PUBLIC RELATIONS AND MOUNTAIN CLIMBING

I've been climbing mountains since my early-twenties. In the Alps, in the Rockies, in the Smokies. And I've learned some great business lessons from my passion for mountain-climbing. These lessons have served me well, both as a senior executive for large corporations, and, now, as owner of my own PR/Marketing practice.

A few of the lessons I've learned...

1) Even the longest of journeys starts with a single step. And you have no chance of achieving your goal unless you have the courage to take that first step.

2) A lot of small steps add up to a big distance.

3) You must always keep your eye on the summit of the mountain (your goal). But you must also keep concentrating on your next step, as well; accidents can happen otherwise.

4) When an obstacle appears insurmountable, you must figure out a way around it. Or you won't reach your goal.

5) The climb ahead is not always what it seems. The most ominous-looking route up a mountain may turn out to be the best. And the most innocuous-looking route may turn out to be the one loaded with traps. You have to THINK, and to ANTICIPATE.

6) Beware of "false summits"...places that, when viewed from below during your ascent, appear to be the summit of the mountain, but actually aren't. The real summit could be obscured by weather, by rock, etc.

7) Mountains are filled with bears. With mountain lions. With snakes. With rock that appears sturdy but can give way. And with sudden, violent weather outbursts. So, too, business is filled with often-unseen traps. Have a crisis plan in place. And go over it beforehand...so that when the unexpected crisis does hit (as it most assuredly will), you'll know how to react.

8) Always be aware of your environment. There could be a lot of threats that you may not be able to see.

9) You're capable of more than you think. When you think you can't breathe anymore, when your muscles are screaming with pain, when you think you can't take another step...guess what? You can!

10) When you finally reach the summit of a high peak, don’t celebrate for too long. Experienced climbers know that, at those altitudes, the weather can change very quickly - generally for the worst. And they know, too, that the journey's actually only half over - you've still got to make your descent. The same is true of achieving your business goal. Don't celebrate for too long...because there's always another mountain to climb.

11) From 16,000 feet, you can see everything. If you look.

Wow…now I'm even more excited about my upcoming climbing trip to the Great Smokies!

Steve Winston
President, WINSTON COMMUNICATIONS
(954) 575-4089
steve@winstoncommunications.com
www.winstoncommunications.com