Introduction: The Summit of Leadership
The morning air bit through my layers as I began the ascent of the Maroon Bells, two of Colorado's most challenging fourteen-thousand-foot peaks. As an aspiring "14er finisher" with fifty of Colorado's fifty-eight 14,000-foot mountains under my belt, I knew the physical demands that lay ahead. What I hadn't anticipated was how the emotional weight I carried would mirror the physical challenge of the 6,000-foot elevation gain before me.
That morning, I shouldered my pack along with two profound burdens that had been weighing heavily on my heart. Grief has a way of making every step feel heavier, every breath more labored. Yet beside me walked my hiking guide, a patient friend who understood that sometimes the journey to the summit is about more than just reaching the top.
The class 5 traverse between the Bells proved to be technically challenging but, ironically, easier than the initial ascent. Perhaps because by then, I had found my rhythm—not just in my footsteps, but in processing the emotions that had accompanied me up the mountain. Each careful placement of hands and feet across the traverse became a meditation, a moment of reflection.
In my work as a leadership coach, I often find myself in a role similar to my mountain guide that day. Leaders come to me carrying their own invisible burdens: strategic challenges, team dynamics, personal doubts, and professional crossroads. Like that patient friend who helped me navigate the technical passages of the Bells, I walk alongside these leaders as they work through their setbacks, burdens, and distractions on their journey toward their goals.
The most effective leaders, I've observed, are those who can guide their teams toward ambitious summits while maintaining their humanity and connection. They accomplish this through the power of reflection—a discipline often neglected in our fast-paced business world, yet crucial for higher-level leadership. Just as a mountaineer must constantly assess conditions, adjust their route, and check their team's wellbeing, great leaders take time to consider what matters most.
As I continue my journey toward completing all of Colorado's 14ers, I've learned that the preparation, planning, and careful consideration of who will join me on each climb are forms of reflection themselves. These moments of contemplation are as vital as the physical training required for the ascent.
Whether you're an emerging leader taking your first steps into management or a seasoned executive looking to leave a lasting impact, this book will guide you through the practice of Reflective Leadership. Like the well-worn trails to Colorado's highest peaks, the principles in these pages will help you chart a course that not only leads to your own summit but creates a path for others to follow.
The journey ahead may be challenging, but with reflection as your compass, you'll find that the view from the top is worth every step. More importantly, you'll discover that the true measure of leadership success lies not just in reaching your own summit, but in helping others reach theirs.
Welcome to the journey of Reflective Leadership.
Russell Verhey