High Altitude Leadership and over 360,000 other books are available for Amazon Kindle – Amazon’s new wireless reading device. Learn more

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
 
Express Checkout with PayPhrase
What's this? | Create PayPhrase
Sorry!
More Buying Choices
48 used & new from $12.49

Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
High Altitude Leadership: What the World's Most Forbidding Peaks Teach Us About Success (J-B US non-Franchise Leadership)
 
 
Start reading High Altitude Leadership on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don’t have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here.
 
  

High Altitude Leadership: What the World's Most Forbidding Peaks Teach Us About Success (J-B US non-Franchise Leadership) (Hardcover)

~ (Author), (Author)
Key Phrases: altitude leadership, high altitude leaders, lone heroism, Mount Everest, Shisha Pangma, Chris Warner (more...)
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)

List Price: $27.95
Price: $18.45 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $9.50 (34%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

Want it delivered Tuesday, November 10? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details
33 new from $15.50 15 used from $12.49

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
  Kindle Edition, November 3, 2008 $14.76 -- --
  Hardcover, October 26, 2008 $18.45 $15.50 $12.49

Frequently Bought Together

Customers buy this book with The Code of the Executive: Forty-Seven Ancient Samurai Principles Essential for Twenty-First Century Leadership Success by Don Schmincke

High Altitude Leadership: What the World's Most Forbidding Peaks Teach Us About Success (J-B US non-Franchise Leadership) + The Code of the Executive: Forty-Seven Ancient Samurai Principles Essential for Twenty-First Century Leadership Success

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

The Five Most Important Questions You Will Ever Ask About Your Organization (J-B Leader to Leader Institute/PF Drucker Foundation)

The Five Most Important Questions You Will Ever Ask About Your Organization (J-B Leader to Leader Institute/PF Drucker Foundation)

by Peter F. Drucker
4.2 out of 5 stars (8)  $10.17
The Inspiring Leader: Unlocking the Secrets of How Extraordinary Leaders Motivate

The Inspiring Leader: Unlocking the Secrets of How Extraordinary Leaders Motivate

by John Zenger
5.0 out of 5 stars (5)  $19.77
Wargaming for Leaders: Strategic Decision Making from the Battlefield to the Boardroom

Wargaming for Leaders: Strategic Decision Making from the Battlefield to the Boardroom

by Mark L. Herman
5.0 out of 5 stars (3)  $18.45
You Can't Order Change: Lessons from Jim McNerney's Turnaround at Boeing

You Can't Order Change: Lessons from Jim McNerney's Turnaround at Boeing

by Peter S. Cohan
4.0 out of 5 stars (7)  $6.06
The Orange Code: How ING Direct Succeeded by Being a Rebel with a Cause

The Orange Code: How ING Direct Succeeded by Being a Rebel with a Cause

by Arkadi Kuhlmann
4.7 out of 5 stars (7)  $18.45
Explore similar items

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Warner is a mountaineer and entrepreneur (founder of mountaineering outfitter Earth Treks); Schmincke is an author (The Code of the Executive) and leadership consultant, though he's an MIT-trained scientist and engineer at heart. Having met on a charity climb in the Andes, they discovered similar opinions on human nature and management techniques, from which they developed the concept of "high altitude leadership." Warner and Schminke identify eight psychological mindsets that paralyze organizations and individuals, undermining productivity: Fear, Selfishness, Tool Seduction, Arrogance, Lone Heroism, Cowardice, Comfort and Gravity. Each is discussed in its own chapter, beginning with an often tragic example from Warner's mountaineering life that shows pointedly how similar behavior can lead to workplace catastrophe. Schmincke prides himself on being a "mad scientist" rather than a management guru, focused on practical observation and common-sense application; he employs a deliciously sarcastic tone when discussing typical, ineffective managerial "magic cures" like Mission Statements and Codes of Values. The final chapter is devoted to caring, highlighting the importance of courage, moral code, efficacy, social responsibility, honor, patriotism, virtue, valor and sense of group identity. As much a life guide as a business primer, this book sports a helpful, engaging and positive plan for working together effectively and honestly.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


Review

"Fear, selfishness and arrogance - these are just some of the dangers that can threaten a climber's life, and in the high-threat world of global commerce and global security, they can destroy a country's or organization's future. Peak performance is about digging deeper to overcome the barriers of our own making. As Chris and Don assert, we have to dig deeper in order to climb higher."--Ralph Heath, Executive Vice President, Aeronautics, Lockheed Martin Corporation

"At last, something new has been written about leadership. The authors skillfully bridge the crosswalk between what is required of leaders in life and death situations scaling the world's highest peaks and the more mundane, but sometimes no less scary, halls of corporate America"--Cathy A. Trower, Ph.D. Research Director, Co-Principal Investigator Collaborative On Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) Harvard University, Graduate School of Education.

