Naked at The Knife-Edge, Vivian James Rigney’s compelling and often harrowing true account of summiting Everest, offers a unique window into lessons on leadership and what it takes to succeed in any circumstance.
Only a relatively small group of individuals has climbed the highest peak on each of the planet’s seven continents. Known as the Seven Summits, it is a feat that typically takes years and an enormous amount of planning, training, and effort, in some of the most inaccessible places on earth. But Vivian James Rigney was determined to do just that.
An executive coach and globally recognized authority on leadership and teamwork in business, Rigney relied on skills learned in the corporate world in addition to physical training to attempt these summits. Everest, his seventh and final peak, almost broke him. There, he and his team confronted wild storms lasting for days, near-vertical walls of ice, and a knife-edge ridge with fatal drops on either side. They endured avalanches, sub-zero temperatures, and tragedy unfolding around them. The roller coaster of pain, self-reflection, questioning, and above all, loneliness left Rigney with ego in tatters. It was then he discovered an awakening of what real purpose and legacy actually is.
This unique and powerful journey reveals critical wisdom for individuals and leaders in any circumstance, including how to:
“The hardest challenge for leaders is stripping away the distracting inner noise of our own foolishness. Vivian’s episode is a lesson for us all. It speaks to how to go up and down the mountains of our lives safely—setting pride to the side and leaning forward on curiosity and trust. Even more, it creates space to think about why we climb in the first place, and how we can climb together.”
“As Vivian surmounts Mount Everest with captivating detail, he shows what it means to be a complex human being, full of inner demons, childlike wonder, grit, and doubt. He reminds us how the personal and professional are completely entwined. He models a modern leadership style fueled by vulnerability, humility, intuition, and compassion.”
“One of Vivian’s greatest talents as a coach is helping you understand your true core as a leader—confronting your vulnerabilities, celebrating your strengths, and emerging stronger. Vivian’s story of summiting the highest mountain offers profound lessons for all of us in our constant quest to simply be the best we can be.”
“Vivian raises critical insights needed for today’s leaders to succeed in an ever-changing environment. Through life and death situations, he illustrates the importance of being decisive while trusting your intuition. A great read.”
