Mount Everest 1996 Preparation Assignment

POTENTIAL CAUSE: OVERCONFIDENCE One of the potential causes of the tragedy on Mount Everest in May, 1996 was the cognitive bias of overconfidence. Overconfidence occurs when leaders believe that their experience, abilities, skill, or maybe even luck, will allow them to overcome any challenge they face. Research has shown that such overconfidence can lead to poor decision making as leaders substitute their own personal skill for careful analysis of the situation and planning. Hall, in particular, may have been prone to overconfidence. He had reached the summit four times and had guided 39 clients to the top of Everest. As you read and prepare for our discussion of this case, please focus on this element of overconfidence. Put together no more than 4 PowerPoint slides that cover the following elements:

Provide a definition or description of the concept of overconfidence Give 3-5 factual examples from the case where overconfidence was evidenced in the case How did this element contribute to the tragedy on Everest? Assess and justify the contribution this element made in the tragedy. 0-15%--minor role, 1540% significant role, 40-75% major contributing factor, 75-100% overwhelming factor.

You will be asked to present and summarize your analysis for about 5 minutes during the discussion.

Mount Everest 1996 Preparation Assignment

POTENTIAL CAUSE: SUNK COST EFFECT One of the potential causes of the tragedy on Mount Everest in May, 1996 was the cognitive bias of the sunk cost effect. This effect refers to the tendency for people to escalate their commitment to a course of action in which they have made a substantial prior investment of time, money, or other resources. Sunk costs may keep decision makers from recognizing and heading environmental danger signals, or signals of failure. During these expeditions to Everest, both Hall and Fischer spoke of the importance of the Two OClock rule; However, turnaround times were ignored. Was this an example of sunk cost effects? As you read and prepare for our discussion of this case, please focus on the sunk cost effect. Put together no more than 4 PowerPoint slides that cover the following elements:

Provide a definition or description of the concept of the sunk cost effect Give 3-5 factual examples from the case where sunk costs were referenced and evidenced in the case How did this element contribute to the tragedy on Everest? Assess and justify the contribution this element made in the tragedy. 0-15%--minor role, 1540% significant role, 40-75% major contributing factor, 75-100% overwhelming factor.

You will be asked to present and summarize your analysis for about 5 minutes during the discussion.

Mount Everest 1996 Preparation Assignment

POTENTIAL CAUSE: RECENCY EFFECT One of the potential causes of the tragedy on Mount Everest in May, 1996 was the cognitive bias termed the recency effect. This effect occurs when decision makers over-emphasize information and evidence that is readily available and place undue emphasis on recent events, rather than basing decisions on a complete sample of past episodes or statistical averages computed over a long time horizon. The expedition leaders, Hall in particular, had experienced unusually good weather during his ascents. As you read and prepare for our discussion of this case, please focus on the recency effect. Put together no more than 4 PowerPoint slides that cover the following elements:

Provide a definition or description of the concept of the recency effect Give 3-5 factual examples from the case where recency effects were evidenced in the case and contributed to decision making How did this element contribute to the tragedy on Everest? Assess and justify the contribution this element made in the tragedy. 0-15%--minor role, 1540% significant role, 40-75% major contributing factor, 75-100% overwhelming factor.

You will be asked to present and summarize your analysis for about 5 minutes during the discussion.

Mount Everest 1996 Preparation Assignment

POTENTIAL CAUSE: PERCEIVED STATUS DIFFERENCES WITHIN THE GROUPS One of the potential causes of the tragedy on Mount Everest in May, 1996 was the group dynamic of perceived status differences. Perceived status differences occur when individuals perceive that there is a pecking order or authority status hierarchy within a group that precludes or discourages open communication or dissent. Perceived status differences threaten what is known as group psychological safety, which is the shared belief that the team is a safe place for interpersonal risktaking such as voicing dissent or questioning a course of action. Research has shown that teams with high degrees of psychological safety are more likely to make better decisions and learn more effectively as a team. As you read and prepare for our discussion of this case, please focus on this element of perceived status differences. Put together no more than 4 PowerPoint slides that cover the following elements:

Provide a definition or description of the concept of perceived status differences. Give 3-5 factual examples from the case where this perception was evidenced in the case and factored into decision making. How did this element contribute to the tragedy on Everest? Assess and justify the contribution this element made in the tragedy. 0-15%--minor role, 1540% significant role, 40-75% major contributing factor, 75-100% overwhelming factor.

You will be asked to present and summarize your analysis for about 5 minutes during the discussion.

Mount Everest 1996 Preparation Assignment

POTENTIAL CAUSE: LEADERSHIP STYLES OF HALL AND FISHER One of the potential causes of the tragedy on Mount Everest in May, 1996 was the negative dynamic created by the leadership styles of Hall and Fischer. Leaders can signal, through words and actions, either the willingness or unwillingness to entertain challenging questions, to listen to and consider dissenting view, or to hear others express valid concerns. Leaders who are unwilling to foster real communication destroy or weaken what is known as group psychological safety, which is the shared belief that the team is a safe place for interpersonal risk-taking such as voicing dissent or questioning a course of action. Research has shown that teams with high degrees of psychological safety are more likely to make better decisions and learn more effectively as a team. As you read and prepare for our discussion of this case, please focus on the leadership styles of Hall and Fischer. Put together no more than 4 PowerPoint slides that cover the following elements:

Provide a definition or description of the concept of leadership style. Give 3-5 factual examples from the case where leadership style was evidenced in the case and how it factored into decision making. How did this element contribute to the tragedy on Everest? Assess and justify the contribution this element made in the tragedy. 0-15%--minor role, 1540% significant role, 40-75% major contributing factor, 75-100% overwhelming factor.

