reach for the summit
Navigate Change. Build Trust. Lead Through Uncertainty.
Reach for the Summit is an immersive team building simulation that challenges teams to navigate complex decision-making, adapt to changing conditions, and practice the Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team—all set against the backdrop of climbing New Zealand’s Mount Cook.
Through high-quality video footage drawn from real expedition experiences, participants step into the role of mountaineers summiting peaks in New Zealand’s Southern Alps. Your group divides into multiple teams, each tasked with reaching their chosen summit within a fixed timeframe and budget.
Like the real world, success depends on awareness, adaptability, and sound judgment under pressure. Teams must balance personal goals with team objectives, manage limited resources, make strategic decisions with incomplete information, and adapt as conditions rapidly change.
How It Works:
At each decision point, teams choose between two possible paths—like a choose-your-own-adventure where every choice shapes what happens next. Teams can purchase additional insights to inform decisions, but resources are constrained. This creates pressure to align quickly, communicate clearly, and commit to direction despite uncertainty.
how reach for the summit works
what teams practice…
Commitment – Align on direction and commit fully despite incomplete information
Accountability – Hold one another accountable to team agreements and shared goals
Results Focus – Balance individual objectives with collective success
Building Trust – Establish vulnerability-based trust and guiding principles under pressure
Productive Conflict – Navigate disagreements and diverse perspectives to reach sound decisions
why reach for the summit works…
✔ Immersive video experience brings the mountain environment to life
✔ Real-time decision-making mirrors workplace complexity and pressure
✔ Consequences of choices create immediate learning opportunities
✔ Flexible delivery: single session or multiple sessions to fit your schedule
✔ Integrates seamlessly with Five Behaviors workshop or stands alone
✔ Develops practical skills for navigating change, complexity, and uncertainty
who benefits
Reach for the Summit is designed for teams who must perform together when the stakes are high and the path forward isn’t always clear. Leadership teams, project teams navigating significant change, and organizations managing ongoing uncertainty all benefit from the experience. Participants are placed in realistic, high-pressure scenarios where success depends on shared purpose, trust, and the ability to align quickly. Teams strive to summit together—or gain powerful insight into how collaboration, communication, and leadership truly show up when it matters most.
The experience is particularly impactful for executive leadership teams and managers who face complex, high-consequence decisions every day. Reach for the Summit sharpens decision-making under pressure, strengthens adaptability, and surfaces real dynamics around accountability and influence. Teams developing the Five Behaviors skills—trust, healthy conflict, commitment, accountability, and results—will see those concepts come alive in a way that is tangible, memorable, and immediately applicable back on the job.
Ultimately, Reach for the Summit benefits any group that needs to move faster, think clearer, and lead more effectively together. By confronting uncertainty as a team, participants build confidence in one another and leave with practical lessons that transfer directly to real-world challenges—long after the climb is over.
clients who have reached the summit
frequently asked…
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Reach for the Summit is incredibly versatile! It can be delivered in-person or virtually. It can also be divided into multiple shorter sessions for demanding agendas. Contact us today to learn more about designs that meet your needs!
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Reach for the Summit is designed for any team size. Groups as small as 5 or up to 1000 have had successful experiences!
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Reach for the Summit is an immersive video-based experience. In-person delivery requires a conference room with video and audio projection.
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Reach for the Summit is flexible in design with sessions ranging from as little as 1-hour to full-day expeditions. The design can also be delivered over multiple sessions.