Connecting with Self, Others, and Community through Outdoor Experiences
In December 2023, I embarked on an extraordinary journey through the Khumbu Region of Nepal, completing the Three Passes Trek. This outdoor experience not only presented epic trekking and landscapes; it offered experiential learning by connecting with self, others and community. Click on images above to learn more. Photo Credit - Seth Quigg
When Someone Extends a Hand …Take it
Reflecting back on 2020: Summiting Mount Kilimanjaro does not happen alone. There are porters carrying tents, food and supplies as well as guides showing you the route and monitoring hydration and oxygen levels.
When we encountered a challenging crossing or a scrambled up steep terrain, the guides would extend a hand. As fiercely independent person trying to do this on my own, I continuously refused the hand. I was thinking, “I got this, I don’t need any help.”
One evening at camp, the lead guide shared that it is the guides’ responsibility and source of achievement and joy to help us get to the top of Kilimanjaro. Refusing a hand can be seen as a sign of disrespect. I was horrified. That was not my intent at all. Actually, I wasn’t even thinking about the guide and his need to support me. I was only focused on me.
This got me thinking about how many times this happens off the trail and in personal/professional life. A colleague asks if I need support. I say no, thinking I don’t want to put them out and I want to demonstrate that I am capable.
But this mind set is focused on me getting to the summit or the success of a project. What about the others that surround me? How can they be part of the summit, too? How can they share in my successes and have successes of their own along the way? How can the success truly be collective? How can this be an opportunity for others to learn; be given opportunities to demonstrate their skills?
How can we all get to the summit where everyone feels that they have contributed?
When Was the Last Time You Did Something for the First Time? If you can’t remember, it might be time to shake things up.
First-time experiences are rich with learning—about yourself, your habits, and how you move through challenge.
Last week, I tried a Via Ferrata for the first time. It’s a climbing route common in the Alps—part hiking, part non-technical climbing—where you’re clipped into cables, crossing narrow paths, steel ladders, and rock faces.
It demanded something I don’t always offer naturally: patience.
You can’t rush a climb. Each section requires intention—clipping in, pausing, checking your next move. No shortcuts. Right foot, left hand. Left foot, right hand. Always three points of contact.
The views? Stunning.
The learning? Even better.
Going with a friend who had experience gave me the confidence to say yes. Doing it with my son made it unforgettable. Practicing patience was epic.
Try something for the first time.
Let the mountain—or whatever your "mountain" is—teach you something new.
Looking for a new leadership or team development experience?
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Be Resourceful. On the Trail and Off.
When hiking, what you carry matters. Every ounce counts, especially with backpacking. So you get really good—at making the most of what you’ve got.
Let’s look at the bandanna. It’s light, simple, and often overlooked. But in the hands of a resourceful hiker, it’s a: tourniquet, trail marker, dust mask, napkin, sweatband, pot holder, strainer, signal flag…there are over 29+ ways to use this one item. That’s not just creativity —it’s adaptable leadership in action.
Resourcefulness is a leadership skill.
Just like on the trail, leaders don’t always get the “perfect” tool. They don’t always have the full team, the ideal timing, or a clear roadmap. But they do have resources —and the effective ones know how to use, stretch and reimagine them.
In team development, it’s about seeing possibilities. Turning obstacles into options. Helping people realize they already have more tools—and talent—than they think.
So next time you’re on the trail (or in a challenging situation), ask: “What can I do with what I have right now?” That’s a mindset that can carry you far. On the trail. In your professional and personal life.