It was as if a bolt of lightning had hit my right hand; sharp pain shot through my nerves to the tips of my toes and the crown of my head simultaneously. I felt the intense intrusion of his canine teeth puncturing through my palm and thumb, plunging through like nails into softwood. Through the pain, I mustered the focus to utter a single command, "Hagler, Aut." The obedient soul he was, he let go instantaneously.

This was only one of four spots in the six-hour climb where I had to battle back fear to make the next move. It began with having to down-climb 4 feet to the traverse route. Down-climbing is the most difficult for me because I can't see footholds, and moving my body weight down the rock face makes it harder to stop my body's momentum.

The mountains are a powerful reminder of our insignificance in the face of nature. We leaders can learn from this humbling experience by recognizing our stumbles and allowing humility and self-awareness to drive us toward authenticity and growth.