Weekly Insights

Glatt Consulting Weekly: The 18,000-Foot Baseline and True Identity

I'm back from the Himalayas! This week, I'm sharing lessons on risk from Everest Base Camp, the Q1 2026 HealthScore data, and why leaning into your true identity is your best strategic anchor.

It has been a little while since our last update! If you’ve been wondering where I’ve been, the answer is: a little bit of everywhere.

I spent the majority of May in the Himalayas, successfully trekking to Everest Base Camp. Since returning stateside, I hit the ground running with back-to-back client visits across Maryland, Texas, and New York.

I did manage to carve out a quick breather recently in Asheville, North Carolina, which included some white-water rafting on the French Broad River (which you can see in the header image of this post).

Stepping away from the daily grind and into these intense environments—whether it's the thin air of the Himalayas or the rapids of the French Broad—forces a certain clarity. It reminds you of the importance of leaning into who you really are. Your true identity, both as a person and as an organization, is what anchors you when the environment gets turbulent.

We have compiled quite a bit of research and writing over the last few weeks, all of which ties back to knowing your baseline.

The 18,000-Foot Baseline: Everest Base Camp and the Psychology of Risk

My time in the Himalayas wasn't just a physical challenge; it was a profound lesson in how we perceive, calculate, and manage risk. At 18,000 feet, the margin for error vanishes. The elements strip away the noise, and your baseline for what constitutes a "safe" decision fundamentally shifts.

In our featured post this week, I explore the parallels between the psychology of risk on the mountain and the risk tolerance we see at the board table. How do our personal biases, physical environments, and true identities shape our most critical strategic decisions?

More Timely Insights

While I was traveling, the data didn't stop. Here is our analysis of Q1 2026 HealthScore trends, plus a critical look at the NCUA's recent whistleblower notice.