope.org. Our expedition teams over-communicate to keep everyone safe.

The concise language, active listening, constructive real-time feedback, and celebration of success are all strategies that translate to workplace team communication.

For example, when a rope team approaches a crevasse (a deep crack in the glacial ice), we have to collaborate so the rope has enough slack to allow the person in front to cross, while also being prepared to anchor our pickaxe if that person falls in, so we can stop them and the rest of the team from disappearing into the crevasse.

In other words, we have to ensure everyone is on the same page every step of the way, just like on a project team.

As each team member approaches the crevasse, they shout “Crossing!” and the message gets passed back to everyone on the rope team. After each team member is clear of the obstacle, they shout “Clear!” so the rope team can begin advancing again.

At work, while you can’t see the rope, everyone on your project team is connected.

The more you let people know what you’re working on and what you’ve finished, the less mental energy they need to spend worrying about their own role.