Do the “Three Things You Must Know” before setting off:
① Know the route inside out—not only should you be clear about the planned route, but you should also have backup options ready for adjustments.
② Know your teammates well—the more challenging the activity, the higher the overall quality required of the participants. When there are beginners, ensure a good mix of abilities. Before departure, check everyone’s condition and gear.
③ Know the weather—try your best to understand possible weather changes during the activity. If unexpected severe conditions arise, be prepared to adjust or even cancel the plan.
Post-activity debrief:
After completing an activity, compare the actual execution with the initial plan. See how much was accomplished, analyze the reasons for any incomplete parts, and improve your planning and execution skills. Finally, give yourself a score—if you consistently fall far short of the plan, it means you lack the qualities needed to be a good team leader.
Quality requirements for a team leader:
Strong sense of responsibility, good execution ability, strong interpersonal communication skills, courage to admit mistakes, rich knowledge and experience in outdoor and mountain environments, and leadership cohesion.
Being a team leader doesn’t mean charging ahead non-stop or trying to leave your teammates as far behind as possible to prove you’re the “toughest.” I’ve seen this kind of behavior too many times in past activities. A leader who can’t even maintain the most basic formation shouldn’t be leading at all.
As a team leader, no matter how skilled or physically fit you are, you should never leave behind exhausted teammates to rush ahead on your own. In addition to maintaining good coordination and a tight formation with the designated middle and tail positions in the group, you must also assign a deputy leader to take charge in critical situations while you move up and down the line to assist your teammates. (This is also why the physical demands on a team leader are so high—it’s not for leading the charge to the summit!)