Brush-Up leadership skills : Go Trek

Human behavior including Leadership is one of the most studied yet least understood field of inquiry. One cannot predict the behavior that a personnel is supposed to display at a definite period of time. Leadership development in not an overnight process, nor is it totally academically inclined. An individual must accumulate an array of experiences to enrich leadership acumen in him. However such experiences are of varied nature and may encompass myriad of different culture, context and situations. Among such different activities and circumstances, current leaders often refer to trekking as a unique experience to boost their leadership potentiality.

I would like to call trek as  a  first instinct of leadership. Most of the time trekking is fun, a refreshing one. Usually trekking may span for couple of hours to days long, difficulty ranging according to geography, location, temperature and so on.

During Hike to Chisapani, about 20 km from Kathmandu

While most of the people take days off from offices/colleges and take rest at home, I prefer trekking. In contrast to our common belief, we get much exhilarating experience of feeling refreshed and relaxed as a result of trekking. As such, whenever I get chance to have couple of free friends and a combination of good weather and happy pockets, we mark into it, to enjoy the beauty of life, to embrace the touch of nature, love of friends and learning many things while having endless fun.

In Kalinchowk(3700 m) after trek of 6 hours( 20 km)

So far I encounter following memories of trekking:

1.       Sundarijal-Chisapani-Sundarijal

2.       Sundarijal-Chisapani-Nagarkot

3.       White Gumba

4.       Balthali-Namobuddha

5.       Charikot-Kalinchowk and many small routes

I began to ponder of about trekking when I came to know that Cornell MBA alumni come to trekking to our country Nepal so as to boost leadership traits(Nepal Leadership Trek) . Saving a day off from your business in a hectic schedule in a rustic city not only provides you with lungful of fresh oxygen but many other added advantages. I have listed some of them:

1.       Plan, Plan and Plan:

Where do you want to go, what is the time schedule, who are going together with you, what is the estimated cost, what is the route, where are you staying at the end of the day? etc and so many questions to ponder about !

2.       Organize:

Manage for the optimum time which is suitable to all ( at-least the majority), and Just do it. If you are the leader you have to take the lead: in showing the route, manage of refreshments and breaks in between and so on.

3.       Know and interact with different situations:

Be prepared for the worst thing to happen but don’t expect them. If possible take a first-aid kits with you.  Some friends may not be able to walk so take rest in regular interval. Interact with people of the surroundings.

4.       Rejuvenate yourself:

Going for a hike is letting yourself go beyond and above your comfort zone.  Entertain yourself by playing with the nature, interacting with the people, enjoy the touch of the fresh air, embrace the beautiful environment  and foremost enjoy your companion.

5.       Strengthen relationship with co-workers and friends:

Taking time free from your friend will enable you to enhance and strengthen relationship with your friends and family. While on hike you get a chance to interact with your co-workers. The interactions may be about your official works seeking some suggestion with friends, taking about personal life with close friends, sharing of success and failures, remembering some golden past days  and about future plans. All these will help you rejuvenate relationship with your friends.

6.       Preparing for future/strategic planning:

When people feel exhausted in a daily official work and are head-out of fresh ideas, they mark for a hiking. Hiking not only provides them with free time from the usual setting but also encourages them to think beyond a box. It is often said that creativity is fostered in a new and different circumstances. Hiking will also enhance you to see of the problems in a new way as you free yourself from usual circumstances and surroundings. As such if you are in between horns of dilemma about future course of actions, go for a hike with your companions.

7.       Get plenty of golden memories for future refreshment:

Most of the time you may not get plentiful of time to take yourself off from work and entertain hiking. In such a situation, memories of the previous wonderful time can be enthralling. By going for a hike you can collect some wonderful memories to cherish for a lifetime. In a exhausted daily life of future, you can add energy to self by collecting memories of the hike that you enjoyed with your loved ones.

On the way to Charikot from Kalinchowk

Other benefits might be:

8.       Increased productivity in official work

9.       Increased performance in an individual basis

10.   Abundance of new ideas and opinions

11.   Enhanced team work

12.   Strengthen family relationships

13.   Sharpened leadership skills