Life and Leadership Lessons from the Journey to Tiger’s Nest

Life and Leadership Lessons from the Journey to Tiger’s Nest

At an elevation of 11,000 feet, Bhutan’s Tiger’s Nest Monastery is not just a breathtaking sight but a challenge in every sense of the word. When my friends, our guide, and I arrived at the base, the monastery was shrouded in fog. The chances of catching that iconic view of the sanctuary perched high in the mountain seemed slim. The weather forecast wasn’t in our favor either—rain was likely, leaving us with a decision to make: do we go ahead with the trek or wait for another day? For me, there was no choice—I didn’t have another day. So, we adopted a “play it by ear” approach and decided to go with the flow.

This trek turned out to be more than just a hike. It mirrored the uncertainties we face in leadership, especially in healthcare. Just like navigating that foggy, rain-threatened trail, leaders often need to make decisions based on limited information, adapting to the changing terrain and “heavens” above. Being agile and going with the flow—without compromising safety—is an essential leadership competency, especially in these ever-changing times.

Despite the challenging conditions, we made it to the top and back safely. The sense of accomplishment and relief was overwhelming. But what truly stood out were the life and leadership lessons this trek brought to the surface.

Tiger’s Nest Leadership and Life Lessons:

• Be Prepared: Life’s challenges are often unexpected; prepare yourself for the journey ahead.
• Body: Maintain fitness for the physical demands that come with life’s adventures and the stress that accompanies them.
• Mind: Believe in yourself and the goal ahead. Keep reminding yourself of the reward awaiting you at the summit.
• Agile: Go with the flow, but never compromise safety. Adapt to the circumstances as they change.
• Coach/Guide: An experienced guide is invaluable. Who is your coach or mentor guiding you through life?
• Go Slow to Go Fast: Altitude changes everything. Sometimes slowing down is the fastest way to succeed.
• Celebrate the Small Wins: As we made the journey in the fog, we kept celebrating small wins and milestones along the way.

• Take It All In: Don’t rush through life. Savor the moments, both during the journey and when you reach the destination.

• Find Your Tribe: Surround yourself with a supportive community. Who travels alongside you, cheering you on?

• 5 More Minutes: When the going gets tough, encourage each other. As we climbed up and on the way down, every time someone is ready to give up, we all kept saying.. almost there..just 5 more minutes. In life and work, who is your cheerleader?
• Enjoy Both the Journey and the Destination: The destination is sweet, but the journey itself holds many gifts.

• Send a Scout: Learn from others’ discoveries and mistakes before you charge ahead. Every time I started to slide due to the mud, I would tell everyone, watch out for that spot!!
• Put Your Phone Away: Be present. Sometimes, the most meaningful moments happen when we disconnect from distractions. When we arrived at the monastery, we were not allowed to have our phones nor take pictures. This was a blessing as being free form the phones allowed us the opportunity to focus in the moment and take the sounds and views all in.
• Be Curious: Listen carefully to what is said—and what isn’t said. Curiosity opens new paths.
• Challenge Assumptions: Keep an open mind. Even kids in flip-flops made it up the mountain! We looked in disbelief when we saw a couple of kids with flip lops made it to the top of the trek. We kept shaking our heads that is it impossible to do the hike with just flip lops. But that is just our assumption!!

• Pragmatic Optimism: The fog will clear eventually, but you must keep climbing or descending even while you wait.

• Never Leave Anyone Behind: Support others in their journey, especially those who may be struggling.

• Believe You Will Prevail: Despite obstacles, never doubt that you’ll make it to the end.

• Be Kind: Kindness is a strength that carries us all through difficult moments.
• Let Go of Ego: Beware of the three destructive forces: greed (the monkey), anger (the snake), and ignorance (the pig). Only by releasing these can we truly grow.

As I stood at the summit, enveloped by both mist and accomplishment, I realized that the trek to Tiger’s Nest was more than just a physical challenge—it was a metaphor for life and leadership. We all have mountains to climb, fog to wait out, and rain to endure, but it’s how we navigate those challenges that defines who we are as leaders and as people. The monastery may have been hidden in fog, but the lessons were crystal clear.

Words of Gratitude:

I am grateful for his majesty the King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Honorable Prime minister TsheringTobgay for making this visit to Bhutan possible.

I am so grateful to have had this experience with our incredible global coaching team – Jonathan Low Global Speaking Fellow, CSP, ICF MCC Zachary Ames @Shailesh Chaudhry and dear friends Ross Thornley, MABP and his wife Karen.

A huge shoutout to our guide Kuenley for your knowledge and support to us all, especially Jonathan!

Thank you Keith Ferrazzi for your partnership on this transformational leadership journey in Bhutan.