On Friday, I drove to Donegal with Paul Gleeson and a good friend, Tommy.
We were heading north for the first real test on the Dare to Explore expedition that Paul has planned. In June 2026 we will attempt to summit the seven highest peaks of North Africa (the Atlas Mountains) in seven days.
We knew Donegal would be tough. We had been briefed on all aspects of the trek from the distance and kit required.
We were mentally ready for a long day on the mountains. Thankfully it stayed dry. That is pretty much where the good news on the conditions starts and ends.
It was unbelievably difficult.
Fitness wise, I was in decent shape. But mentally and psychologically, it was a real eye opener.
We climbed a total of 2,100 metres over ten and a half hours, covering 24 kilometres across wet, boggy ground. For long stretches it felt like walking across a giant sponge of sludge. The pace was quick, the terrain was unforgiving and the day was long.
Our guide was Jason Black, one of the most respected mountaineers in the world. He is the sole surviving Irish climber to summit K2. He has climbed Everest many times. He’s a fantastic human being, I already feel privileged to know him.
He pushed us to our limit because he wanted us to understand what lies ahead next summer. Doing that type of elevation day after day for a week will be mentally and physically exhausting. The Atlas Mountains will at least give us firmer ground underfoot, but they will also give us heat, altitude and dehydration risks. A few of the summits take us well above 4,000 metres.
However, what stands out most for me from the experience so far is not the difficulty. And this was as mentally tough as any marathon I’ve run.
It was the sense of the challenge ahead and the growth required to meet it – not just for me, but for all of us.
The commitment. The unified ambition. The teamship.
Our group became a team so quickly and effectively. It didn’t just make sense to do so, we wanted it.
We were called out early by Jason (before we set foot on the mountain) for thinking and behaving in silos.
Lesson learned. Thereafter, we pulled together, supported each other and communicated effectively in the dark, exposed environment.
As a coach, I felt privileged to witness it and be part of it. It reminded me that cohesion is not soft. It is powerful. It is a multiplier. It is sometimes hard to measure, but that does not make it any less valuable than skills or experience.
So here is my question for you this week:
How can you cultivate that same sense of teamship, camaraderie and shared support in the work you are doing now?
You don’t need to be on a mountain in the dark, it’s a choice. A sensible one. And most probably, desired by all.
How can you help your team not just survive the journey ahead, but genuinely thrive through it?