What do a rock climber dangling 1,000 feet in the air and a CEO running a Monday morning meeting have in common? If they don't close the loop on communication, things go south fast. In this episode, we swap the boardroom for the basecamp to explore what high-stakes rock climbing can teach us about leadership, communication, and trust. We dive deep into the concept of "Closed Loop Communication" and why the habits of High Reliability Organizations (like aviation and military units) are crucial for your team—even if no one is hanging off a cliff.   Tune in to learn: The Intelligence Paradox: Why your high IQ might be blinding you to your own mistakes. Communication - Mountain Mode vs. Camp Mode: Knowing when to focus on action and when it’s okay to debrief. The Power of Small Talk: Why spending 5 minutes "shooting the breeze" is efficient, not wasteful. The Contrast Principle: How doing hard things in the wild builds resilience for office stress. Power of Checklist: Why surgeons and pilots use checklists, and why you aren't above them. Timestamps: (01:14) What is Closed Loop Communication? (The Belayer Example). (04:50) "Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast." (12:41) Why intelligent people struggle with confirmation bias. (14:24) Mountain Talk vs. Camp Talk: When to focus on action vs debrief. (17:20) Why small talk is actually "motivational fuel." (21:35) The Contrast Principle: Using adventure to reframe stress. (23:13) Question-Substitution: Are you subconsciously answering the wrong question?