It was hard to have much expectations of OBS, after having fought my way through arguing with medical officers and admin officers to let me into the course, yet being barred from all hazardous activities and staying overnight on the island. But surprisingly, this OBS gave me a very different experience, and allowed me much insight into my own psychological build as well as team dynamics.
Day 1, all was fine in the earlier part of the day as we tackled group games such as number-tagging and fingers-lifting-the-hoop, I was very much the active me, shouting and offering suggestions here-and-there. Nothing could be more enjoyable, until kayaking came in the afternoon… Weihong and I were left at OBS site, while the rest ventured off on the seas.
It wasn’t to the extent of feeling devastated, but being left out never feels good. Weihong was surprisingly calm about it (given his scout background), sitting down and looking at everything pass. He was barred too, because of his back injury. So I indulged myself in the 1 thing I could do: Take photos. Before the team returned from sea, I was to leave the island. I managed to wave them goodbye before I boarded my ferry, but it was barely comforting.
And this sequence repeated itself on day 2 morning, when they were involved in climbing the inverse pyramid. Barred from climbing and belaying, I actively sought to be the belay assistant. Only when afternoon came, when we embarked on the Land Ex, did I feel alive again. I happily carried the backpack, hopping and skipping along the way, bridging gaps in the line, spurring on the team as and when… I felt like a contributor again, though I left the important work of topography to the combat-trained guys.
Having to leave the island after reaching destination camp-site was another low-point. Fortunately, when I returned to the site the next morning, details of the night were filled in for me by narration, and we proceeded to do our rafting in the lake, which I am thankful that OBS allowed me to do. I worked hard at tying the raft and enjoying myself in the quarry lake, but somehow, I grew conscious that i was experiencing much less of the comraderie between all the others. It was an imbalancing thought, and I fought hard against it, only to conclude that it was inevitable. I was going through less than 40% of the whole experience!
The subsequent afternoon, the watch were paddling through the Sun, mud and waters, while Weihong and I discussed all these emotional issues. He surprised me alot. Originally, I thought he was but another hyper-enthu guy just like me, but he did that and more. He shared his insights with me, and I was really impressed by how he handled his(our) predicaments and made the best out of everything.
So eventually, when it came to the last day, at the sharing session, once I got rid of the suspicions that my hyper-enthusiasm (without sharing the sweat and pain ) was not being treated with animity, I realised how flawed my thinking was, and how I haven’t truly played my part in being a good watch-mate and good leader in my duty as a TSPC I/C.
Leadership is never about contributing more or taking full control of the entire situation. It’s about (as they say the 3 "P"s — People, Process, Product) how you delegate your work, set your objectives, and motivate your team to go on and on!
And OBS’s lessons were a timely reminder.
