Monday, May 21, 2012

Lessons Learned

Unfortunately, I was unable to blog on Sunday, due to being out of town for work (I essentially got paid to hike and camp, while learning and practicing numerous skill sets. It was awesome!). However, the things I learned and developed through my work related excursion are invaluable and will assist me for a life time. With the exercise, I was observing the roles and methodologies of my superiors as they conducted their leadership duties. It was interesting to note and discuss different styles of leading, and how these different styles are effective given the type of situation. I noticed that leaders who respected  their subordinates and lead from "the side" (that is, not belittling their subordinates and valuing their input and opinions, while providing correction and some control at key times) sustained a high degree of morale and thus performance from their subordinates. Leaders who constantly belittled and barked at their subordinates created an atmosphere of tension and frustration, which seemed to lead to decreased morale and performance. However, in a large group with multiple hierarchies, both methods of leadership seem to be required to maintain a dynamic and effective cohesion within the group (if that makes sense).

I also developed my patience and discipline. Laying in the prone for about 2-3 hours at night not moving, with mosquitoes and light rain definitely helps develop that.

Also, my back feels great! It seems counter-intuitive, considering I was walking long distances with a moderately hefty pack on my back and carrying other gear. However...it feels not bad! *knock on wood*. With that, I am definitely going to focus on core strength and mobility work, and being more careful and ensuring I do not re injure it. So, I'll still post the rehab related blog posts (with the first hopefully being later this week).

Cheers!

Sifu Joe Harrigan

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