Jade Lee - What My Sherpa Taught Me About Teams: A guide to engagement at work

First published in 2022 by Jade Lee

Jade Lee 2022

The moral rights of the author have been asserted

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (for example, a fair dealing for the purposes of study, research, criticism or review), no part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, communicated or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission.

All inquiries should be made to the author.

A catalogue entry for this book is available from the National Library of Australia.

ISBN: 978-1-922553-97-3

Project management and text design by Publish Central
Cover design by Pipeline Design

Disclaimer: The material in this publication is of the nature of general comment only, and does not represent professional advice. It is not intended to provide specific guidance for particular circumstances and it should not be relied on as the basis for any decision to take action or not take action on any matter which it covers. Readers should obtain professional advice where appropriate, before making any such decision. To the maximum extent permitted by law, the author and publisher disclaim all responsibility and liability to any person, arising directly or indirectly from any person taking or not taking action based on the information in this publication.

Front cover photo from left to right

Lauren Heatley McNeil, Matt McNeil (The Texans), Sijan Dahal (Turbo he was one quick Sherpa), Drea Sandimaier (The Canadian), Gobinda Dhakal, Jade Lee. Photo credit: Tej Puri.

Inside cover photo

Jade Lee and Gobinda Dhakal. Photo credit: a random trekker on the Annapurna Circuit.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thank you to those who believed in this project and supported me in its success.

To everyone I have worked with over the years, you have all in your own way contributed to this work.

The 5am club what an effort thanks for waking up and co-writing with me to make this a reality.

To Christina Joy, Monique Richardson, Mark Butler, Shane Williams, Katie Rees, Sophie Kratz, Alan Hesketh, Isabella Alan, Joanne Flinn, Lisa Gerber, Colleen Creighton, Christine Yip your support was essential and I could not have done it without you all!

To all of my advanced readers Zo Routh, Glenn Azar, Alyssa Azar, Karen Graham, Kate Silverback, Karen Zalewski, Kim Shepherd, Arieta Gavriniotis, Kate Hill, Karin Eden, Bronwen Galpin and Kate Rowland I appreciate the effort and feedback.

To my editor Michael Hanrahan and Anna Clemann from Publish Central thanks for walking through this process with me and all the guidance and belief.

To all my clients past, present and future, I thank you for trusting me to work with your teams and improve their fulfilment at work.

PRAISE FOR WHAT MY SHERPA TAUGHT ME ABOUT TEAMS

Leadership is more than the destination; its always about how we journey together. In this lovely, well-researched book, Jade Lee shares poignant personal insights on how we might achieve the humility and care embodied in some of the most remarkable humans, Sherpas.

Zo Routh Leadership Expert and author of 2020 Business Book of the Year People Stuff

As someone who has experienced the collaborative culture of the Sherpa when it comes the climbing in the Himalaya, its refreshing to see a book which translates these lessons into everyday life advice for those of us in the Western world. There are so many lessons from these amazing humans and Jade captures that perfectly. A highly recommended read for anyone aiming to be the best version of themselves and to be a contributor within their own teams.

Alyssa Azar Double Everest summiteer (2016 and 2018).

Youngest woman to summit Mt Everest from both the North and South Routes

What my Sherpa Taught me About Teams provides pragmatic insights to leadership and engagement. Through lived experiences and observations, including a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Everest Base Camp, this practical and entertaining book reveals important lessons, many of which have both professional and personal application. I for one will try to remember to live in the journey!

Karin Eden Group Human Resources Manager

Engaging storytelling combined with powerful insights. This is the perfect book for anyone involved in developing high-performing teams or who wants to create a career they love.

Jen Brown High Performance Coach and host of the Sparta Chicks podcast

The wisdom of a Sherpa goes a long way to combatting burnout. Jade Lee sums this up really well in her new book.

Mark Butler Mental Health Strategist and international Amazon bestselling author of What the Hell Do We Do Now?

What a wonderful book! An entertaining yet informative take on employee engagement with a clear and profound analogy to describe the various levels of engagement. As an HR professional who has worked in many different organisations, aiming to increase engagement is always a priority and I will absolutely be referring to this book going forward.

Karen Zalewski People and Culture Business Partner

This book combines vital elements of being a good human with the importance of collaboration to achieve any team goal. Jade encapsulated the essence of the Sherpa and translates their strengths to our modern world. The lessons in this book will help any team member get greater engagement from their work.

Glenn Azar Founder of the Building Better Humans Project, podcast host, inspirational speaker and adventure leader

Thanks for bringing your valuable lessons about leadership together with the wisdom of north-east Nepal. I love the use of the mantras! If theres a mountain in an organisation that needs to be climbed, this is undoubtedly the how-to guide.

Shane Williams Technology Leadership Expert and host of The Platform Diaries podcast

A refreshing and thoughtful read on the corporate environment full of first-world problems, viewed through a Sherpas fresh eyes, clean heart and patient disposition. Incorporating concepts from this book would certainly improve an organisations value proposition to their employees.

Karen Graham Senior Talent Acquisition Advisor

What my Sherpa Taught Me about Teams was a lot of fun! With more people working from home than ever before, its critical to know how to establish and sustain engaged, connected teams. So many leadership books are pure theory, but I found this to be both thought-provoking and practical. Im excited to put some of the ideas and suggestions provided into practice; this is a book I would recommend to leaders who want to increase team engagement and create genuine connections.

Kate Silverback Head of People and Culture