The ISEH continues to build its relationship with the Dame Kely Holmes Trust by taking part in their Champion Voice programme.
The charity was set up in July 2008 by Dame Kelly and aims to inspire young people to find and fulfil their potential by using world class sports performers as role models and mentors. The Champion Voice initiative aims to support the workforce of elite sports performers who give back to sport and young people as they transition to new post competition careers.
On the 10 June as part of the programme a workshop was held at the ISEH around leadership and vision with a focus on improving strategic thinking and planning. The day also provided an excellent opportunity to practise networking skills and put them to use in a real live situation with special guests from business and sport.
The Learning outcomes by the end of the workshop were to have:
- Shared reflections of experiences in a placement organisation
- Practised some networking techniques to help be more effective
- Determined further goals for individual Personal Development Plan
- Explored what strategy is and why it is important
- Learnt from other great leaders
To end the day Xtreme Everest’s Professor Mike Grocott was invited to speak to the group of Olympians.
Professor Grocott led the 2007 Caudwell Xtreme Everest expedition and gave a detailed background into the set up of the whole expedition, the purpose of the research, what outcomes they expected and what they had learned since returning.
Starting with explaining what the Xtreme Everest research is, he told the group one of the key things the executive team agreed before setting off was they should ensure the order of three priorities:
1. SAFETY could the expedition take place safely for all those involved?
2. SCIENCE could they carry out the science required to get results?
3. SUMMIT could the expedition team summit Everest?
Number 3 would only be attempted if 1 and 2 were satisfied.
Talking about his background in leadership, Mike mentioned that he was also the leader for the 2006 expedition to Chy Oyu. He explained about issues faced, such as complicated planning schedules that took the team from conception to completion. He mentioned the logistics of moving 26 tonnes worth of kit from London to Nepal, and then having a system which meant items could be easily found once there, and ensuring the safety of 198 trekkers and 60 investigators.
Mike was quizzed by the Olympians about what the vision, mission and value was of the expedition. He explained that the Vision was to ultimately change medical practice through the research and results the team would achieve, the Mission was to not only test all those who had signed up but also reach the summit of Everest, and the Value was of acknowledging that everyone on the team was valuable and had given up personal goals (such as reaching the summit) to ensure that the expedition went well.
Mike was also asked what he considered to be key to being a good leader. He said that:
- Delegation/Trust and learning the ability to trust your team; that they can perform and make life or death decisions in your absence
- Treating everyone equally
- Giving people the chance to contribute to the decisions
- Building a “family” around you with the team you work with
The last question for Mike focused on what his most important achievement of the expedition was, to which he replied “Ensuring that everyone got safely back down to EBC after the summit of Everest” .
The day was planned and co-ordinated by Claire Bennett who won individual and team bronze medals at the 2010 Commonwealth Fencing Games and Adam Whitehead, European and Commonwealth Gold Medallist.
Find out more about the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust