For over 25 years, Jeff Evans’ global experiences as a world-class mountaineer and guide have helped him master the skills of servant leadership, teamwork, communication and trust. His amazing adventures and challenges have given him the tools to become one of the most dynamic and inspirational speakers on the circuit today, delivering his message to tens of thousands of audience members and changing the way we approach our roles within our work and family environments.
Jeff reminds us that, in fact, that we are all guides in some capacity… professionally and personally. By utilizing real life stories, vivid images and thrilling video from his adventures as an expedition leader and guide around the globe, Jeff is able to extract the impactful themes that are applicable for every audience member and weave them into memorable, humorous, thought-provoking and paradigm-shifting keynotes.
Jeff’s skills have been acquired not only on the highest peaks around the world, but also through guiding blind climber Erik Weihenmayer on extraordinarily challenging objectives including the summit of Mt Everest and a 2nd place finish on ABC’s adventure series, Expedition Impossible. While filming the series Everest Air for the Travel Channel, Jeff served as the chief medic and team leader for the highest helicopter-based Search and
Rescue team in the world on the flanks of Mt Everest.
Also contributing to Jeff’s expertise are his experiences as the co-founder and Expedition Leader for the injured US veteran program, No Barriers Warriors as well as his time spent on the front lines in Iraq leading a team of emergency medics in their efforts to save the lives of injured soldiers and civilians.
He is the published author of MountainVision: Lessons Beyond the Summit, and is featured in the award-winning documentaries Farther Than the Eye Can See, Blindsight, and High Ground.
MountainVision: Lessons Beyond the Summit takes the audience on a journey to high peaks around the globe, detailing the meaningful and exciting endeavors of mountaineer and adventurer Jeff Evans. These experiences have allowed Jeff to hone his skills of teamwork, commitment, servant leadership and handling adversity which he shares in a way that is applicable to everyone in their business and personal lives.
The cornerstone of Jeff’s message, servant leadership is paramount for success in our professional as well as personal lives. Jeff points out that we are all guides, and it’s important that we lead from a place that is centered around fostering the success of others instead of focusing on our own personal accolades or summits. Nurturing your team (colleagues, clients or family) helps them identify their models of success and guides them up the route that optimizes their particular skillsets. Jeff describes the selfless attitude of the Sherpa as well as his role as the chief medic in Everest Air to convey the true nature of a Servant Leader.
Whether you are roped up in the mountains, or roped up in a business initiative, you will win together or lose together. Either way, your fate is inextricably connected to those on your team. Jeff has lead countless rope teams throughout his career and one thing always rings true… the “collective power of one” that comes from aligning with teammates can propel us forward. Keep in mind that whether you are leading the team from the front of the rope or bringing up the team at the end of the rope, if your rope team starts to plummet towards the edge of the cliff, it is unimportant who initiated the fall. In fact, you have no time to blame or finger point. You only have time to react and work together to bring that fall to a stop so you can begin climbing again together.
Jeff has honed his communication skills guiding his blind adventure partner, Erik on mountains, rocks and races all over the world for over 20 years. This partnership has been successful only because the two men have placed the highest level of trust in each other…where every step, jump and move matter. Jeff uses many of the situations he has encountered while guiding Erik across challenging terrain to illustrate the power and effectiveness of a “High Comms, High Trust” team.
Adversity is a part of any journey or objective. How we manifest our reaction to that adversity is what differentiates us as effective leaders and teammates. Throughout his keynotes, Jeff reflects back on the numerous events that have threatened to derail the final objective. Whether it’s redirecting and taking another route up the mountain or working to enhance the team dynamic, being an effective leader and guide requires constant reassessment of team health and situational awareness.
