Everest Leadership Speech

A Whisper at Base Camp (Starting with Presence)

“Welcome to the Base Camp!” That’s what my heart whispered. It wasn’t a sigh of relief. It was a sigh of excitement, like something had just begun, not ended. There was no need to rest. There was only the urge to absorb, reflect, and rise higher.

Leadership begins with presence.

Sometimes, it’s not about achieving a goal. It’s about fully arriving in the moment.

Buzzing with Humanity (When Culture Meets Purpose)

The place buzzed with the energy of trekkers from around the world. People were hugging, some posing for pictures, and others just sat quietly on rocks, soaking it all in, as if trying to freeze the moment in their minds.

And I thought to myself: “This is what I traveled from Bahrain to experience.” It was worth it. Every single thing, the flights, the money spent, the aching legs, the steps, the stone villages, the roaring rivers, the dizzying ups and downs. It was worth the suspension bridges. The forests. The limited food choices. The countless Dal Bhat meals (Lentil with steamed rice). The first time I ever had garlic soup. Even the fact that I hadn’t had a warm shower in five days … I forgot all of that.

True leaders embrace discomfort because they know what’s on the other side: clarity, connection, and deep appreciation.

One Scroll, One Spark, One Yes (The Power of Decisiveness)

I’m always pushing my limits. Everest Base Camp felt like the perfect next challenge, physically and mentally. I’ve jumped from a skyscraper in Vegas. I’ve paraglided over the Alps. I’ve leapt out of a plane from 4,000 meters. But this… this was different.

And I remember exactly how the decision happened.

It was 16 January 2022. I saw a sponsored ad on Instagram that mentioned EBC. Without overthinking it, I said to myself, “Why not?”

That was it.

One scroll. One spark. One yes.

That’s how the journey began.

Leadership is often about saying “yes” before you have all the answers. Waiting for full certainty may mean you never move.

The Baggage You Don’t See (Leading Through Personal Complexity)

There are 8 billion people on this planet. I suspect the majority are carrying something, a weight, a wound, or a worry. I’m no exception.

The timing seemed perfect when I decided to go to Everest Base Camp. I had just received a good sum from a training assignment. And since I’m self-employed… I approved my own leave.

But let’s be real. I could’ve used that money to pay debts. To take care of pending responsibilities. I made a choice, a calculated gamble. And what a gamble it turned out to be.

I did carry baggage, in fact, a big load of it, both personal and professional. One of the biggest issues in my personal life back then is still unresolved to this very day, but I remain hopeful that this will be the year it’s resolved.

The lesson?

Baggage is part of life. You don’t wait to be free of it to start something new. You carry it, manage it, but you don’t let it clip your wings or chain your boots.

And I’m deeply thankful I went to EBC in 2022. But if I’m being honest … I wish I had done it in 2016 or 2017.

That expedition didn’t just change my calendar. It changed my life.

Great leaders don’t wait for ideal circumstances. They move forward with hope, even when their bags are full.

Folders of Faith (Planting the Seeds of Vision)

When I signed up for EBC, I saw it as a physical and mental challenge. I thought, let me go, experience it, and see what unfolds.

But being a speaker and an author, there was a little spark in the back of my mind. Maybe, just maybe, this could turn into something more. I had no plan, pitch, or outline, but I did something symbolic: I created a new folder on my laptop and labeled it Everest Speech. Inside it? A blank page. And then I created another folder: Everest Book.

I had no idea what would fill them. I just knew that the mountain might whisper something worth writing down.

Now, three years later, that whisper has turned into many voices.

I’m finalizing a new book titled Everest Inspiration. It will be a 5×5-inch book, just like my Axelerate series, with 101 photos of the tallest mountains in the world and 101 inspirational quotes to accompany them.

That “Everest Speech” folder?

It became a reality.

Since July 2022, I’ve delivered it across the Gulf in boardrooms, conferences, and auditoriums. Many more Everest projects are still in the pipeline.

Sometimes you don’t need a map.

Just a direction.

And the courage to hit “create folder.”

Leaders act on possibility, not certainty.

Even creating a blank folder can be a declaration of future value.

Follow the Laughter, Lead with Presence (Lessons from the Trail)

Two moments during the trek to Everest Base Camp truly tested me.

