Whether you’re a brand new start up, a business struggling to get a foothold in the market or a roaring success, all aspirational businesses will have one thing in common. A good leader who recognises that things could always be better, and who will work to make that happen.
The right motivation, determination and hard work will reap rewards. And these achievements won’t just benefit your business, but also you personally, your family, your people and your community.
This mindset - this quest for success - is what we at Vistage call a Life of Climb. Every business leader begins their ascent from the bottom of the mountain. However, it’s only those who climb with purpose who can take their business - and their leadership skills - to a higher elevation.
A new perspective can change everything. Here’s what a Life of Climb is all about.
The hardest climb
For many, “the hardest climb” will conjure up images of the trek to the summit of Everest or K2. For business leaders, “the hardest climb” is far closer to home.
Your climb is internal. It’s about facing your fears. It’s about overcoming obstacles, runs of bad luck and the fear of failure as you ascend. It’s about scaling peaks that are far beyond your normal comfort zone and maintaining an unwavering sense of leadership as you do, despite unpredictable conditions and those moments when you feel that you can’t continue.
See our upcoming free CEO climb events programme here
Determining the scale of the peaks you want to overcome is down to you. There will be successes, and there will most likely be setbacks. However, with the right amount of determination, creativity, planning, responsibility, innovation, decision-making and patience, you know that you can scale any peak you set your mind to.
There’s no denying that a life of climb can be a struggle at times. For those tough moments, though, there’s plenty of help along the way.
Choosing the right partners in climb
While it’s true that you alone are responsible for determining and defining the peaks you want to reach, you don’t need to go it alone. Choosing Vistage as your expedition partner can ensure that you’ve got both a guide and fellow climbers joining you on your ascent to help you make it to the summit.
Your guide? An experienced Vistage Chair. What better guide than someone who has already reached the summit themselves - and who has guided several other climbers on the same journey.
Our free monthly CEO climb events can help you reach the summit wherever you are in your journey. Learn more here.
Their training and experience mean that they are perfectly placed to help you navigate any obstacles in your path. With a wealth of tools and techniques from previous expeditions, you can guarantee that they’ll act as your compass, helping you to find your true north, wherever you are on your path.
It’s not just your guide who will help you succeed, but your fellow climbers - Vistage members and the wider Vistage community - too. These are people on a similar journey to you. They may take a different path, and the peaks they want to conquer may be higher or lower than yours. What you’ll all have in common, though, is that determination to succeed, that sense of purpose, that desire for greater things.
Who you surround yourself with on your ascent is vital. Vistage members will encourage you, support you, equip you and challenge you to reach heights loftier than you may have imagined.
A life of climb in action
Vistage member Rob Goodman, MD of event infrastructure provider Showplace, truly lives the climb. Starting on the shop floor, his ascent up the leadership ladder led Rob and two others to take Showplace through a management buyout.
By 2018, the other two directors - his fellow climbers - decided to end their journey, and Rob continued to climb alone. Realising this wasn’t sustainable, he joined Vistage, where he found the support of his guide and fellow climbers - his group Chair and the other group members - invaluable.
To enjoy the same level of support as Rob has received throughout his ascent, become a Vistage member today.
The path to the top isn’t always set in stone. When COVID-19 hit, Rob realised that Showplace had to alter its course to survive. In the summer of 2020, he began to navigate a new route, aided along the way by his Vistage partners in climb.
The only way is up
Living a life of climb is about that constant striving to get better as a leader, make better decisions, and scale higher heights. The extent of those heights is limitless, but you’ll want to make sure you’ve got the proper support to keep you on track.
That’s why we’ve introduced our monthly CEO climb events. These free of charge monthly events are exclusively designed for business leaders who want to take their companies - and their teams - to a whole new level of success.
The events feature a diverse range of topics spanning everything from the art of delegation to understanding the gig economy. Open to anyone who wants to join, you’ll find full details of upcoming CEO climb events here.
You don’t have to climb alone. With Vistage membership, you’ll have a fully equipped guide alongside you and fellow climbers willing you to succeed. Find out more here.
Image: By ibravery via Adobe Stock
Our gift to you...
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