Leadership Lessons from Our Alaskan Adventure

7 Lessons for Growth, Resilience, and Teambuilding

When I was invited to attend a conference in Anchorage, Alaska June 25-27, I immediately realized that this would be the perfect opportunity for an epic family vacation in the ‘Land of the Midnight Sun’ during the week of the summer solstice. As I reflect back on our trip, I now realize that many valuable lessons in leadership emerged from our Alaska Adventure.?

1. Embrace Challenge and Foster Growth

We did not want to travel all the way to Alaska just to stay in a corporate hotel and eat at chain restaurants. We wanted to truly experience Alaska. So, I began planning a family adventure that would include AirBnB’s in small towns, log cabin resorts, local cafes and diners, and lots of time outdoors. We even rented a GMC Yukon Denali.?

I convinced my husband that we should plan a two-night/three-day backpacking trip in the Denali region north of Anchorage, even though our previous camping experience with our daughters was not especially awesome. We booked the trip through a local outfitter with a guide – because I may be crazy, but I’m not stupid. And then we told the kids.

Our 20-year-old son is an Eagle Scout who spent a week in the Boundary Waters when he was 15 and was excited about any trip that would take him away from his Calculus, Physics and Mechanical Engineering classes for a few days.?

Our 14-year-old daughter does not enjoy camping, but she’s an adventurous spirit, so when she looked up photographs of Denali National Park, she quickly got on board with the idea.

Our 16- and 19-year-old daughters were not excited about the camping trip at all. They adamantly objected, and there may have even been some tears. But eventually, they accepted the challenge and began to look for ways to make the best of it.??

To be fair, I don’t really love car camping at state parks or campgrounds. But, one of the most incredible, life-changing experiences I’ve ever had was a backpacking trip through Yellowstone 8 years ago. I wanted our kids to have a similar transformative experience. I also try, as often as possible, to give my daughters opportunities to prove to themselves that they can achieve difficult things.?

As leaders, we often need to embrace challenges in order to foster growth within our teams. Leaders should provide opportunities for their team members to tackle difficult tasks and develop their skills. By encouraging growth, we create a culture of continuous improvement and empower individuals to reach their full potential.?

2. Surround Yourself With Trusted Advisors

On Monday evening, June 19, we met our guide, Freddie, for a gear check and loaded our packs into his truck. After breakfast on Tuesday morning, Freddie picked us up and we took off for the Talkeetna mountains. It was raining lightly off and on, and very cloudy, but I was optimistic and everyone was in good spirits. It was shortly before noon when we parked the truck, strapped into our packs, and took off on our great adventure.

During the pack check the night before, someone asked Freddie about the terrain and elevation of our hike. Freddie explained, “Right at the beginning, there will be a bit of a climb through some brush, but after that, it will be like walking across a golf course.”?

Indeed, the first segment was rough. We all started out wearing several layers, with our rain gear as the outer layer. At our first break, most of us removed a layer of clothes because we were sweating from the exertion. But, we had to keep the rain gear on because it was still raining.?

The view back towards our vehicle was stunning, and no camera can adequately capture the splendor and magnitude of the mountains. As for the remainder of the hike, we quickly realized that Freddie has never actually been on a golf course.

On the car ride to the mountains, Freddie gave us each a sack lunch which included a turkey wrap. Most of us turned up our noses at it initially. Two hours into our hike, we stopped for lunch near a beautiful lake. By this time, we couldn’t see the car anymore. It was still raining. Suddenly, the turkey wrap was the most delicious thing any of us had ever tasted.?

Freddie was an endless source of knowledge throughout our hike. He taught us about the plants, animals, geology and weather patterns of the Alaskan tundra. One thing that surprised me was how soft the ground was. When we weren’t following game trails created by Caribou, we were bouncing atop a thick layer of moss, lichens, and small shrubs covering the permafrost. It was much easier on our feet than I had anticipated. But nothing like a golf course.

We gave Freddie the nickname “golf pro” and enjoyed teasing him about his characterization of the terrain. But, in reality, we could not have embarked on this adventure without him. Based on his 20+ years of experience, Freddie helped us adequately prepare for the trek. He guided us through the safest routes and advised us on the proper way to carry our packs. His wisdom helped us avoid injuries, stay hydrated, and have the best experience possible. And, like only the best consultants, Freddie taught us along the way. After a while, rather than telling us where to go next, he would gather the group together and ask us where we thought we should go next based on what we had learned so far. We learned how to find game trails, how to cross streams and how to orient ourselves to our destination.?

Leaders must seek out and surround themselves with trusted advisors, mentors and team members who bring diverse perspectives and expertise to the table. By leveraging their insights and guidance, leaders can make well-informed decisions and navigate challenges more effectively. Freddie’s presence reassured us and contributed to a smoother and more enjoyable experience, and we all made a good friend that we hope to meet again someday. As leaders, we should cultivate relationships with people who can provide wise counsel, offer different viewpoints, and serve as a source of support in challenging situations.?

