MEMO ON CASE NR.1 : MOUNT EVEREST
MEMO ON CASE NR.1 : MOUNT EVEREST
1. Why did this tragedy happen? Are tragedies such as this simply inevitable in a place like Everest and why?
Many negative factors simultaneously happened and influenced on the tragedy at Mount Everest on 1996. I strongly believe that such tragedy could have been avoided, if leaders acted more unbiased and professional.
The main reason why the tragedy happened was lack of psychological safety in team, too many ambitions of team members (plus sunk cost effect for some members), overconfidence bias and randomness errors of leaders and of course unpredictable weather conditions. Inability to evaluate overall health and physical condition of the team leaded to inability to follow the adventure time schedule, which was crucial for success in such adventure.
2. What is your evaluation of Scott Fisher and Rob Hall as leaders? Did they make some poor decisions and why? I expect this answer to include some of theoretical material from Chapter 5.
I do not evaluate high Scottt Fisher and Rob Hall as leaders for such important and dangerous undertaking as Mount Everest adventure. The most evident mistakes I can see in common biases and errors in decision making:
• Overconfidence bias
I think Fisher and Hall overestimated their performance and ability. There were too much confident in their personal evaluation and vision of things rejecting any other objective factors to be taken into consideration (like Client’s unequal experience, different age, health condition, weather conditions, etc). I have had an opinion that “Safety First” was not a primary issue for these leaders. They were so much concerned about their ambitions and respect among their peers, so many safety factors became not primary in theirs decision making.
“As Fisher evaluated his team, he acknowledged that several clients had not spent much time at high altitude. However, he did not appear concerned.”
Fisher also made some decision without
1. Why did this tragedy happen? Are tragedies such as this simply inevitable in a place like Everest and why?
Many negative factors simultaneously happened and influenced on the tragedy at Mount Everest on 1996. I strongly believe that such tragedy could have been avoided, if leaders acted more unbiased and professional.
The main reason why the tragedy happened was lack of psychological safety in team, too many ambitions of team members (plus sunk cost effect for some members), overconfidence bias and randomness errors of leaders and of course unpredictable weather conditions. Inability to evaluate overall health and physical condition of the team leaded to inability to follow the adventure time schedule, which was crucial for success in such adventure.
2. What is your evaluation of Scott Fisher and Rob Hall as leaders? Did they make some poor decisions and why? I expect this answer to include some of theoretical material from Chapter 5.
I do not evaluate high Scottt Fisher and Rob Hall as leaders for such important and dangerous undertaking as Mount Everest adventure. The most evident mistakes I can see in common biases and errors in decision making:
• Overconfidence bias
I think Fisher and Hall overestimated their performance and ability. There were too much confident in their personal evaluation and vision of things rejecting any other objective factors to be taken into consideration (like Client’s unequal experience, different age, health condition, weather conditions, etc). I have had an opinion that “Safety First” was not a primary issue for these leaders. They were so much concerned about their ambitions and respect among their peers, so many safety factors became not primary in theirs decision making.
“As Fisher evaluated his team, he acknowledged that several clients had not spent much time at high altitude. However, he did not appear concerned.”
Fisher also made some decision without