Building Expedition Teams with Colby Brokvist

Oct 15, 2024

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What does it take to build an effective expedition team? In this episode, we are joined by master guide, guide trainer and author Colby Brokvist to discuss what goes into building successful expedition teams and how we can apply some of these lessons to any group of people we may find ourselves leading.

While groups of people are each made up of a collection of unique individuals, there are commonalities to the way groups themselves develop. Colby shares some of his key strategies for team building and some of the challenges he has faced.

Colby Brokvist is a professional guide who leads worldwide expeditions for some of the most acclaimed companies in adventure travel. He has guided trips around the world including in Greenland, Antarctica, Africa, and Patagonia, as well as throughout the United States and Canada. Colby currently serves as the Chair of the Polar Tourism Guides Association.

Using his expertise and extensive experience, Colby has written The Professional Guides Handbook – How to lead adventure travel trips and expeditions. This is a great resource for anyone leading others.

Key Takeaways

What goes into building an effective expedition team?

Forming: This is when people first meet for the first time. Keys to success are enabling everyone to feel welcome and to align expectations early.

Storming: This is when people are working to find their place in the group. Keys to success are to make everyone feel included and to model the behaviours that a leader needs to see from everyone.

Norming: This is when people have found their place in a group and are starting to perform. Keys to success include having the leader continue role model behaviours and recognize good practices.

Performing: This where the group can start to take on risks as a team. Key to success is to ensure everyone is able to follow all the steps.

Adjourning and transforming: This is where a group is reflecting on the experience together. Key to success is being able to connect everyone to what they have accomplished.

Unmet needs: We all have needs that must be met if we are to become an effective member of a team. If people have unmet needs, it becomes very difficult for them to perform at their best. Identifying and meeting these needs are a key to success for a leader.

Guest Bio

Colby Brokvist is a professional guide who leads worldwide expeditions for some of the most acclaimed companies in adventure travel. He was inspired to pursue guiding as a career during a through-hike of the Appalachian Trail in the summer of 2000. Since then, he has led hundreds of adventure travel departures as an Expedition Leader, ranging from backpacking and trekking adventures to mountaineering and rock-climbing trips, sea kayaking and sailing voyages, and wildlife safaris. His work has taken him to destinations as far-flung as Greenland, Antarctica, Africa, and Patagonia, as well as throughout the United States and Canada. His current basecamp is Boulder, Colorado.

When not actively leading trips in the field, Colby assumes a variety of managerial, operational, and consulting roles within the adventure travel sphere. His work centers on developing and facilitating guide training courses and programs as well as trip program consulting and field-based guide team management. Colby also serves on the board of directors for the Polar Tourism Guides Association and is a certified Senior Polar Guide through the same organization.

Guest Links

The Professional Guides Handbook – How to lead adventure travel trips and expeditions - https://www.guideshandbook.com