"Chris Warner is living proof that courage and intellect provide a powerful leadership combination. He and Don Schmincke serve as outstanding guides for exploring what it takes to lead an organization into difficult and uncharted terrain. If you're an executive who searches for the occasional inspirational gut-check, this book is a must for your shelf."--David Callahan, executive editor, SmartCEO Magazine


Product Details

  • Hardcover: 240 pages
  • Publisher: Jossey-Bass (October 27, 2008)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0470345039
  • ISBN-13: 978-0470345030
  • Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #204,661 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

More About the Authors

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Inside This Book (learn more)

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

High Altitude Leadership: What the World's Most Forbidding Peaks Teach Us About Success (J-B US non-Franchise Leadership)
96% buy the item featured on this page:
High Altitude Leadership: What the World's Most Forbidding Peaks Teach Us About Success (J-B US non-Franchise Leadership) 4.8 out of 5 stars (14)
$18.45
How Successful People Think: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life
1% buy
How Successful People Think: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life 4.4 out of 5 stars (10)
$9.99
Managing Thought: How Do Your Thoughts Rule Your World?
1% buy
Managing Thought: How Do Your Thoughts Rule Your World? 5.0 out of 5 stars (14)
$16.47
The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics for Changing Your Organization and the World
1% buy
The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics for Changing Your Organization and the World 4.6 out of 5 stars (10)
$16.47

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 
(9)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

 

Customer Reviews

14 Reviews
5 star:
 (13)
4 star:    (0)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.8 out of 5 stars (14 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Kudos to a Great Book!, October 28, 2008
Finally, someone saw the wisdom in combining the world of high peak mountaineering with the corporate career. Indeed, the analogy goes way beyond just our working lives and can (and should) extend into the other - more important - areas of our life.

As a corporate human resources director, I seek books that will inspire me and prod me to think in different ways. Far too many of the books on the business book conveyor are viewed by me as "one-trick ponies". That is, they deal with a singular problem in a very limited sense. On several of my listmania's I have recommended Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why and The Crystal Horizon: Everest - The First Solo Ascent as "management" books that for me, teach leadership far better than the run-of-the-mill business leadership materials. This book is vastly different due to its scope and ability to establish a completely new mind-set. I find it to be a perfect fit between my desires and needs.


Chris Warner and Don Schmincke are to be congratulated on hitting the right cord with this book. This book's Oct '08 release is perfect timing as our American industries and organizations are in great need of a "different" leadership.

I hope you find this review helpful.

Michael L. Gooch, Author of Wingtips with Spurs: Cowboy Wisdom for Today's Business Leaders.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling stories of leadership skills at 25000 feet..., November 1, 2008
By Thomas Duff "Duffbert" (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)      
This ended up being one of the few business books that I couldn't put down... High Altitude Leadership: What the World's Most Forbidding Peaks Teach Us About Success by Chris Warner and Don Schmincke. The positioning of leadership skills compared to mountain climbing made a lot of sense, and the stories of what happened during the expeditions were riveting.

Contents:
Preface; Acknowledgments; Introduction; Danger #1 - Fear of Death; Danger #2 - Selfishness; Danger #3 - Tool Seduction; Danger #4 - Arrogance; Danger #5 - Lone Heroism; Danger #6 - Cowardice; Danger #7 - Comfort; Danger #8 - Gravity; Danger #9 - The Journey Begins; Resources; Notes

This combination of authors is what makes the book work as well as it does. Don Schmincke is the management consultant, someone who teaches leadership concepts to thousands each year. While on a climbing expedition, he met up with Chris Warner, the leader of the climb. Warner runs a company called Earth Treks, which is known for its expertise in leading climbs up the most dangerous peaks each year. When Schmincke and Warner started comparing notes on how leadership plays out while climbing, Schmincke realized that these concepts played out both in the boardroom and at 25000 feet. This book is their collaboration.

