The quiet. The beauty. The team dynamics. This is what dog sledding means to me.
I've been a member of my dog sled team since I was young and bungee-corded to the seat of the sled with my Dad at the controls. While my classmates were playing with toys, I was learning to manage our sled dogs and the environment. I would never guess that this experience would teach me the skills that I value most.
My dogs taught me that we are only as strong as the weakest member of our team. Everyone has to do their part in order to accomplish the team's goal. When a member of the team struggles, another member has to compensate in order to be successful. For me, this concept holds true in a lab experiment, a family trip, or a service project.
While teamwork is essential, each individual role is also important. Tusk, my lead dog, has an internal GPS that allows us to find our way. He taught me to watch our surroundings carefully and to pay attention to important details. I use similar skills when I …show more content…
When I managed workers at my summer job, I was the one who pulled the support team along and understood what needed to be done. When I volunteered to paint houses last summer, I became the wheeler, doing all I could to get the task done. Finally, I have been in the driver's role where I have had total responsibility for a task. When I once worked on a physics project, I was responsible for defining what type of propulsion project we would undertake, assigning the tasks and ensuring that the project was successful.
When I break down all of the parts of the team and take a closer look, I realize I want to learn more. This is the reason I want to study Management in college. Through understanding how people (and dogs) work together, I want to improve my leadership skills and, at the same time, learn more about myself. I also look forward to finding other applications for my unique "outdoor education" in college and in my
I've been a member of my dog sled team since I was young and bungee-corded to the seat of the sled with my Dad at the controls. While my classmates were playing with toys, I was learning to manage our sled dogs and the environment. I would never guess that this experience would teach me the skills that I value most.
My dogs taught me that we are only as strong as the weakest member of our team. Everyone has to do their part in order to accomplish the team's goal. When a member of the team struggles, another member has to compensate in order to be successful. For me, this concept holds true in a lab experiment, a family trip, or a service project.
While teamwork is essential, each individual role is also important. Tusk, my lead dog, has an internal GPS that allows us to find our way. He taught me to watch our surroundings carefully and to pay attention to important details. I use similar skills when I …show more content…
When I managed workers at my summer job, I was the one who pulled the support team along and understood what needed to be done. When I volunteered to paint houses last summer, I became the wheeler, doing all I could to get the task done. Finally, I have been in the driver's role where I have had total responsibility for a task. When I once worked on a physics project, I was responsible for defining what type of propulsion project we would undertake, assigning the tasks and ensuring that the project was successful.
When I break down all of the parts of the team and take a closer look, I realize I want to learn more. This is the reason I want to study Management in college. Through understanding how people (and dogs) work together, I want to improve my leadership skills and, at the same time, learn more about myself. I also look forward to finding other applications for my unique "outdoor education" in college and in my