Outward Bound Lessons to Live a Life of Leadership: To Serve, to Strive, and Not to Yield

by Mark Michaux Brown, Richard Leider (Foreword)

This is the first book to describe in detail the principles of Outward Bound, told through the stories of former instructors and graduates who show how to apply them to create healthier, more effective teams, organizations, and communities.

For nearly six decades Outward Bound USA's education programs have shaped the lives of tens of thousands of participants. Strangers are put in an unfamiliar and unpredictable setting, where to succeed they must develop a sense of teamwork, resilience, self-confidence, and a focus on the greater good. But, Mark Brown asks, isn't the modern world just as unpredictable and challenging as any mountain or desert? He shows how the same principles that bind people together in the natural world work just as well in cities, companies, and communities.
This book explores the concept of Expeditionary Leadership through the stories of people such as third-generation business steward Laura Kohler, the Home Depot cofounder Arthur Blank, and former United States Senator Mark Udall, whose lives were touched by Outward Bound and who then went on to make a positive difference in the world. They show how each of us can, in our own way, use the Outward Bound philosophy to bravely face the wild unknowns in our daily lives.
From training the first Peace Corps volunteers to partnering with thousands of educational institutions and corporations, Outward Bound has helped build the self-confidence and character of participants who have gone on to live richer, more fulfilling, and successful lives. Outward Bound internationally operates in thirty-three countries and impacts nearly a quarter of a million people annually.

144 pages, Paperback

Published October 15, 2019

About the author

Mark grew up in northeastern Ohio. After graduating from the University of Akron with a degree in communication he relocated to Naples, Florida working as a magazine editor, public relations consultant and freelance writer. Finding himself “burned out” at the ripe old age of 25 and longing for a bit of adventure, he heeded the advice of some friends and attended a 23-day Outward Bound course in Utah. The trip was life changing.

Mark’s career with Outward Bound began after showing up for a visit at Homeplace, an OB base in northern Minnesota. He was hired to drive a van. On the eve of this temporary job ending a teenage boy became separated from his group and Mark was pulled into a three day search for the boy, who was found unharmed (though bug bitten and very hungry). As a result Outward Bound asked Mark to stay and train to become an instructor.

Mark spent the next decade working for the Voyageur Outward Bound School, spending six months a year leading canoe expeditions in the Boundary Waters in northern Minnesota and Canada and six months leading whitewater paddling, canyoneering and desert backpacking courses in the Big Bend region of West Texas and northern Mexico. He became a course director and later program manager for a 28-day at-risk youth program and eventually moved to Minneapolis to open a group sales department for Outward Bound.

Mark relocated to Asheville, North Carolina and continued his work with the North Carolina Outward Bound School. He trained to be a professional coach and began designing some of the first corporate leadership development programs that Outward Bound offered, blending the wilderness with classroom training and organizational consulting.

Mark and his wife launched their own coaching, training and facilitation business, which they ran for nearly a decade. Along the way he earned a master’s degree in business/entrepreneurship from Western Carolina University and he and his wife welcomed their son Noah into the world.

In 2012 Mark was invited to join the leadership of a 90+ year old privately held company. As the Director of Corporate Potential he launched a company-wide program, guiding the company through the most significant culture change in its history and garnering national recognition for its unique way of doing business.

This is Mark’s first book. He and his family live on the Big Island of Hawaii, where he continues his work as a master coach, consultant and facilitator, helping people and organizations successfully navigate the rapid changes of our modern world. You can learn more about the Expeditionary Leadership process at Mark’s website, www.markmbrown.com. When not working you’ll most likely find Mark disappearing down a trail or paddling a canoe somewhere. The wilderness always calls!

Reviews

[Lisa]

I thought this book was a good leadership refresher, but it really is the story of Outward Bound with some leadership nuggets thrown in. I learned a lot about the organization, and believe the principles covered in the book are definitely important if a person wishes to be an outstanding leader. I like the term Expeditionary Leader that’s used in the book because it suggests good leaders never stop learning and they never stop being a part of the adventure. The book is relatively short, contains real life examples, and unpacks the Outward Bound motto: “To serve, to strive, and not to yield.” Divided into three sections, each point of the motto is expounded upon with real people examples. I wouldn’t say there’s anything new regarding leadership in the book, but I felt inspired by it, and think Brown did a good job at showing what good leaders do well. I received an ARC.

