Several business schools are turning to new methods to teach leadership. One of those methods happens to involve leading a team of your fellow students through a treacherous environment in a leadership expedition organized by the National Outdoor Leadership School. Wharton and Kellogg have been organizing trips for several years, and HBS and several other MBA programs are in negotiations to begin trips in the near future.
The outdoor courses, which take students on seven to 10-day expeditions in such locales as Chile’s Patagonia region, Alaska, and the Rocky Mountains are all designed to teach students to be more confident leaders who can work better in teams and function more effectively under challenging circumstances, whether traversing a glacier or dealing with challenging weather conditions, says Rick Rochelle, NOLS’s director of professional training.
Will any of you do an outdoor leadership expedition while in your MBA program? Have any of you completed one?
While I am not known as an "outdoorsy" guy this seems like a fantastic way to get some hands-on leadership experience. While obviously being difficult it seems like it could also be quite fun. Thoughts?
Not in an MBA program currently, but I'd jump at a chance to do one of these if I was. Patagonia would be awesome.
Sounds like a corporate vacation...
NOLS is amateur hour. I think a lot of traders out there would truly enjoy lead climbing. It's a whole different ball game of stress and risk management.
And for your enjoyment, the following video is of Steve House, ultimate badass, soloing just up the road from Dartmouth...
http://video.patagonia.com/video/Repentance-Remission-2;search%3Atag%3A…
I am actually set to head out for mt. rainer this summer and denali next summer. unless NOLS has us going up carstenz pyramid or one of the 6000 metre peaks out in the himalayas you can count me out. i would agree though to the novice mountaineer this is the perfect experience. it will teach them how to effectively lead in a high stress environment.
I'm not sure how relevant or comparable such leadership experience is. Just as BJD said above, it is surely much different managing risk compared to managing some silly hike. Nevertheless, I would certainly jump at the chance to go. I, as most in finance or strive to be in finance, thoroughly enjoy be placed in a situation where you have to perform; no matter how large or small of a scale.
I love hiking so this sounds cool, but I doubt I'd enjoy a trip with the average business student I went to undergrad with. I like to be alone or in a small group when I'm in the wilderness. Hearing people complain about how "hard" it is or how gross it is to shit in the woods would make me angry.
Hahaha talk to an ex-military MBA student about outdoor challenges....
Where were these guys at Philmont? We did this 15 years ago back in Boy Scouts.
I did NOLS and Philmont in the same summer. Did a month long NOLS program in Wyoming, totally loved it and then decided to work in Philmont for 2 months. Worked 4 on 3 off, so I got a lot of playtime in the backcountry.
I would def do a NOLS trip again, I recommend them if you have the time to go on one.
This is some mickey mouse bullshit people do so they can lie to themselves about their ability to lead in 'high stress scenarios'.
Yeah, the article even said it was 5 students and a guide in Patagonia. Clearly the guide isn't going to let the "leader" do anything stupid that would put them at risk.
They should drop the pretence of "leadership" and learning and just organise a round the world networking trip where they send b-schoolers to "network" (aka dine/drink/party) with successful executives in "global" cities... NYC, London, Paris, Mumbai, Beijing, Singapore, HK, Tokyo, LA, etc...
Much more honest and productive use of one's time and resources than climbing some rock while pretending you are Sir Edmund Hillary's climbing guide.
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