Wednesday 27 February 2013

First steps




So here I go setting off on the journey of a life time. And I don't just mean 6 weeks In Norway. I mean Me, Grabbing My life in both hands and taking it in the direction I want. No more sitting back and letting it wash over me.


 'A genuine Leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus'
-Martin Luther King Jnr

I hope through British Exploring's 2013 Trainee Leader Programme to foster and develop within Myself the skills required to become a 'molder of consensus'.

The road ahead stretches before me and I still have many miles to cover before even leaving UK soil. However I hope to return from 6 weeks in a tent refreshed (even If I don't smell as such) and determined to redouble my efforts to achieve all my goals. Armed with a host of experiences and arsenal of skills to bring to all the aspects of my life.

My two great passions In life are the study of science and  experiencing the great wide world we live in; Climbing/walking/cycling up things, sliding/running/rolling/jumping off said things and just being in and around the wonders of nature that are all around. The concept of combining these two things into a fruitful career has always lingered in the back of my mind as a great Idea.

'My Heart is in the Highlands' -Burns



However since starting A new Job At an Outdoor sports Retailer in 2011 and Meeting a host of Amazing and Inspiring People It has become more and More apparent that with the right combination of qualifications and sufficient experience that great idea is not an untenable dream.


So with Trepidation I set out on my journey and was very pleased to be excepted on to the British Exploring societies Trainee leader scheme, A set of 4 weekends of training followed by 6 weeks expedition In Norway and a final set of assessments designed to develop within me the skills experiences and attitudes required to Lead a new generation of adventurers into the wilderness and foster within them the same love of wild places and thrilling activities that I am so grateful to have been introduced to.


On the 15th of Feb I set out on the unnecessarily epic (due to public transport difficulties) journey to an ominous looking scout camp (Lots of barbed wire, Silos and Military checkpoint style gates) to attend the first training weekend.

A great weekend of introductions, to each other, the staff and the expedition, despite a certain degree of death-by-powerpoint. As a whole they weekend was brilliantly informative and the concepts of Leadership we were introduced to really hit home for me. I could Identify strongly with the ideas and theories and see how each thing related to the good and bad 'leaders' I have come across in my lifetime as well as being able to spot within myself my position on the spectrum of leadership and how to learn, improve and develop what I already have to be the most effective Leader I can be.

I have been very fortunate In my life to meet, travel with and be lead by a variety of inspirational people who have really molded me into the person I am today, I do not need to name them, I hope most of them Know who they are and How important they are to me but I would like to thank them for all that they have done for me.

" I a younger mountaineer,
With thoughts of adventure,
Betroubled by failure and danger,
My greatest wish is not to discourage,
For what I know of his breed-
There is little risk"
-W H Murray

As part of this thanks I wish to repay the debt I feel that I owe to them. And in order to that I intend to work long and hard to be able one day to provide that inspirational leadership to someone else, who will hopefully in time look back and reflect positively on the role I played in their  personal development.


Next step.... Fundraising to pay for this mammoth adventure that lays before me.......