Aim High! Atte Miettinen

25 October 2012

Me

• 36 years

• MBA, London Business School

• Four start-up’s in it / telecoms

• Lived abroad for +10 years: USA, Singapore, Denmark, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates

• Done business in approx. 50 countries

• Curiosity taken to all seven continents and almost 100 countries

• Desire to test my limits: marathons, scuba diving, mountaineering

• 22.06.2012: first Finnish Seven Summits

• Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

• Elbrus, Russia

• Mount Kosciuszko, Australia (Bass List)

• Carstensz Pyramid, Indonesia (Messner List)

• Vinson Massif, Antarctica (November 2011)

• Cerro Aconcagua, Argentina (December 2011)

• Mount Everest, Nepal (March-May 2012)

• Denali / Mount McKinley, USA (June 2012)

Seven Summits

What’s required to reach the top of the

world?

Setting Goals

Setting Goals

• Everyone has their own mountain

• No-one inherits ambition – you have to find it inside you!

• Goals need to be challenging but realistic

• Readiness to make sacrifices

• If there’s no passion, a rational person will give up

• Desire vs. obsession

• First step is often the most difficult one

Preparation

Preparation

Right skills

Right physical and mental preparation

Right people / team

Right tools

Right attitude

Recognise the key success

factors!

Right Skills

Right Skills

Right Physical Preparation

Right Mental Preparation

Right Mental Preparation

• Start with the end-goal in mind – no shortcut to the top

• Resolve / long-term approach

• Readiness to make sacrifices

• Positive confidence vs. arrogance

• Recognising risk – margins of error are small and consequences are often dire

• Scenario planning and ability to adapt when needed

Right Mental Preparation

Right People / Team

Right Tools

Right Attitude

• Positive thinking – I can do this!

• Team approach – we’ll succeed as a team, by supporting each other

• Be ready to learn

• Tolerance for discomfort as well as uncertainty - surprises are part of life

• Fear is a healthy feeling, but it should not impact decision making!

• High morals / ethics

Execution

Execution

You

Teamwork

Uncontrollable elements

Risk management

Balance

Recognise the key success

factors!

You

• Right attitude / positive thinking

• Resolve / persistence – mountaineering, like business, is about long-term focus

• Split the end goal into smaller objectives

• Ability to learn from your mistakes

• Recognition of stress and ability to deal with it

• Judgment – ability to objectively evaluate situations and make rational decisions

The human capacity is much bigger than we believe!

Teamwork

Teamwork

• Everyone’s A-type personalities / naturally competitive

• Succeed as a team = succeed as an individual

• Positive attitude / looking after team spirit

• Speak the same language

• Supporting / helping teammates

• Trust / be reliable

• Conscious avoidance of unnecessary conflicts

• How can I help the team to succeed?

Uncontrollable Elements

Uncontrollable Elements

• Mountains, just like customers / markets are often unpredictable!

• Important that mental preparation has been sufficient – on mountains you cannot control everything

• Patience / results are only measured at the end of the season

• Right timing is critical for success

• A successful expedition always requires a bit of luck

Risk Management

Risk Management

• Starts already during preparation e.g. right people / team and right tools

• Positive attitude but critical thinking

• Don’t assume or guess

• Seek to identify potential risks in advance

• Scenario planning

• Fear is a healthy feeling, but should not impact decisions making

Balance

Dealing with Success and Failure

Dealing with Success and Failure • Success on mountains is never guaranteed e.g.

on everest more than half of climbers return home unsuccessful

• However, returning home with all your fingers and toes intact is always a sign of a successful expedition

• Failures teach you most about yourself and others!

• The price of success should not be too high

The price of success should not be too high – you need to be ready to say no when

that’s the right choice!

Thank You!

www.sevensummits.fi www.facebook.com/AtteSevenSummits www.twitter.com/AtteMiettinen