CCAL’s Leadership Challenge Weekend

On October 9 to 11, 34 students went on the Canadian Centre for Advanced Leadership in Business' Leadership Challenge Weekend (LCW) to challenge what it means to be an effective leader in today’s modern business world.

In teams, students worked together solving unique problems set up in Camp Chief Hector in Kananaskis. Participants found themselves perched on high ropes, lifted off the ground by other students, and at times, channeling their inner four-year-old selves when completing many of the creative and unpredictable tasks.

The LCW is a unique weekend field course offered by the Canadian Centre for Advanced Leadership in Business designed to help Haskayne students practice real world competencies, attitudes and self-awareness skills. It aims to help students reflect on their own leadership as they apply the skills learned in the classroom and from extracurricular activities in the program.

“I struggle with listening to other people’s ideas when working together,” reflects Lucas Ocampo, a first year participant in the LCW. “When I have an idea, I tend to think that it is the right answer. In fact, what other people are saying can improve my idea or simply blow my idea out of the water.”

Ocampo found out about the LCW from Celina Pablo, his student mentor in the Scholars Academy. As a mentor, Pablo believes that she is not simply there to support Ocampo academically. She ensures that her mentee is creating fun experiences, making new friends, stepping outside of his comfort zone and taking opportunities that come his way.

“People can be very invested in their academics and can spend a lot of time studying; but if you don’t go out there and make experiences and take the time to have fun, then your university experience is not going to be as memorable,” explains Pablo who went to the first LCW last year and the second LCW this year as a volunteer. She noted, “At the end of the day, you don’t remember the days you spend studying or the classes that you went to. You remember the experiences that you made, relationships that you formed, and valuable lessons that stick to you because you learned them through hands-on activities.”

See what happened at the LCW this year.