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Secrets of Success – Commitment to the Plan

By Andy CaveMay 17, 2019climbing, Commitment, Expedition, Inspiration, Speaking, Teamwork0 Comments

Getting a group of individuals to buy into an audacious plan requires commitment. You can have all the skill and talent in the world, but if people’s hearts are not in it, the chances of success fall away. Just as […]

Fontainebleau – what the forest teaches?

By Andy CaveApril 20, 2018climbing, Innovation, Inspiration0 Comments

Fontainebleau – what the forest teaches? Every time I return from a bouldering trip to the forest of Fontainebleau, I feel like I am a better climber. Physical strength is important in climbing as is the mental side, but ‘Font’ seems to demand other elements too, elements that as climbers we often underestimate.

A Lesson for Leaders: The Power of Thinking with a Beginner’s Mind.

By Andy CaveJanuary 25, 2018Inspiration, Leadership, Mountaineering1 Comment

Why is saying ‘I don’t know’ so hard to do in business? Perhaps we want to be seen as experts rather than people who are continually learning. Levitt and Dubner note in Freakonomics that this is one of the most destructive forces in business. I am a professional mountaineer and mountain guide. As a leader on skis or in crampons, I feel at home. I think I am good at getting the best out of my team in this mountain environment. After 30 years plus, I already know a lot: I’ve done my 10,000 hours and some.

The Art of Speaking – Part 1

By Andy CaveJuly 4, 2017Speaking0 Comments

For many of us, the thought standing up and speaking to a group of people is terrifying. I still get nervous before an event, even after 20 years of public speaking to thousands of people; but I have learnt a […]

The Art of Speaking – Part 2

By Andy CaveJuly 4, 2017Expedition, Inspiration, Leadership, Speaking0 Comments

Who Cares? When delivering a speech, just remember that because you’re the boss or someone of note, doesn’t mean people will sit up and listen. When preparing a presentation, a good starting point is to ask: ‘Why should anyone care […]

Paradise Regained: Deep Water Soloing in Mallorca

By Andy CaveNovember 28, 2016climbing, Goal Setting, Inspiration, Motivation0 Comments

I have just returned from a Deep Water Soloing trip to Mallorca. The idea is that you climb the wonderful limestone cliffs, up to 15 metres high, without ropes and the sea is your safety net. It seemed de riguer to fall or jump in each day, just to get used to it. I must admit, I spent the first couple of days not falling in. It just seemed wrong!

‘On The Edge’ – 5 reasons I Love Ridge Climbs

By Andy CaveJune 8, 2016climbing, Expedition, Leadership, Motivation, Mountaineering, Teamwork0 Comments

I’ve always enjoyed reaching the summit of a mountain via a ridge climb. Whether working as a leader on a well-worn classic route or trying a first ascent, a good ridge lingers long in the memory. But what makes them so special?

The first day climbing – staying calm under pressure

By Andy CaveOctober 30, 2015climbing, Leadership, Mentors0 Comments

Being a mountain guide is about being a leader, finding the way and making big decisions. But it is also about being a mentor, enabling others to be the best they can be. One element I have always enjoyed is coaching people to rock climb. Sometimes people have climbed a lot and want to improve so they can realise a particular ambition, for others it is a completely new experience.

Lessons from Mont Blanc: How Europe’s highest peak taught me to deal with change.

By Andy CaveJuly 29, 2015Avalanches, change, climbing, Mountaineering, Snow, Teamwork1 Comment

One of the biggest challenges we face in life is dealing with change. It’s the same in the mountains. To avoid accidents you need to see the world clearly, see the changes happening and then change your behaviour. When you are a novice just starting out, there is so much new information to interpret that it is hard to fully understand each situation. Snow conditions and weather represent the two biggest elements of change in the mountains. In order to survive as an Alpinist, you need to gain enough experience to clearly interpret these.

5 Valuable things climbing on gritstone taught me!

By Andy CaveNovember 30, 2014climbing, Innovation, Inspiration0 Comments

I gave a speech at the Royal Geographical Society in London last month and I started by saying how the foundation of my climbing began on gritstone. I always feel lucky that I learnt to climb on the gritstone edges of Derbyshire and Yorkshire. There is no better place to test yourself as a leader. People can be disparaging about the modest height of Stanage or Froggat Edge (20 metres or so, max) , but ironically that is what makes them so serious. On relatively small cliffs the ground is always close by, meaning even a short fall could end by smashing into the ground. And the ground beneath gritstone cliffs is not kind and often littered with sharp boulders.

Andy Cave