You will be asked to present and summarize your analysis for about 5 minutes during the discussion.

Mount Everest 1996 Preparation Assignment

POTENTIAL CAUSE: GROUP FAMILIARITY AND PRIOR INTERACTION One of the potential causes of the tragedy on Mount Everest in May, 1996 was the group dynamic that the groups of climbers, aside from the leaders, lacked sufficient time and practice needed to develop an understanding of each others skills and limitations, mutual trust, and mutual respect. When this level of familiarity has not been achieved, people will be reticent to admit their concerns, speak candidly about the situation or their own feelings, and express dissenting views. The lack of familiarity, trust, and respect inhibits what is known as group psychological safety, which is the shared belief that the team is a safe place for interpersonal risk-taking such as voicing dissent or questioning a course of action. Research has shown that teams with high degrees of psychological safety are more likely to make better decisions and learn more effectively as a team. As you read and prepare for our discussion of this case, please focus on the element of group familiarity. Put together no more than 4 PowerPoint slides that cover the following elements:

Provide a definition or description of the concept of group familiarity and trust. Give 3-5 factual examples from the case where this element was evidenced in the case and factored into decision making. How did this element contribute to the tragedy on Everest? Assess and justify the contribution this element made in the tragedy. 0-15%--minor role, 1540% significant role, 40-75% major contributing factor, 75-100% overwhelming factor.

You will be asked to present and summarize your analysis for about 5 minutes during the discussion.

Mount Everest 1996 Preparation Assignment

POTENTIAL CAUSE: COMPLEX INTERACTIONS WITHIN A COMPLEX SYSTEM One of the potential causes of the tragedy on Mount Everest in May, 1996 was a feature of the overall system of climbers, business, and the mountain: taken together they represented elements of a complex system. As a complex system, there may not have been one single cause of the tragedy, but rather a series of interconnected breakdowns, each serious but not fatal in themselves. It was the combination of these small breakdowns, however, that summed up and created multiplier effects that contributed to the overall catastrophe. One element of a complex system is a set of complex interactions, where different elements of a system interact in ways that are unexpected and difficult to perceive or comprehend in advance. For example, the Mountain Madness team experienced a series of interconnected problems before they even arrived at base camp. The had customs problems at the Russian border, problems with the charter flight, poor weather during the trek to Base Camp, labor unrest among the Nepali porters, and difficult negotiations trying to recruit a journalist. The net effect of these logistical problems was to burden Fischer, disrupt his acclimatization routine, speed his exhaustion and the deterioration of his health. His unhealthy condition then became a critical factor during the summit push. As you read and prepare for our discussion of this case, please focus on this element of complex interactions. Put together no more than 4 PowerPoint slides that cover the following elements:

Provide a definition or description of the concept of complex interactions. Give 3-5 factual examples from the case where complex interactions were evidenced in the case and how they factored into decision making. How did this element contribute to the tragedy on Everest? Assess and justify the contribution this element made in the tragedy. 0-15%--minor role, 1540% significant role, 40-75% major contributing factor, 75-100% overwhelming factor.

You will be asked to present and summarize your analysis for about 5 minutes during the discussion.

Mount Everest 1996 Preparation Assignment

POTENTIAL CAUSE: TIGHT COUPLING WITHIN A COMPLEX SYSTEM One of the potential causes of the tragedy on Mount Everest in May, 1996 was a feature of the overall system of climbers, business, and the mountain: taken together they represented elements of a complex system. As a complex system, there may not have been one single cause of the tragedy, but rather a series of interconnected breakdowns, each serious but not fatal in themselves. It was the combination of these small breakdowns, however, that summed up and created multiplier effects that contributed to the overall catastrophe. Tight coupling reduces the margin for error that may spell the difference between success and failure of an endeavor. Tightly coupled systems have four characteristics: 1. They have time dependent processes, such as a window of good weather that allowed ascents of Everest to only occur during a brief period in May. 2. They exhibit a rigid series of activities that are tightly scripted and must follow each other in proper sequence. Failure in one activity compounds during later activities. 3. They have a single dominant path to the goal. Few, or no, options exist for creating a success through alternative paths. 4. They allow for very little slack. Elements of the system are overburdened and their supply of critical resources is limited. For example, climbers could only bring a certain amount of supplemental oxygen with them, which dictated the tight eighteen hour schedule on summit day. As you read and prepare for our discussion of this case, please focus on this element of tight coupling. Put together no more than 4 PowerPoint slides that cover the following elements:

Provide a definition or description of the concept of tightly coupled systems. Give 3-5 factual examples from the case where this element was evidenced in the case and factored into decision making. How did this element contribute to the tragedy on Everest? Assess and justify the contribution this element made in the tragedy. 0-15%--minor role, 1540% significant role, 40-75% major contributing factor, 75-100% overwhelming factor.

You will be asked to present and summarize your analysis for about 5 minutes during the discussion.