As another trad climbing season comes to an end, I am reflecting on the experiences I had this summer leading teams of Pitt graduate and undergraduate students at Seneca Rocks. Even easy routes at Seneca hold much thrill for new climbers. They don't know if they can do the climb. They are dealing with the exposure of being high up on rock for the first time. And they don't know who I am; all they know is that I've volunteered to take them to the top. Well, maybe the fact that I am on the other side of young and that I am a professor grants me an advance of respect.
Traditional climbing, or trad climbing, requires the lead climber to advance by about one rope length, a pitch, while placing removable mechanical pieces and devices into the rock and securing the rope to it. The so-called second belays the lead climber by holding the other end of the rope and feeding it through a belay device with which s/he can break the leader's fall, should one occur. Once the leader completes the pitch, the second climbs and removes the pieces from the rock on the way up. After each pitch, climbing partners tend to swap roles; the second takes the lead on the second pitch of the climb, and the leader of the first pitch becomes the second. This goes on for as many pitches as there are until the summit is reached. Trad climbing partners are in a dyadic peer relationship which allows for role reversals.
Lead climbing on trad gear always has its challenges. While I have trad lead for a number of years, I am a quite recent trad team leader. Being the leader of the climbing team is an enormous challenge. Now there is a third or even fourth person involved in the climb. They have much less experience than the leader or the second. Leading a team is a formidable challenge because the leader is responsible for everything the team does or fails to do.
Teams are small groups composed of members who share the same goals, and who must coordinate their activities to accomplish these goals. I have two goals when I lead students on multi-pitch trad climbs.
First, I want everyone to make it to the summit, and back down to the ground safely.
Second, I want everyone to feel joy and gain a sense of accomplishment from the climb.
What behaviors might be helpful to assist the leader's goals for multi-pitch trad teams?
A useful model to consider in the context of leading rock climbs is Blake and Mouton's Managerial Grid*. The complex realm of possible leader behaviors is reduced to two dimension. The beauty of this two-dimensional approach lies in its simplicity. The leaders' two main concerns are for the task and for the people. Two factors are easy to memorize. And two things are easy enough to strive to improve on, and to remember even under duress.
Task orientation forms the first dimension of the managerial grid. This dimension of behavior involves the leader's concern for accomplishing the task. Task-oriented behaviors that are particularly relevant for effective leadership are planning, clarifying, and monitoring.
Planning begins with visualizing the entire climb beforehand, and deciding what to do, how to do it, who will do what, and when it will be done. This includes contingency planning, the development of procedures for avoiding or coping with potential problems or disasters. Planning is a cognitive ability that takes considerable time, and improves as the leader gains experience from having put plans into action. Planning includes:
> Decide which route to take to the summit.
> Visualize each pitch, its start, cruxes, and anchors.
> Determine how to put together the rope team.
> Identify the desired sequencing of climbers on each pitch, and on the rapel down.
> Estimate the time needed to complete the climb.
> Decide what kind and how much gear and clothing, food and drink supplies to take.
> Determine who will be accountable for each necessary task.
> Determine the timing and deadlines for each pitch, and possible escape plans.
Clarifying is the communication of the goals, the plan, and the roles of each member. The roles carry expectations and responsibilities for each team member. This communication, in the case of leading students for the ECP or POC, begins as the team forms the evening before the climb. It is in part a discussion of everyone's abilities, goals, aspirations, and fears. The leader takes this into account, and then plans for the day's activities with the objective to maximize each team member's potential while taking responsibility for the team's safety. On the day of the climb, I usually conduct an extensive briefing before I start up the fist pitch. I tell the team about the climb in some detail, so that each member can also begin to visualize it. Even a competent and motivated student might fail to perform on a particular climb if confused about the nature of the venture and what is required of each individual. It is important to give specific tasks to each team member, and to explain to each one what competencies and responsibilities are involved. This is the moment when the leader gives trust and confidence to the team. Clarifying involves:
> Talk about the entire climb, and what is involved in its individual pitches.
> Review the objectives for the climb (a) everyone will summit, (b) everybody is going to have a good time.
