07/26/2026
Throwback Blog -
Assistant leader Blog - Nick Detmar - Florida Canoe Journey
As an assistant leading the Florida canoe trip, I was primarily in charge of food preparation, cooking, and dishwashing. Throughout the trip, I learned some valuable lessons that applied not only to that experience but also to life in general. The most significant lesson, however, was the importance of delegation and having a plan.
Delegation is the act or process of assigning authority or responsibility from one person or group to another. Planning 42 meals for 10 people over 14 days can be quite an ordeal. For a large part of it, I decided to handle it by myself because I didn’t have a clear plan and didn’t want to take up others' time, even though people offered to help. I knew everyone else had their own responsibilities. This approach led to late nights and insufficient sleep, which, in turn, affected my performance during the day. There was no joy in the process because it felt overwhelming.
However, as the trip progressed, I learned that you don’t have to do everything on your own. The first step in getting help is to have a clear plan so that you know what tasks others can assist with. Delegating not only sped up the process but also fostered a deeper understanding between leader and follower.
What I didn’t realize at the time was that every time I turned down someone’s offer to help, I was effectively communicating that I didn’t trust them to do the job properly. Even though that wasn’t my intention, it was the message I conveyed. By allowing others to help, I not only made the process more efficient and gained more time for other tasks, but I also empowered others by giving them responsibility. In closing, there are often lots of things that we can just do on our own, however in many cases trying to do it on your own can lead to insufficient time management and may not yield the best result.
Thanks,
Nick