Black & Veatch

At Black & Veatch, Mike Elenbaas and other employee-owners devote their days to helping clients tackle massive challenges: Modernizing power systems, strengthening water networks and building more resilient communities, just to name a few.

But when the workday ends, Elenbaas’ ambitions don’t stop. It often just shifts terrain, illustrated in his conquering thin air and glaciers in his 2023 and 2024 summits of 14,410-foot Mount Rainier and 10,781-foot Mount Baker — both active volcanoes — in Washington state.

Different mountains, same mindset that mirrors what the 111-year-old global infrastructure solutions leader always has championed and channeled: focus, preparation, collaboration and safety. Throw in work-life balance in such pursuits that test both body and mind, whether climbing a mountain or meeting an important client deadline.

Once Seattle-based Elenbaas committed to take on Rainier, weekends became filled with training hikes and other workouts, building stamina and muscle. Smaller summits became steppingstones to larger ones. Equipment was gathered and tested. Scenario plans were mapped out not just for the climb but for safety, logistics and contingencies.

This adventure with two other men wasn’t just about reaching the top but about building a team that could rely on each other in unpredictable conditions.

Leadership under pressure, on the line

On Rainier, preparation meets reality quickly: glaciers shift, weather changes and fatigue sets in. Hours of prepping included practicing rope systems, rehearsing rescue scenarios involving traversing seemingly bottomless crevasses, and walking through potential risks. Everyone knew their role and what to do if something went wrong.

At one point, something did.

Late in the descent during what became more than two days on the mountain, one of the climbers lost footing and began to tumble. It happened quickly — the kind of moment that can spiral for the unready. But Elenbaas and another climbing teammate reacted exactly as practiced: they dug in, leaned back and braced, firmly gripping the rope until it finally tightened and arrested the colleague’s slide, sparing injury — or worse.

Back at work, the parallels were hard to miss. Leading a project team carries similar responsibilities involving anticipated risks, preparation and the creation of an environment in which people trust each other under pressure.

‘Work hard, play hard.’ By design.

At employee-owned Black & Veatch, professionals consistently describe a culture that encourages camaraderie and hard work while recognizing the importance of stepping away. The work is demanding, and expectations are high. But so is the appreciation that people perform best when they have space to recharge and pursue what energizes them.

That lovely thing called work-life balance.

“We work hard during the week,” Elenbaas said. “But when the workday ends, you can focus on your family, your interests. Whatever matters to you.”