07/04/2025
Pursuit of Excellence … or Pursuit of Attention?
HR Magazine spoke to veteran British adventurer and long-term Middle East resident Adrian Hayes, who is embarking on his second attempt to summit the world’s third-highest mountain, Mount Kanchenjunga (8,586m), in April and May 2025. Situated in the Himalayas on Nepal’s eastern border with Sikkim, India, the mountain is a formidable challenge even for seasoned climbers.
Adrian, a former British Army Gurkha Officer who speaks Nepalese and Arabic, has a deep-rooted connection with Nepal and high-altitude mountaineering. His adventurous resume includes summiting Everest and K2, trekking to both the North and South Poles, skiing the length of Greenland, and crossing the Arabian Desert by camel. Along the way, he has earned two Guinness World Records, authored two books, and featured in three documentaries to date. He noted, “Kanchenjunga is little known but is a monumental challenge. It is huge, steep, and technical, with the longest Base Camp to summit elevation of any mountain on Earth.” His first attempt in 2024 was cut short due to poor conditions, insufficient resources, and errors in judgment. A successful summit would place him among the few who have climbed the three highest mountains on Earth.
Drive Behind Extreme Adventures
Beyond the physical challenge, Hayes, a professional leadership, team and executive coach for 18 years, finds deeper meaning in his pursuits. He reflected, “Having been adventuring since the age of 17, before, during and after my Army service, it is fascinating to observe the changes in motivations today.” After stepping away from expeditionary work in 2017 to raise his teenage daughter, Hayes returned to the Himalayas two years ago. His insights into human motivation have only deepened since. “We take on these challenges primarily for one reason: the basic human need for significance,” he explained. “Many adventurers claim they climb to inspire others or to raise awareness for global causes or charities, but these are usually secondary motives. At the core, we do these things for our own significance.”
Read more: https://plainsailinghr.com/hr-news-archives/reaching-the-top/
