Posted by Huiqiang Zhao on
Friday, December 04, 2009
Can you imagine standing on a ladder that was shaking and 50 feet off the ground on a rainy cloudy day? I remember that my heartbeat increased dramatically and I could not breathe. Two of my teammates and I supported each other by pushing, pulling, and cheering. I heard nothing except very loud voices from the classmates on the ground such as “You can do it, you can do it”, “We are here for you”, “Almost there, and you got it”, etc. Each activity was designed to be completed by all team members. We played rode jumping, cable walking, flat wall climbing, blindfolded walking, ladder climbing and many other challenging games. I was amazed to see how each individual came up to help the whole team to finish each task even though some of them had back pain, twisted ankle and fear of heights. I never realized how important an effective team was until this retreat. From the retreat, I confirmed again that people are different. We have different strengths and weaknesses. In order to complete a task successfully, we ought to help each other and trust each other. For example, I realized the necessity of teamwork while I was climbing the 13 foot flat wall with no safety gear except my teammates who were pushing and holding me on the bottom and some pulling me from the top. If you ask me what three things I had taken away from this retreat, I would say “trusting your teammates”, “listening to others” and “willingness to help others at any time”. Moreover, my classmates and I became very good friends. We enjoy going out together because our relationships are much deeper. I am sure that this intense 3-day retreat will stick in my mind and influence me positively for a very long period of time. Finally, I wanted to say that “MBA 510 Tuesday Session” rocks!
What is MBA 510?
MBA 510 focuses on self-assessment, tools for developing leadership skills, and concepts of, and practice in group dynamics. A retreat component and service project emphasize individual growth and team building. It is completed in the first or second quarter of the student's program.
Written by Derek Zhao, zhaoh@seattleu.edu.