It was cold at the final basecamp on Kilimanjaro. After four days of relentless climbing, our party was near exhaustion. The night before, a punishing blizzard struck the mountain, and only two out of fifty climbers had reached the summit that day.
At 15,500 feet, we were higher than any mountain in Colorado, but we still had nearly 4,000 feet of climbing ahead of us – and it was straight up. Our guide allowed us only four hours of rest before waking at midnight to begin our assault on the cinder cone of this extinct volcano.
But rest was taken off the agenda as elevation sickness began to strike. One of the six climbers in the expedition spent several hours throwing up, while the rest of us fought down nausea and cramped muscles. As our haggard group gathered outside under the stars, I doubled over in pain and felt bile in the back of my throat as we wavered on the edge of giving up. But one thing held us steady – determination.
The spirit of fierce resolve was palpable in the air. We were going to finish this. We were all going to finish this.
In Jim Collins’s research of Good to Great companies, he identified two leadership characteristics that separate the ordinary performers from the extraordinary. Humility and fierce resolve, or determination.
Determination is not a skill you can learn in a workshop or executive MBA program. It is a character trait that is cultivated over time. We can study this trait and learn from those who have achieved greatness from their determination. Let’s consider now where it comes from how to strengthen it and the surprising results it produces.
The source of determination
The root of determination is “to determine,” which is the power to set or establish a reality in the world. Judges can determine the fate of the accused, CEOs can determine the priorities of their company, but the majority of life is outside of our control to determine.
Our determination is strongest when we direct it towards things that we truly control. The center of our personal sphere of influence is the control of our own intentions. We cannot control the weather, the market, employee morale, or even the aging process in our own bodies. But we can control what we will to do, what we purpose and intend.
Our climbing group on Kilimanjaro had firmly determined that we would not give up or allow part of the group to succeed without the others. By focusing our determination on the interior attitude and beliefs of our minds, we gained tremendous strength to overcome obstacles.
How to make determination stronger
Some of the most inspiring heroes of determination, like American P.O.W., Louis Zamperini, seemed to have accomplished their amazing feats all alone. But leadership is not an individual sport. And the solitary leader wins no victories.
Determination grows stronger when it is shared. Our climbing group was diverse in age, skill, and experience, ranging in age from early 30s to late 50s, but we shared the same determination to push ourselves as far as we could go and win any adversity we faced – together.
We openly shared our physical struggles. We often inspired each other by repeating our personal commitment to the group and pressing forward. Our twin commitments to pushing through personal challenges and to winning as a team fueled an even stronger sense of determination in the group. As each of us watched the others face their own challenges without giving in, the strength of the group reached a new level.
Exceeding expectations
Several hours after leaving the last base camp, only half way up the cone to the summit, our guide told us it was time to turn back. Based on his experience and expert opinion, he had determined that we would not be able to reach the top in time to make it back down. We had been moving too slowly, and our goal was slipping from our grasp.
And the statistics backed him up. Fifty percent of climbing attempts on Kilimanjaro fail. As if to prove his point, two extremely athletic and experienced climbers who had passed us on the way up, met us on their way down, walking with heads hung in defeat. These dire predictions stirred us to an almost angry response.
We surged to our feet with renewed vigor.
Four hours later, we stood in ten inches of snow on the glacier-capped summit of the highest mountain in Africa
Determination makes the difference between meeting or exceeding others’ expectations. In fact, sometimes the threat of expected failure can actually fuel a surge of determination.
Determined to lead
As a leader, it is absolutely essential that you strengthen your own character in the area of determination. No amount of skill or experience can take its place. It is not enough for you, alone, to be determined. You have to take your company with you.
Train your own thinking, and teach others to focus their determination in the right place, which is on the interior world of intention. Then, strengthen the determination of the group by sharing personal obstacles. Invoke in them your personal commitment to press through challenges and win as a team.
Finally, lift your eyes above the expectations of the experts, and set your sights on doing more than anyone thought you could.
Your summit awaits.
Follow us on LinkedIn to get thoughtful articles on the bridges leaders must build and cross to inspire greater performance.
