Leadership Lessons from the Wilderness: What Expeditions Teach Us About Leading Teams

Carrie Nolan
Jan 30
2 min read

In the wilderness, leadership isn’t about titles - it’s about trust, adaptability, and decision-making under pressure. Whether leading an expedition down a river or guiding a team through a major project, the same principles apply. Here are three key lessons from the trail that every leader can apply.

1. Navigation: Setting Direction in Uncertainty

Expeditions don’t always go as planned. Weather changes, routes shift, and leaders must make decisions with limited information. In organizations, leaders face similar uncertainties. The best leaders don’t always have all the answers, but they know how to read the landscape, course-correct, and keep moving toward the goal.

2. Group Dynamics: The Strength of the Team Matters More than the Strength of the Leader

In the backcountry, a strong leader isn’t the one who carries the most weight but the one who ensures that everyone contributes and thrives. The same is true in any leadership setting - great leaders build trust, encourage participation, and recognize that a well-functioning team is greater than any individual effort. And sometimes, loosening your grip is the best way to move forward.

3. Resilience: Learning from the Hard Days

On expeditions, tough days happen. Cold, exhaustion, and setbacks are inevitable. But these moments often lead to the best growth. Leaders who create space for failure, learning, and perseverance develop teams that are stronger and more innovative. It is also a reminder that we can both do hard things and ask others to do hard things as a leader.

Applying Wilderness Leadership to Any Team

Set a clear vision, but remain adaptable.
Focus on relationships and team trust.
Embrace challenges as opportunities for growth.

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AdvenEd designs leadership-focused expeditions that take executives, educators, and teams into the wilderness to develop trust, resilience, and strategic thinking. Connect with us to explore upcoming leadership journeys.