The Everest Simulation

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Analysis of the Everest Simulation

Everest Simulation 1.

I was a Photographer in the first attempt. My goals were: do not get rescued; spend an extra day at camp 1 and camp 2 to make photos. I didn’t have aim to reach the summit, but other team members said I had.

We started the simulation at the Base Camp and easily passed on next Camp. There weren’t important decisions, to my mind we just had to adapt to the simulation and understand primitive actions. Marathoner predicted the right temperature and we went to Camp 2. Each member of a team received a notification about further actions: waiting for health improvement or better weather and limited time and supplies. Although Environmentalist become worse we decided do not wait and go to the Camp 3. My fault was that I didn’t stay at Camp 1 and Camp 2, I had to explain to team more conclusively reasons to stay. Next day start badly: Marathoner ignored to put weather prediction, Environmentalist felt worse and had an asthma attack, but fortunately Our Physician gave to him an inhaler. We decided to stay one more day at Camp 3.

At Camp 4 Marathoner again forgot to predict the weather. On this step we had to decide amount of oxygen we need. Because we can take only twenty canisters we took all and every member had four of them. Here in my opinion we made a mistake. Four canisters are not enough for one person to reach the summit and come back. We had to take into account that some team members didn’t have to climb to the top. Additionally, because of bad health conditions of team we decided to stay one more day at Camp 4 and forgot about limited amount of days. When we went to Camp 5 Marathoner again ignored to put the weather predictions and all team decided to go next.

We didn’t reach the summit because we didn’t have more days. We spend our one extra day and used one another day, although we couldn’t do it. Team even didn’t understand what happened, after some time we saw the light. Each member was disappointed, because we lose of stupid mistake. Team achieved about twenty percent of goals.

Our team was inattentive to each other. We were 6 people and each had their own point of view. We do not listen to each other. All solutions were not designed and spontaneous. The leader did not cope with his basic duties. He did not give advice, did not lead and did not listen to us, even did not participate at all. I think maybe he was not interested in all this. There was no a person whose strategy we were going. To my mind it was the one and important reason why we failed this attempt.

Everest Simulation 2.

Next attempt was more exciting. I was an observer, so I watched from the sidelines interesting interactions between team. To my mind this time team was more organized and result-oriented. In the beginning leader asked each team member read out aloud their goals and suggested planning every step according to aims to achieve better results. They spend about 30 minutes communicating and preparing. Team made a strategy, what was really important and helpful, because strategy is “a consciously intended course of action or guideline to deal with situation” (Gronfeldt, 75). So group was aware of the future steps.

Everything began very well: Marathoner predicted the right weather, guys were very attentive and tried do not miss important information. Team moved to the Camp 2. Photographer had to stay at this Camp during 2 days according to planned team strategy. Marathoner predicted temperature close to the actual and team passed on the next Camp regardless of deteriorating situation with team health. Environmentalist had to take inhaler.

At the Camp 3 a problem appeared: Physician forgot to move to next Camp with team and instead of this stayed at Camp 2 with Photographer. Team pressure rose, it was feeling that team lose patience. Leader started yelling on Physician and then Marathoner and Environmentalist joined in with him. Poor Physician couldn’t say anything. They were angry because team couldn’t wait (they planned to spend extra day in Camp 4) and without being in one Camp team couldn’t use any medicine. When finally they stopped yelling they decided that Physician and Photographer will get up to the rest of the team. Marathoner weather prediction was accurate. Environmentalist had an asthma attack, luckily on the previous day Physician gave him an inhaler, so this problem was resolved.

On the Camp 4 Marathoner did right predictions about weather again and here team stay one more day according to their plan and, of course, was waiting Physician and Photographer. Team decided that more important to reach the summit for the Leader, Marathoner, Photographer and Physician, so environmentalist will stay at Camp 4 and wait team back. They divided twenty canisters per four people – five canisters per one member will be enough to reach the summit and come back. Because of bad health conditions Physician had to take to Marathoner inhaler. Team went to the summit.

Leader, Photographer and Physician reached the summit. Physician forgot to give to Marathoner inhaler and Marathoner had severe altitude sickness from lack of oxygen and had been rescued and returned to Base Camp.

Team achieved sixty free percent of goals.

In this attempt I noticed that team dynamics rose. Team became more organized. Team members become hear each other. Guys gave their opinion and the team discussed each idea, so I saw joint decision-making. Whether team will be successful and productive depends on the leader. The team leader is created teamwork and its success or failure depends entirely on its ability to manage it. This time the team will get better results due to the contribution of the leader.

Learning Review

Firstly, I didn’t contribute enough to the team, because I didn’t insist my goals and didn’t lead my team. Even if I said something group just wouldn’t listen to me, because they were borne away of their own problems. Honestly, it was terrible feeling. Second time, whereas I was an Observer I gave advice to my group and try to participate during whole simulation. Team listened to me and followed my advice. They were really interesting about my ideas. So I felt as an important member of the team.

First time leader didn’t use any of the leader styles, because he didn’t participate at all as was mentioned above. In my opinion, second time our leader adopted Democratic leaders’ style. He includes each team member in decision-making process and listen their opinion. The final decision