The first was on the trail from Phakding to Namche Bazaar. The elevation gain was around 800 meters, and it hit us hard. It wasn’t just the altitude. It was the slow, dragging incline that made you question your legs, your lungs, and your logic.

And I wasn’t alone.

My trekking partner during those moments was Hassan Yaqoub, from Bahrain.

What kept us going?

Two things: Breaks and laughter.

Hassan looked at me at many points and said, “Mohamed, I think we deserve a break.”

I never said no.

Likewise, I’d say, “Hassan, I think we deserve a break.”

And he never said no.

If you had seen the short distance between each break … you would have laughed at us. But remember, we’re from Bahrain, a country with zero mountains and landscapes flat enough for coffee to stay still in a moving car.

So, we laughed. We made jokes. We started recording funny Instagram Stories, and surprisingly, they became popular with our followers. From that day forward, I jokingly dubbed Hassan:

“The Conqueror of Mountains.” (And let me be honest, he’s totally not!)

We were also joined by Ashok, our porter.

He was a character, a mix of cheerleader, guide, and trickster.

I’m convinced porters are trained to lift the spirits of trekkers … and to fool them gently.

Every time we asked, “How much longer?”

He’d smile and say: “40 minutes.”

He repeated that… three or four times.

Then came: “30 minutes.”

Another three or four times.

Then 15. Then 5.

And that final 5 minutes?

It felt like a lifetime.

But we made it because of each other. Because of humor. And because of the unspoken agreement that every step was still forward, no matter how small or silly.

Leadership isn’t always about pushing ahead. It’s about knowing when to pause and helping others laugh through the struggle.

Mist, Fear, and Navigating the Unknown (Decision-Making Under Pressure)

The most unexpected emotion I experienced?

A quiet kind of fear. Not fear of heights. Not of falling. But I was lost and did not know if I was leading someone else the wrong way.

It happened on the misty trail from Tengboche to Dingboche, again with my trekking partner, Hassan Yaqoub.

That day, our group had naturally spread out along the trail, as often happens. Whether in front, middle, or tail, you eventually find your way to the same tea house. But on this day, a thick fog had settled in. The visibility was low. No network coverage. No trekkers to ask.

Hassan turned to me and asked:

“Are we on the right path?”

I remembered what our lead guide, Ganesh Bastola, had told me:

“You’ll cross a small steel bridge today.”

I saw it in the distance and pointed: “There it is.”

We crossed it and then met a Nepali lady who asked, “Dingboche? Dingbuche?”

She smiled, pointed up the trail, and confirmed it.

But soon after, the path grew confusing. What’s normally a single trail splintered into multiple tracks, and it became clear that if we took a wrong turn, even by a degree, we’d end up entirely elsewhere.

That’s when Hassan asked:

“What do we do now?”

I paused. And I said something that made him blink twice:
“Let’s follow the fresh yak droppings.”

He stared at me. “Are you a former scout?”

“No,” I laughed. “But this season, most yaks carry food and supplies between villages. If they’ve been this way, so must the next village.”

And we walked. Step by step. Dropping by dropping.
Until finally, we reached Dingboche.

We were number four and five in our group to arrive. But we had made it.

Hamad, Ahmed, Kawthar had already arrived. Mai, arrived shortly after us.

And we celebrated like all smart mountaineers do: with a warm cup of honey, ginger, and lemon tea.

Sometimes, the trail disappears.
And when it does, you follow instinct, humor, and a few well-placed yaks.

Leadership under uncertainty means taking confident steps even when the path isn’t visible. It’s about using what you have, logic, instincts, experience, and bringing someone else safely with you.

What’s Your Everest?

This is just the first half of the journey.
But before we continue, pause and ask yourself:

What’s your Everest?
Not the one on a map, but the one in your mind.
The challenge you’ve postponed.

The story you haven’t written.

The folder you haven’t yet created.

You don’t need to see the summit.
You just need to say yes to the first step.

In Part 2, I’ll take you beyond the physical trail, into moments of transformation, unfinished summits, and what it truly means to lead from the mountain within.

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First published in Peak Perspectives, Mohamed’s LinkedIn newsletter, Edition #4, May 13, 2025.