[Jay]

“Outward Bound Lessons to Live a Life If Leadership” provides some wonderful stories of leadership and influences from former participants in Outward Bound programs. Mark Brown uses these stories to show how the Outward Bound creed of “To Serve, to Strive, and Not to Yield” has translated from the Outward Bound experience to the day-to-day lives of program participants. These stories provide encouragement for leaders in today’s highly competitive and often highly stressful work environment.

[Nancy]

A short and inspiring read about leadership, giving back to your community, and courage. While the book's main focus is on Outward Bound, it also discusses grit, perseverance, and curiosity. Makes me wish I could go on another Outward Bound trip.

[Jim]

An easy leadership introduction text, providing various ways to develop leaders in an outdoor setting. Teaching individuals to stretch can teach them to do unexpected things and how they too can become strong leaders.

[Lisa Kosak]

I have always been an avid reader – a book nerd. Ever since my boys were little I would tell them that “Readers are Leaders”. Wouldn’t it be great if this were true? However, it takes more than reading to become a true servant leader. It also takes grit, experience, uncomfortable confrontation, and throwing yourself into situations where you are scared, challenged, and willing to do what others shy away from.

Some of the strongest leaders in the world have grown through fear, challenge and jumping into the unknown. The new book Outward Bound Lessons to Live a Life of Leadership – To Serve, To Strive, and Not to Yield by Mark Michaux Brown along with Outward Bound USA tells the story of how experienced-based learning is how leaders are made.

Outward Bound is a learning and leadership based program for youth and adults. The core of the program leads people into the wilderness (hiking, biking, desert/jungle trips) and throwing them out of their comfort zone. Those who are fortunate enough to build their skills and enhance relationships become some of our strongest leaders. Outward Bound Lessons shares powerful personal stories, ideas, and real-world success traits that Outward Bound leaders bring as change agents to companies and communities around the world. Being thrown into unknown situations transforms people into “Expeditionary Leaders”.

There are three key factors to being an Expeditionary leader. The motto is simple:

• To Serve: Focus on employees, customers, communities, and the greater good
• To Strive: See challenges as opportunities to grow, value your learning and how to offer it to the greater good
• Not to Yield: Leaders learn that the “finish line” is forever and the best is always to come. Leaders should always stick to their principles under pressure. Never yield to weakness and always put others first. That means playing the long game, foregoing short term profits, and having the true moral courage

The Outward Bound program has changed lives. It has pushed people to the edge of their humanity. As a result, they impact those around them and share the lessons they learned. The principles that we need to develop include effectively serving, striving, and not yielding. I was immersed in the numerous stories that people shared during the trips that they experienced in the book as well as the awe and courage they felt when they beat the odds. They had to live the “pages” of a leadership book to truly become leaders.

Here are some common themes that the Outward Bound leaders experienced:

• A yearning to serve a higher calling by taking risks and trying new paths to pave the way for others
• Problems are what spark leaders to jump into action
• Become core connectors and foster community interaction to build stronger communities
• Take advantage of teachable moments and reflect on learning’s
• Continually use uncertainty, adversity, and challenge for personal development
• Always be curious, never settle
• Relay on compassion for others no matter what the challenge
• Mentor and tech others the three Expeditionary Leadership qualities
• Go with your gut in situations while holding to your values
• Develop grit and stand up for yourself so that you can support others
• Know that you will need to continually take more risks and stay out of your comfort zone or your growth will diminish

Outward Bound Lessons is a fascinating book. It is more than just getting teams together to experience zip lining or trust games for a day. It’s about people being with one another on a long and perhaps dangerous journey. Growth requires time and true reliance on others. Not only are the stories and lessons engaging, but at the end of each chapter, there are reflection questions to ask yourself and challenge what your notions of leadership are and what true leadership is.

If you are looking for a fresh book on leadership where you can share the adventures of others and learn from the experiences that they had, this is a must-read. Learn how YOU should climb out of your skin once in a while and face the unknown for eye-opening lessons and personal growth