3. Cultivate a Supportive Environment

This trip was very challenging. On the first day, we hiked 3.5 miles with an elevation gain of 1200’ carrying 25-35 pound backpacks. By itself, that was a challenge. But, on top of that, it rained ALL. FREAKING. DAY. It alternated between a steady rain and a light drizzle, but it never stopped. The ground was wet and soggy, and there were dozens of snowmelt streams to cross. Not everyone’s boots were totally waterproof, so some of us had cold, wet feet.?

But let me tell you about our kids.?

Under normal conditions, they will fight over anything and everything. They argue over the last cheese stick, the best seat in the car, and who gets to shower first.?

However, under the adverse conditions we faced in the Alaskan tundra, these kids pulled together and really took care of each other. They spoke kindly, shared what they had, offered a helping hand, genuinely listened, and truly served each other. I captured a video showing our son helping each of his sisters cross a stream, something he did many times that day. The photo below shows our oldest daughter with her arm around our youngest daughter, reassuring her that she can do this. I’ll treasure those images forever.?

My heart was warmed to know that my kids will be there for each other when things get tough. And that was the highlight of this adventure for me. The display of support and teamwork affirmed the importance of fostering a supportive environment within teams. Just like a family hike in the mountains, a team can only move as quickly as the slowest member. Supporting and encouraging every team member is the best way to ensure continuous forward progress.?

Leaders must set the example and foster a supportive environment. By showing empathy, actively listening, and offering assistance, we create a sense of camaraderie and enable our teams to thrive even in challenging situations. And leaders are not just the ones with the title (whether that title be “manager”, “supervisor”, “mom”, “dad” or “Freddie”). A true leader is anyone who shows care and concern for other team members and sets an example of support and service.?

4. Prioritizing Team Well-being and Acknowledging Reality

Our campsite on Tuesday night was bleak. We set up a cook tent about 200 yards away and dug a latrine another 200 yards away in the other direction. It was still raining.?

When I booked this adventure, I envisioned sitting comfortably around a campfire late into the evening, eating Mountain House meals, roasting marshmallows, telling stories, playing games and enjoying each other’s company on the night of the summer solstice.?

The weather in the region had been extremely dry right up until the day before our arrival, so campfires were prohibited. And because of the rain, we ate our freeze-dried meals while huddled under a small cook tent. It was not comfortable at all, so we ate as quickly as possible.?

The guys generously offered to clean up after dinner while I led the girls back to our tents. Everyone had kept a positive attitude for so long, but once we were out of hearing range of the guys, one of my girls looked at me and said “I really want to complain right now, Mom, but I’m doing my best to hold it in.”

I was about to remind her that complaining never fixed any problem or made any situation better. But I look at their sad faces, knowing their feet and fingers were cold and wet, and I realized that they did not need a pep talk right now. They needed me to acknowledge their reality. So, instead, I said “You know what? You’re right!” I lifted my head to the sky and shouted, “THIS SUCKS!!!”?

I gave them permission to complain. We all stood there for a few minutes and screamed our complaints to the surrounding mountains. The guys never heard us at all, but I hope the nearest moose did. After that, everyone disappeared into their tents at 7:30 pm. No one emerged until 8:30 am the next morning.

I’m not sure that encouraging your team members to scream at the sky about their frustrations is actually a sound leadership principle. No one’s feet were any drier. No one’s fingers were any warmer. No one felt measurably better afterward? as far as I could tell. But at that moment, it felt authentic and human. As leaders, we lose credibility if we look our team members in the eye and spout sunshine and unicorns while things are crashing down around them. Acknowledging reality is often the first step in problem-solving.??

Sometimes, leaders need to give their team members a safe space to voice frustrations and vent for a moment. Of course, after we acknowledge reality, it is then time to get back to work on solving the problems or doing the best we can within the present reality. The burden may not be any lighter, but at least team members know that we are all in this together.??

5. Making Decisions with Integrity and Empathy

Once everyone emerged from their tents Wednesday morning, we gathered for breakfast. We were once again huddled under the cook tent. It was still raining and the clouds were thick and low.?

One bright spot was when we discovered that it is more comfortable to sit back-to-back with another person so that you each have something to recline against. It was a small relief, but a good reminder of the power of partnership.?

I had hoped that everyone would feel better after a good night’s sleep and a warm breakfast. But as I looked around the circle I realized that was not the case. It had rained all night long, and the sound of raindrops on our tents was not a soothing white noise, but rather a constant reminder of what we would face in the morning.

I had brought a few sleep masks and offered one to each of the girls the night before. They all declined and insisted “I can sleep just fine with the lights on.”? That turned out to not be true and the midnight sun contributed to a sleepless night for them. For others, it was our aching hips that kept us tossing and turning all night.?

Our backpacking adventure was planned and booked for two nights / three days. The original plan was to spend Wednesday on a day hike further up into the mountains, and then return to our campsite for the night, and hike out on Thursday.?