> Go over the sequencing of the climbers, and who will do what when.
> Delineate the power and responsibility arrangements for the climb.
> Tell each team member what their role is, why, and which tasks this role require.
> Explain how to execute each task, and how it fits the whole.
> Explain the consequences of failure at the task, and how to avoid it.
> Talk about the responsibilities of every team member, emphasizing how there is no turning back on their commitment once the climb starts.
> Go over the formal aspects of the communication on the climb.
> Check for comprehension.
Monitoring involves observing and assisting team members on the climb. It also entails checking the team's progress against the plan. The leader and other experienced team members must also monitor the environment of the climbing situation, such as changes in the weather, or other unexpected occurrences which might have the potential of affecting the climb as initially planned. Monitoring requires:
> Pay attention to the performance and the mental and emotional state of each individual team member.
> Intervene as needed.
> Monitor the team's progress on the climb against the plan.
> Review progress after each pitch, and explain adjustments to the original plan, as needed.
> Scan for environmental climbing hazards, review them with the team.
People orientation is the second dimension of the managerial grid. People-oriented behavior involves leader concern for people and interpersonal relationships. The leader acts in a responsible, confident, friendly, and supportive manner and shows trust in the ability, and concern for the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of team members. This behavior includes treating every member of the team as an equal human being, showing appreciation for their skills and fears, and helping them develop as climbers. In this way, the leader helps to maintain and grow the self efficacy of team members. People-oriented behaviors that are especially relevant for effective leadership are supporting, developing, and recognizing.
Supporting includes showing consideration, acceptance, and trust in each team member as an individual, and being responsive to their needs and feelings. Students who climb with supportive leaders will be more satisfied with their leader and their climb. Supporting behaviors are:
> Be polite and considerate, not superior, arrogant, or rude.
> Show acceptance and positive regard for each team members abilities.
> Treat each team member as an individual.
> Be patient and helpful when giving instruction.
> Provide sympathy and support when the team member is anxious, afraid, or frustrated.
> Express confidence in the team members when there is a difficult task such as a hard climbing move or a threatening situation.
> Provide assistance as needed.
Developing includes coaching to increase team members' skill and confidence. The leader gains a sense of satisfaction from developing less experienced team members. Developing behaviors include:
> Serve as a role model by demonstrating the appropriate behavior.
> Decide when to intervene, and when to allow team members to learn from experience.
> Provide opportunities to learn from experience.
> Help each team member learn how to solve a problem rather than just providing the answer.
> Assist each team member identify relevant strengths and weaknesses.
> Provide constructive feedback about effective and ineffective behaviors.
> Suggest specific things that could improve each climber's performance.
> Demonstrate a better way to complete a task.
> Express confidence the team members can learn to execute the task.
> At the end of the day, have a team debriefing (if the situation permits).
Recognizing the individual team member and the entire team for their accomplishment is a very important aspect in helping new climbers strive to reach their full potential. It is natural for people who successfully embark on a new experience, to want to be praised for it. Recognizing behaviors involve:
> Recognize a team member's successful task execution, or fear management.
> Recognize commendable efforts that failed.
> Provide recognition that is sincere and timely.
> Buy them some beer and pizza at the Front Porch.
Everybody feels a little happier when being recognized. Articulating praise for team members' individual, and for the entire team's collective achievements, is a source of joy and pride for the leader.
In summary, the effective leader of multi-pitch trad teams will strive to be high-high, or 9,9, on both dimensions of the Managerial Grid: task and people. Task orientation is my passion. I love a well thought-out and structured climbing venture. People orientation is my compassion. I feel deeply concerned about every aspect of the safety and well-being of my team members. I am proud when my team members gain self efficacy, the belief in their own ability, from a climb with me. I greatly enjoy when a sense of team spirit develops. I like to see happy faces and proud postures at the end of the day. And I love it best when I see my former students out there again on the rock.
*Much of the writing on leader behavior in this entry was taken, with only slight adaptation, from the following book: Gary Yukl, “Leadership in Organizations”, 2006, 6th edition, Pearson Prentice Hall.
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