National Outdoor Leadership School Experience Essay (Article)

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Self-reflection paper: An outdoor leadership experience

My recent outdoor experience was significant to me in the sense that it formed a platform for learning about leadership. Our outdoor activity is comprised of a team of fifty students. We took a trip to Australia to study and observe its unique national culture and characteristics. Besides, we were also to learn about the various approaches and attitudes for preparations required by an outdoor leader. Our patron divided us into five groups of ten people each with a leader and with different tasks involving adventurous activities and outdoor pursuits.

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Being a leader in one of the groups, we were informed that a leader should be in charge of his or her group and is also expected to influence members to be creative, work towards set objectives, and mutually share common goals. One of the positive aspects of the outdoor experience was being in charge of a team. As an outdoor leader, I was expected to be active in providing care, supervising, instructing, and organizing my group.

Our outdoor activities in the adventure were varied and included canoeing, rafting, kayaking, bicycle touring, spelunking, orienteering, and mountaineering as well as rock climbing and backpacking. It is worth mentioning that the outdoor activities we involved ourselves in did not include motorized activities like the use of powerboats, motorcycles, or even snowmobiling. The interesting part of the outdoor experience was that every action and outdoor pursuit was aimed at developing our abilities in solving sociological, psychological, and physiological problems.

The negative part of the outdoor experience included environmental damages, negative memories, and frequent accidents that came from the various activities we carried out. One of the lessons that I learned from the experience was that any outdoor pursuit requires adequate preparation. To avoid and overcome various challenges, there is a need for team members and especially team leaders to be provided with sufficient education on outdoor leadership. Besides, since an outdoor adventure may involve going to complex locations, team leaders must be adequately prepared.

2 The person who has influenced you more

One of the most influential outdoor leaders that I admire most is Rick Rochelle of the National Outdoor Leadership School. In his outdoor leadership, he emphasizes teamwork and cooperation, especially during outdoor pursuits. Since most outdoor adventures are conducted through teams, Rick pointed out that cooperation is critical as it gives a leader an easy time. Besides, it is an important strategy aimed at increasing the ability of group members to learn from each other and contribute more openly.

In his outdoor leadership, he allowed his team members to bring ideas and make more contributions to the various activities and tasks that were to be carried out. At all levels of outdoor activities, Rick’s leadership was exemplary in the manner in which he promoted the use of teams and maintained a decentralized model of leadership to promote cooperation.

What motivates me in my leadership is how outdoor leaders like Rick cultivate a dynamic culture that fosters greater cooperation and articulate communication. What Rick has done in his outdoor leadership is that he has created a strong cooperative framework through various ideas and views flow with ease.

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How it is important to me and my chosen profession

In my career, outdoor leadership is important since it is a learning platform where leadership qualities are developed. Through it, I have learned the importance of making preparations. One such area is in group preparation. Before any trip, I have come to realize that there is a need to conduct pre-trip practices. These include clarifying reasons for a trip, orienting a group, and giving guidelines. The importance of preparation in my profession is because we will be working in teams. Just as a leader can effectively carry out tasks, team workers are also able to succeed when they are fully informed. Moreover, since I will be a seasoned outdoor leader, the importance of learning about outdoor leadership will aid in monitoring all progress by evaluating and making important decisions.

My leadership experiences

The ability of a leader to take a firm stand about solving organizational issues and providing direction play a key role in influencing change. Also, it demonstrates a strong leadership characteristic that attracts strong followership. One important factor that I enjoy about my leadership experience where I work as a manager is my effectiveness which is largely dependent on my strategy to achieve set objectives. I have learned to create organizational changes towards progress without raising confrontations or oppositions. As a talented leader, I have been concerned about the welfare of my employees and as such setup strategies on how to meet their needs. The achievement of the set strategies has been very profound and has ultimately resulted in total change and progress in my organization.

Reasons for being an outdoor leader

The reasons for being a leader is to provide members with direction, vision, and understanding of what is required of them to be successful. One of the many reasons why I want to be an outdoor leader is to empower my followers. This could be through providing resources and guidance as well as giving them enough room to exploit their talents and expand their abilities. Besides, in my leadership, I intend to strive to ensure that an emotionally and physically safe environment is maintained for my followers.

This can be achieved through ensuring that every team member makes a good judgment, sets organizational standards and physical safety. Some of the traits that I possess as a leader include being realistic, consistent, fair, caring, and courageous as well as a good communicator.

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IvyPanda. (2021) 'National Outdoor Leadership School Experience'. 21 January.

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IvyPanda. 2021. "National Outdoor Leadership School Experience." January 21, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/national-outdoor-leadership-school-experience/.

1. IvyPanda. "National Outdoor Leadership School Experience." January 21, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/national-outdoor-leadership-school-experience/.


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IvyPanda. "National Outdoor Leadership School Experience." January 21, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/national-outdoor-leadership-school-experience/.

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