Trekking Lessons

I didn’t really feel like I was too great at group contribution at the beginning of the trek as I was the slowest student on the team (hence my trail name, Dhili, meaning slow). I doubted my physical abilities at first and did not feel I made a big impact on the group as I was one of the more quiet individuals. However, after talking to my tent mates, Ramsey and Anita, I realized I made more of an impact on the team than I initially realized. On the day when it was absolutely pouring rain and most of the team hid in their tents until it passed, I spent a while making warm quesadillas for everyone on the team, including our guides and the two local Himalayan trekkers that spent most of the journey with us. I did not realize that this made an impact on people until Vipul brought it up in my personal meeting and my tent mates brought it up as well in my moments of self doubt. I kept making the excuse “Well, I didn’t mind the rain and I wanted to be near the stove to stay warm” but my guide and my tent mates said that I was undermining my own strengths and I was attempting to minimize the impact I had on people. I want to be more self aware of the positive impacts I have on people as it is common for me to doubt myself. What I am good at may not be what I want to be good at or may be something that is not most impactful for the team, but I have to acknowledge my strengths, no matter how small. Possibly my love language is acts of service :).  I am not too great with my words, and have always felt that I did not have the vocabulary to accurately display my emotions, but I like to do small things through my actions so that people know that I care about them and their comfort. Little things that I don’t acknowledge do have an impact on the people around me and I need to address my strengths more than I do my weaknesses. Nobody was outwardly upset that I was slow or had to take more breaks, but I repeated in my head that they are probably annoyed with me. This was definitely something I instilled in myself and I need to trust the perspectives of people around me and focus on what they do acknowledge in me, even if they are small. 

Embarking on a trekking adventure is not merely about physical endurance or being the fastest and strongest in the group (thank goodness!). True leadership goes beyond those conventional expectations, as there are numerous ways to contribute and make a meaningful impact. I had unique skills such as cooking, camp setup, stove operation, and general good vibes ( 🙂 ) which played a crucial role in fostering a successful, enjoyable, and delicious journey. As the designated chef on some days, your leadership skills lie in providing nourishment, boosting morale, and creating a sense of camaraderie among the group. Additionally, camp setup and organization, such as pitching a tent properly, arranging sleeping bags, and organizing gear showcased my more meticulous side and facilitated an environment where my strong tent roomies could recharge and face the day with renewed energy (sometimes). It is difficult for me to write about myself or my growth, but I know I need to acknowledge what I am good at to see how I can best fit in a group of individuals. 

New Perspectives 

Embarking on a leadership trekking trip can offer a profound journey of self discovery and provide valuable insights into the dynamics of group leadership. As we navigated through challenging terrains, faced unexpected obstacles, and interacted with my fellow trekkers, I realized that designated leaders were not always the ones who hold the true influence. While our group achieved its goals, I couldn’t help but notice a sense of disconnection among some of the members. The realization highlighted the significance of building a strong interpersonal relationship in a team. Effective leadership goes beyond accomplishing tasks; it involves cultivating an environment of trust, empathy, and collaboration. By investing time in team-building activities, encouraging open dialogue, or fostering a supporting atmosphere, you can enhance a group’s cohesion, leading to a more satisfying and fulfilling experience for everyone involved. Maybe this is my more relationship-building Gallup leadership strengths, but I truly believe there is an alternative to reaching a common goal that doesn’t step on people’s toes. It is important to consider the well-being and happiness of all of the individuals involved, or the people that are discouraged will simply not listen to you as a leader anymore. People need to feel valued and motivated and empowered, or they may begin to fade into the background. I felt that on the trip. The group was so focused on quick, achievable goals that we did not truly take the time to get to know each other as a group. It all happened so fast. The only time we really looked each other in the eye to give our notes of appreciation, was when our boots were off at camp and our guides had posed questions about the day. I am sure that this all proves that we have some incredible leadership strengths in its own right during the event, but sometimes people would fail to know where others were coming from in those moments. Without the knowledge of their lives or their deeper personalities, it is quick and easy to judge people. I think my leadership strengths rely heavily on my relationship building aspect, which really damaged my ability to be one of the strongest leaders as we didn’t get the chance to do much of that at all on this trip. 

Leadership Improvements

One of the biggest things I need to continue growth even after this trip ends is REFLECTION! This trekking experience and our WAFA training happened so fast. We did not have much downtime, and when we did we usually had a specific question to mull over. I have not truly been able to look back on this trip, consider the challenges I faced, how I responded, and the lessons I learned. Sure we had blog posts, but most of the time we wrote them after long days a few hours before the deadlines. If you were to ask me what I truly learned, I don’t think I would be able to answer you until I go home and go back to my life in the front country. 

However, during my personal reflections with our guides, I found that I need to be more assertive in expressing my opinions, particularly when I am in opposition to the majority of the group. I would like to be able to confidently articulate my thoughts, ideas, and concerns, even when they different from the consensus. Maybe this is due to my lack of confidence or surplus of self doubt, but I would like to stand firm in my convictions that I feel are valuable to me. For example, during group reflections a lot of the group would be too tired to want to take a lesson from our guides, but I felt that this is what I looked most forward to in a day. I think that by failing to speak up, I am not cultivating any confidence in myself and I am not fostering an environment where diverse perspectives are valued and considered. What my instructors taught me was to look at the stakes when it comes to bringing up opposition. What do you lose if you don’t speak up? In this instance, I lost a valuable educational opportunity that I may not be able to get anywhere else. I need to learn how to speak up when the stakes are important to me.