After we finished our oatmeal, I looked around at the tired faces and said, “Gang, I want to start by telling you how incredibly proud I am of you. No matter what happens from here, this trip was a huge success. Look at what you did! You survived a day and a night in the wilderness, under very challenging conditions, with only what you carried on your backs! We experienced Alaska in a way that 99% of visitors here never do. And most importantly, you pulled together and took care of each other. So, I consider this trip a huge success.”

“And now, we have a decision to make about what we do next. I’m not going to make that decision for the group this time. Let’s hear from each person, and then we’ll make a decision as a group.”

We started from youngest to oldest and everyone took a turn explaining how they were feeling and what they wanted to do. Unsurprisingly, the girls listed a myriad of complaints from wet shoes to lack of sleep, and expressed a desire to leave the wilderness early. The guys were clear in their desire to remain and to follow the original plan. But, they understood how the girls were feeling and would support their desire to leave early.?

I could have voted to stay, leading to a tie, and then either let Freddie cast the deciding vote to stay or invoked the parental trump card. I could have chosen the lesson in perseverance and enduring to the end despite challenges. But I looked at our youngest daughter’s face with tears in her eyes and I knew that there was a more important lesson at stake. I decided that my girls needed to know that I had their backs and that their needs and opinions matter.?

As leaders, we often face tough decisions that require balancing the organizational objectives and the needs of our teams. Making decisions with integrity means valuing the input of all team members, demonstrating empathy, and ensuring their voices are heard.

The adverse conditions and emotional well-being of our team members guided our choice. So, we broke camp and headed back down the mountain.

6. Learning from Setbacks and Fostering Continuous Growth

So many thoughts were running through my head on the hike out. Had we made the right decision? Were we doing the right thing, or were we reinforcing the idea that it’s OK to quit when things get tough??

I thought about other times in my life when I had left early or given up on something. That list is short but painful.?

But just when I started to get a bit too deep inside my own head about it, I thought of the Theodore Roosevelt speech about the man in the arena. I could not remember all the words, but I remembered his point - that only those who dare greatly have the chance of experiencing victory, and defeat.?

Once we reached reliable cell service again, this was the first thing I looked up:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

- Theodore Roosevelt

I reminded myself that all those times in my life when I ended a journey early were only possible because I had had the courage to embark on the journey in the first place.

Later that night, I asked each of the kids to send me a short message explaining what they learned from our experience.?

“Over the two-day trek through the rugged landscape, I not only learned a lot about the ecosystem and biology of the area but also learned a lot about myself. (Most notably, I don’t poop in anything that isn’t porcelain.) I saw moose, interesting fauna, and views that would blow your mind and leave you speechless. I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything else and am grateful to have had a flexible guide who perfectly sculpted the experience in a safe and exciting way.” – MT (20)

“While camping, I learned that it’s really hard to walk uphill for longer than 30 seconds. However, I also learned that our bodies are much more capable than we think! Sometimes, to see the best views, you have to put in the work.” – SA (19)

“I learned that hiking uphill is super hard, especially with a 10,000-pound back pack. I appreciate how nice everybody in Alaska has been!” – EN (16)

“Despite the challenges we faced, I really enjoyed our backpacking trip. It was a great experience and I learned a lot about Alaska and the outdoors. I appreciate the opportunity to have gone on this trip, and I look forward to more adventures in the future. I also really enjoy all of the nice people here and how helpful they have been.” – EE (14) (with a little help from ChatGPT)

7. Reach For the Stars, Celebrate When You Reach the Moon

The hike back down to the car took far less time than the hike up. We found an available cabin for the night. We dropped off our gear, showered, and went to dinner with Freddie. Now clean and dry, we were able to laugh about our experience. The next day, we celebrated our success with a helicopter ride to a nearby glacier.?

Our final lesson from our Alaskan Adventure was the importance of setting ambitious goals while also celebrating incremental achievements along the way. Leaders should encourage their teams to pursue excellence. However, it is equally important to acknowledge smaller milestones and accomplishments along the journey.?

During our backpacking trip, we set out with the goal of completing the full duration. However, circumstances led us to adjust our plans and leave the wilderness early. While we didn't achieve our initial objective, we recognized the growth, resilience, and shared experiences that we had accomplished. As leaders, we should encourage our teams to set ambitious goals while celebrating each step forward, even if it deviates from the original plan.

By acknowledging and celebrating milestones, leaders foster a positive and motivating environment. This recognition boosts morale, encourages continued progress, and instills a sense of achievement within the team. It also allows for reflection and appreciation of the journey, recognizing that success is not solely defined by reaching the ultimate destination, but also by the growth and progress made along the way.

Our Alaskan adventure provided us with many leadership insights. By embracing challenges, prioritizing team well-being, making decisions with integrity, fostering continuous growth, and surrounding ourselves with trusted advisors, we can navigate uncharted territories and lead our teams to success. I’m returning to work, and to my daily life, with a renewed motivation to embark on every leadership journey with resilience, empathy, and a commitment to continuous improvement.