Leadership and Risk Management: Learning from Our Mistakes

The mountains of Taiwan provide many opportunities for a range of outdoor adventures. From hiking, mountaineering, canyoneering, sea kayaking and rock climbing, Taiwan is a paradise for weekend warriors and to those looking for extended trips. Outdoor programs have started to cash in on this outdoor opportunity. Schools are using adventure education in their curriculums. Teachers see the benefits of outdoor classrooms and the diversity of what students can gain. For the blue collar people, the outdoors is an escape from the pressure of jobs and business. On top of all that, the culture of Taiwan being so stressful, the mountains are just a drive away. However, along with the adventures comes the risk involved with these activities. Unfortunately, in Taiwan, there is an increasing amount of incidents. These accidents could have been avoided. There is a need for guidelines and requirements that would help decrease these accidents. There is no sure way to stop some accidents from occurring, but with quality standards, they can be decreased. It is the hope of this paper to help with these standards. Outdoor instructors need practical ways to help them make their world a better place.