Jeb Corliss is arguably one of the world’s best BASE jumpers still alive. I recently read his autobiography, Memoirs from the Edge, which discusses his philosophy and many of his more epic jumps. Jeb Corliss’ life offers some powerful lessons in risk management. I propose that we in the business world learn from him how to approach risk and succeed.
- Mastery is essential.
“You can’t dabble in extreme sports and survive.”
When you’re jumping off of bridges, you don’t dabble. Corliss spent hundreds of hours understanding aerodynamics, body control, jump conditions, and studying the success and failure of others.
Application: You can’t dabble in futures. Futures trading is not for the faint of heart. Risk management is fundamental to minimizing potential losses from the uncertainties in futures trading. Similarly, risk management and domain expertise are essential to managing risk intelligently.
- Recon is irreplaceable.
“The most important part of any jump is the preparation. If I haven’t done extensive recon, I don’t jump.”
In his book, Corliss describes how he does exhaustive reconnaissance before every jump. In some cases, it was years before conditions, equipment, experience, and body were ready. He tries to leave nothing to chance. When you think of it, though, it is an odd thing to say about risk. Watch one of his proximity flights where he jumps from a helicopter and follows a mountain ridge in a wingsuit. He says he prepared for that jump for 12 or 13 years.
Application: Effective planning is key. Understanding every aspect of a project is essential to its success. Corliss’ recon would be equivalent to market research, feasibility studies, and contingency planning.
- Risk is inherent.
“Risk will never go away, but my job is to understand it so well that I can push it to the smallest margin possible.”
When you jump off a 1500-foot antenna, there’s no escaping risk. Interestingly, one of the risks Corliss needs to manage is his own fear. He’s not fearless, but he’s learned to manage it so it doesn’t own him.
Application: In the corporate world, risk is unavoidable. Granted, unless our business is bomb diffusion, it may not be life or death. In business, the emotion of fear is the equivalent of paralysis. We get stuck in the analysis phase and are unable to make a decision. Risks should be seen as challenges to be overcome rather than obstacles to be feared.
- Approach challenges incrementally
“I started with the basics, jumping from planes at high altitudes before I ever approached a cliff.”
Corliss didn’t start by jumping off of buildings. His path started on the ground, progressed to parachuting, then jumps that had been completed successfully by others. At times, he was impatient, but he knew that it was the only way to be the first human being to fly through a mountain with a wingsuit.
Application: This sounds a lot like a practical phased approach to a project. Corliss practiced agile development with constant testing and improvement. The application is clear – baby steps.
- Calculated risk is not recklessness
“Jumping blindly isn’t courage—it’s stupidity. Real courage is knowing the risks and making the decision anyway because you believe in your training and preparation.”
Corliss would swear that he’s not reckless. Recklessness is acting without understanding the repercussions. Calculated risk is based on research, expertise, and the confidence that you’ve prepared adequately.
Application: Recklessness can lead to catastrophic failure. In business, managers must ensure that decisions are backed by research, analysis, data, and rational probability assessments. Risk is part of growth. Greater risk can lead to greater reward.
- Avoid complacency
“Every successful jump is dangerous because it gives you confidence—and confidence can lead to complacency.”
Corliss considered every jump – whether from a Building, Antenna, Span, or the Earth – an opportunity to reinforce best practices, push himself, and get incrementally better. Constant success, or even success in the face of overwhelming odds, can lead to a false sense of security or complacency.
Application: There are no shortcuts to success. Every jump or project must be approached with the same careful approach regardless of how often it’s been done. History is littered with the carcasses of businesses that sat on their success and failed to continue to innovate. The moment you stop respecting risks is when they catch up with you.
- Find the sweet spot
“I don’t eliminate risk. I find a sweet spot where the risk is manageable and the reward is worth it.”
Corliss is the first to tell you that it is impossible to eliminate all risks. For him, the balance was finding a “project” that provided sufficient adrenaline and being on the right side of survivability.
Application: This is the biggest message here. Businesses must determine their own risk tolerance and align it with their strategic goals. The sweet spot is balancing potential risk with potential reward. Every person’s (and every business’) risk tolerance is different. No risk can lead to missed opportunities and stagnation.
Memoirs is not a business book but provides many valuable lessons from someone on the edge. In the business world, the adrenaline is different. The “jump” is the new product launch, innovating through a pandemic and implementing a new security policy.
Stay balanced, my friend, and learn from someone who has lived to tell the story. You can’t be successful without taking risks.
