Insights from the Outside: Wilderness Wisdom Part Two

Tomorrow is the start of NOLS' WILDERNESS FIRST RESPONDER TRAINING here in Golden, Colorado.  Looking over the highly-intense curriculum reveals a catalogue of potential trauma and emergencies to consider.  While not every scenario can be anticipated, the course is certain to impart PRINCIPLES that can be transferred across perilous situations.  The preliminary WILDERNESS FIRST AID CERTIFICATION received in February convinced me that problem-solving is portable, that analysis works anywhere  Likewise, business obstacles are rarely new.  Even if they prove to be, a level of fluency both with causes and effects is a strong starting point -- as is developing a framework to walk through them with confidence.  Thanks in advance, NOLS, for the insights that flow from this widely-acclaimed training.

Insights from the Outside: Wilderness Wisdom Part One

What does it take to survive outside the urban jungle?  The list of ESSENTIAL ITEMS varies and some highly-rated survival simulation learning kits give their "top ten" recommendations.  From recent Wilderness First Aid training under the auspices of NOLS comes the following insight:  PRESENCE OF MIND is number one in the tool kit whether the sun is shining or a whiteout is imminent.  The ability to look clearly at the situation, almost like an outside observer, is the start of intelligent planning -- or a downward spiral of disasters if emotions take control.  Business situations demand a similar level of dispassionate, critical observation when the path ahead is not obvious.

Lessons from the Silver Screen: INSTALLMENT SIX

THE FIELD is a chilling confrontation with the human nature to protect and defend -- at all costs.  Actor Richard Harris was nominated for an Oscar by bringing to life (or death?) the stop-at-nothing passion to own three acres his tenant family had tilled for generations.  Protecting what we value is important, yet selfish desires can quickly trump common sense or community good.  Marketing efforts, even those ascribing social good, need the leavening of decency to thrive and multiply.  The need to contribute to the dignity of others may, in the final analysis, mean walking away from the siren song of personal and corporate wealth.

Lessons from the Silver Screen: INSTALLMENT FIVE

THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU faded and flopped on the Big Screen, largely due to confusion between the science fiction focus and a romantic storyline.  The premise, however, is worth considering.  Is there such a thing as free will?  Is destiny ordained or earned?  Can we change the world or does it direct us?  This is critical for the market-focused entrepreneur who strives to carve out a meaningful niche in the landscape of global commerce.  Too much belief in "destiny" could lead to apathy and slow response to economic imperatives.  Too much belief in "clean slate" might encourage the ill-equipped or poorly-suited to believe all things are possible.  Without being a spoiler for the Redbox DVD renters out there,  there's reason to consider how -- and who -- shapes your future.

Lessons from the Silver Screen: Installment Four

DAWN PATROL was an early aerial combat movie, set amid the balsa-and-canvas airplanes of World War I.  The heavy losses of nearly every Allied patrol became the background for an emerging crisis.

Would the squadron's commander stand by as young fliers continued to die either by crash-inducing mechanical failures or enemy fire over the trenches?  Would sacrifice extend beyond the soldier to the officer?  Would honor mean death -- or saving another for at least another day?

Contemporary theories about LEADERSHIP abound, but the idea of sacrifice as a core attribute elude many of them.  DAWN PATROL's message is that, at some point, leaders enter the fray if they believe the cause truly is worthy.