73: How Avalanche Rescue Taught Me to Lead Calmly in Crisis | Leadership Lessons for CTOs
The CTO PlaybookShow Notes
What if your calmest moment showed up in the middle of a crisis?
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I'm joined by Caroline Elliott, who has made life and death calls in avalanche rescue and now brings that same rescue mindset into high pressure corporate teams. She trained in mountain rescue as a ski patroller, then joined an elite unit in France as a dog handler working avalanches, rubble, gas explosions, and large area searches. In this episode, I pull her mountain stories into the world of tech leadership so you can see what avalanche work can teach us about leading under pressure. We get into what happens to your body when a crisis hits and your team reads every signal you send. I want you to notice how a brief reset and calm language can turn spikes of stress into something you can grow from. And you'll see why staying just a little calmer than the room can change everything when the pressure hits.
You’ll Learn:
[00:00] Introduction [04:12] Why the body’s first response to crisis can shut down your ability to think clearly [09:47] How a three-second reset changes the entire tone of a high-pressure moment [14:58] The reason stress spreads through a team faster than any words you say [21:36] What happens when leaders use calm language to anchor people who are already overwhelmed [27:44] How a simple breathing sound becomes a reliable reset for staying functional under pressure [33:51] A dog’s reaction in avalanche rescue reveals how humans read stress signals from leaders [39:22] The surprising link between positive reinforcement and team performance when stakes are high [46:05] What shifts inside a team when leaders stay just slightly calmer than the room [51:10] Why caring for your people becomes the deciding factor in whether they’ll stay through hard seasons
Resources Mentioned:
Fjord’s Mountain Mission: Avalanche Safety Children’s Book by Caroline Elliott | Book
You can connect with Caroline on Instagram or through her website here, where she is happy to do an intro call to discuss how she can help your team.
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