Hiking Experience

It was a definite change of scenery to be immersed in nature with lush greenery, crisp air, and ocean views instead of the normal classroom scene. I liked that this experience was a chance to interact with my colleagues and learn who they are on a personal level subsequent to grading their three-minute stories the previous Fridays. From this hiking experience, I learned the value of teamwork, effective communication, and what encompasses wholesome leadership as well as what can transpire when there is no leadership.
As like all experiences, there are some parts I cherished and others not as much. I liked that our class stuck together till the end because I heard that a class from a previous quarter had split into two groups during the hike, …show more content…
I think it is a common misconception to assume that being a leader means being at the front of the line. Leadership came from the back of the group when a voice would remind the back-end to try to keep up with the pack. For the middle section of the group, it meant being the person who called on the front group to slow down while also making sure the back of the group was keeping up. Leaders at the back prompted their end to keep up with the entire group. As for seeing the development of leadership throughout the hike, there were certain points in the hike that I filled in both the leader and follower …show more content…
Towards the middle of the hike, I had been chatting with some colleagues and because I was so engrossed in the conversation, I hadn’t notice the massive mud puddle ahead of us so I stepped right onto it. I quickly informed the people behind me that there was a large mud puddle ahead in order for them to avoid it in time unlike me who stepped on the puddle. I felt influential when I took on the act to warn them because shortly after, the people behind me expressed their gratitude and I was glad I was able to make a small difference on how the hike was for them. I personally believed that when I followed up with my colleague Alley, I had exhibited an act of leadership. Knowing that Alley had a knee problem from her presentation prompted me to check up on her and I am proud that I did because I feel that leaders should make a priority to learn who is on the team and actively checks-up on how they are doing. Moreover, as a leader I also filled the role of a