The format of the chapters follows a general pattern. You start with a story about one of Chris's expeditions. The story continues to weave its way through the chapter, as the leadership skills are highlighted and discussed in terms of both the organization and the climb itself. Within each chapter you have a survival tip that applies to your position as leader, a summary of the key learnings, and concrete steps you can take to make this learning part of your reality. It's hard *not* to internalize this information, as the climbing stories involve life-or-death situations. Distilling leadership skills from these stories may not be something you'd naturally do if you were just reading a book on climbing, but Schmincke does an excellent job in making the correlations.

While all the chapters were compelling, the chapter on selfishness struck home with me. The climbing story involves a group of Italian climbers who abandon a fellow team member on their descent without concern as to whether he made it back to camp. Warner's group has to alter their plans to mount a rescue. To make matters even worse, the Italian climbers bypass an injured Czech climber, take a pair of crampons not belonging to them, and refuse to help transport the Czech climber to safety (among only a few of their selfish actions). This DUD behavior (dangerous, unproductive, and dysfunctional) drains energy and motivation from the entire team, and can jeopardize the existence of the group. Schmincke recommends this behavior be fought by creating a compelling saga. There needs to be something that can drive the group to a common goal, and something that will transcend individual differences and behaviors in order to reach a particular outcome. It wasn't difficult to see examples like that around me, and also motivated me to not become part of the problem.

I'll be the first to admit that there's no lack of business and leadership books that offer countless ways to make your mark. I personally think High Altitude Leadership does a far better job than most. The climbing stories will keep you turning pages, and the leadership applications will slow you down to contemplate your own actions.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Climbing lessons..., October 20, 2008
This lovely book deals with two streams, tales of conquering mountains and managing business people, which are artfully integrated. The mountain stories are well told and breathtaking. Chris Warner is a wonderful storyteller. His adventures make this book compelling to read and motivated me to get through the business metaphors and lessons. For those interested in business insights, Don Schmincke has drawn on contemporary business examples from leading companies and executives. Overall the book is the best of this genre, a compelling and enjoyable read.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Leadership lessons from the world's highest mountains
Chris Warner certainly is not the first mountain climber to chronicle harrowing journeys and near-death experiences scaling the high peaks of the Himalayas. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Rolf Dobelli

2.0 out of 5 stars So so
The book is not bad and the idea of combinging mountain climbing with corporate leadership is interesting. However I did not find anything new in the book. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Shadman Zafar

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read
High Altitude Leadership is, if not the best, then in the top three management books I Have read. It is logical, factual, and makes you understand why people do the things they... Read more
Published 7 months ago by J. Nader

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read By Every Leader
If you are in any type of leadership position then this is a required read. Business execs, CEO.s managers, this book puts into perspective how life and death leadership and... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Frank Abissi Jr.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great story telling complete with useful and compelling advice.
As a mountaineer and business professional and toughly enjoyed this book! The authors successfully blend solid business commentary with compelling storytelling. Read more
Published 9 months ago by George Campbell

5.0 out of 5 stars High Altitude Leadership
This is one of the finest and most engrossing books I have read on leadership. Weaving the exciting true mountain climbing experiences with lessons on leadership is brilliant... Read more
Published 10 months ago by R. Singer

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly a page turner
The book swtiches between 2 story lines. Exciting life and death mountain climbbing combined with business lessons. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Jim Estill

5.0 out of 5 stars Climb for Hope
I run a not-for-profit organization that raises money for breast cancer research through climbing expeditions. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Andrew Buerger

5.0 out of 5 stars Breathtaking Business Book
Just when I thought that there could never be a new idea in business books, Don Schmincke and Chris Warner toss the reader on the side of some of the highest mountains in the... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Reader from Long Island

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, couldn't put it down.
This book was a compelling read. I found the business advice helpful and well-juxtaposed against the mtn climbing stories. I would recommend it to anyone.
Published 12 months ago by J. McDermott

Only search this product's reviews



Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
More insights on the book 0 October 2008
See all discussions...  
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
   




Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)


Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject

 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.


Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.