Making sure he’s equipped with professional instincts such as preparation and anticipation Ian Broadbent takes to the mountains for a 24-hour climbing challenge
11 August 2006
This is the first time I have written a column in three different countries, but I’m currently attempting to climb the highest peaks in England, Scotland and Wales in just 24-hrs. As I write I am on a coach between Ben Nevis and Scafell Pike in the Lake District. I am leading 14 colleagues up and down the mountains to raise funds for a foundation set up for the children of a colleague tragically killed in the 7/7 bombings. The challenge is certainly a different to the one I face in my daily working life, but there are some similarities.
For example, the planning has been pretty important; making sure the appropriate transport has been available and the routes have been worked out – saving minutes on the road helps toward meeting our goal. Our caterers kindly sponsored the food for the journey up as well as snacks and drinks throughout but I also had to have some made locally for us to collect en route. I do a lot of climbing but leading a team is different, knowing all three mountain routes has been essential – I would win no friends getting the team lost.
Contingency is important though, just as in FM, the best laid plans can fail. My designated number two, who was ‘bringing up the rear’, injured her back during the ascent of Ben Nevis and was unable to continue in the role.
Motivating the team has been important too – how do you get 14 people to climb three mountains when their bodies are screaming that they should simply still be in bed. The cause is of course a poignant incentive but with a team’s ages ranging from early 20s to late 50s keeping everyone together and at the same speed has been tricky.
Making a difference is something I aim for with my teams and again this weekend I have tried to spice things up. Our workwear provider was persuaded to provide polo shirts free of charge and each one had an explanation of the challenge on the back as well as unique letter on the front. In the right order the team spelt ‘Hallmark Cards’ although getting them in to the right order was as hard as the climb itself.
At the end of the walk I have managed to cajole someone to meet us with a Buck’s Fizz breakfast and fresh bacon rolls. One of our artists is going to take a picture from the weekend and design a caricature of all the walkers as a souvenir of their efforts.
As is often the case as an FM, despite all the planning and contingencies something can happen that you could never plan for. On this occasion it was the coach company that we hired which let us down. En route to Snowdonia for the final leg the coach ran out of diesel. The hunt for a filling station cost us two hours. However, the team just saw this as an extra challenge and practically ran up Snowdon to make sure the 24-hour target was met
Well I must have done something right as a number of the walkers have already asked what next years challenge is – the six peaks incorporating Ireland and the Isle of Man seems to be favourite – but ill keep you posted on that one. All in all it’s been a fantastic weekend and we hope to have raised around £10k between the 14 of us. Not only that but it’s been a real team building event and a test of character, strength, fitness and stamina. I’m not suggesting that climbing the three peaks requires a qualification in FM but some of the similarities are uncanny.
Ian Broadbent is group facilities manager at Hallmark Cards
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