"On The Edge" – an adventurer's guide to leadership
Global adventurer Alison Levine has skied to both the North and South Poles. She has climbed the highest peak on every continent, including Mt. Everest. And she did all of that on top of having three heart surgeries and a condition that puts her at extreme risk for frostbite.
Why did she do this and what did she get out of it?
She talked to the "CBS This Morning" co-hosts about her extreme experiences, which she wrote about in her new book, "On The Edge: The Art of High-Impact Leadership."
"I love mountains," Levine said. "I love being somewhere that’s very remote where you have to be able to get by with just the things that you can carry in your backpack. And I love the challenge of pushing yourself past the point of pain and suffering and realizing that you can keep going, even when you feel like you can’t take one more step."
Her physical accomplishments are not her only monumental achievements. She also has an MBA from Duke University; has worked at Goldman Sachs; and rose to the top of the corporate ladder.
She relates the extreme outdoor environments she's taken part in to the challenges faced in the business world.
"First, I think it’s a mistake to rely on executives for leadership or people that have certain titles or a certain amount of tenure," Levine said. "I think people realize everyone’s in a leadership position. And leadership shouldn’t be left to an executive staff or board of directors or heads of a department."
She went on to talk about how when leadership is everyone's responsibility, the rest of the team helps the mission move forward in the event of problems – whether it's in the office, or in the field.
"And each time," she said, "I think you gain more skill and more confidence to know that you can take on more and more challenging peaks."
To watch the full interview with Alison Levine, click on the video player above.