Leadership and Failure – Gifts from Camp

When I reflect on the ways that Wanakee has helped shape who I am, I think about two periods – before I was an LIT and after. Why that split instead of, say, when I became a camper, staffer, or volunteer? Well, because of Leader in Training, my perspective changed. I got my first taste of being a staff member, and couldn’t wait to move to the next phase of what camp would mean to me as a young adult and beyond.

LIT 2002, Nicole seated second from the right.

Being an LIT and later serving on summer staff gave me an opportunity to truly be a leader. I was that kid at camp who got her voice taken away during team-building activities because she always had an idea for how the group could complete the task, and I was that kid who would always try to organize her classmates when working on a group project at school.

I call these things leadership, but others, when referring to a girl, might call it being bossy. I don’t think I ever earned the moniker ‘the bossy one’ at camp or at school, but if I had, I might not have developed the leadership skills I have today. I might not have become Wanakee’s summer Program Director at 21, or a Manager at a large software company at 24, or one of Wanakee’s Board Members at 25, or a Senior Manager of 30 employees in 3 countries at 29.

The 2004 Wanakee staff, Nicole’s first year

If I hadn’t had the chance to transition from being a camper to staff member, I would have missed out on having a safe place to fail – a space where an error in judgement lead not to firing, but where my supervisors gave me the chance to learn (and demonstrate) responsibility and accountability. I would have missed out on an opportunity to manage crises and to learn what not to do in the future. And yes, I would have missed the opportunity to be hurt by friends (and to hurt some) and to practice forgiveness in supportive community.

According to Jedi Master Yoda, “The greatest teacher, failure is.” At Wanakee, I have failed many times – failed to pass a swimming level, failed to complete the high ropes course, failed to get the job I wanted (twice), failed to engage enough with the staff when I was Program Director. But I’ve also had the chance to learn from those failures and reach different outcomes. Before my last summer as I camper, I had passed every swimming level and completed every element on the high ropes course; after two summers on staff, I earned a job I preferred; and although I learned my lesson about staff engagement only after I was Program Director, I have made an impact on staff as a volunteer counselor and director and Program Committee and Board member, as a leader, some might say.

Wanakee’s 2005 LITs, lead by counselor Nicole

The lessons to try new things, to embrace failure for growth, to not be afraid to be a leader are all things I got from working at Wanakee. I could not have transitioned into leadership roles in my professional career without developing those skills at camp. I am so grateful for my time on summer staff and even more so for the opportunity to serve as a volunteer at Wanakee, where I continue to grow in my leadership skills in an encouraging community.

I look forward to seeing you at camp!

Grace and Peace,

Nicole Richards, Chair, Wanakee Board of Directors

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Nicole joined Wanakee’s Board of Directors in 2011, and has served as chair since 2017. Since her last year on staff in 2008, Nicole has volunteered at Wanakee’s Survival, Ultimate Survival, and Family Camp programs, and spent time as a guest trainer for the summer staff. She has also served on the Program Committee, including as committee chair.

We hope to share a wider range of blog-style posts from different voices in the Wanakee community. If you have a story or perspective related to camp that you’d like to share, drop us an email! mail@wanakee.org