Building Cultural Connection Through Emotional Intelligence

WHAT DID YOU GET OUT OF YOUR OUTWARD BOUND COURSE?

I gained a lot from my Outward Bound experience. I want to share two things - one that is my biggest takeaway, and one that is the most surprising.

Self-awareness - The programme helped me build self-awareness. During the five-day leadership course, I left behind my family, colleagues, daily routine, and all familiar surroundings - no phone, no outside distractions - and fully immersed myself in each activity and challenge. Meeting new people and forming new connections from scratch opened up my senses and mind. I became more aware of my emotions, energy levels and preferences beyond my usual roles as a mother, a wife and a UX Designer.

What surprised me most was that even with all the challenges, I didn’t miss my phone once, nor did I think about my family as much as I expected. It showed me how much I enjoyed being myself and made me realise the importance of prioritising my own wellbeing.

The importance of cleaning - Before joining the course, I never realised how much time we would spend cleaning. After sailing, we thoroughly cleaned the entire boat; after tramping and camping in the forest, we cleaned every piece of gear - backpacks, sleeping bags, mats, and utensils. As a team, we also washed dishes for over a hundred people and deep-cleaned our rooms and bathrooms at the end. I used to dislike and undervalue cleaning, but through these tasks I found great satisfaction in restoring order and cleanliness. It felt almost meditative — like clearing away mental clutter. I was delighted by this new perspective on cleaning, and the whole process reminded me somewhat of Zen practice.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST PERSONAL CHANGE YOU’VE SEEN?

The biggest change I’ve seen is learning to accept and appreciate differences among people.

I grew up in a culture that values authority, conformity, and collective success. There were strong shared beliefs - for instance, that good grades define worth, or that success is measured by social status and income. Growing up in that environment, I often tried to meet family or social expectations rather than my own preferences. I also tended to apply my own standards to others - my husband and my son, sometimes creating invisible pressure.

The Outward Bound experience gave me a big shift in perspective. For five days, I lived and worked closely with eight teammates and three coaches. Each of us came from very different backgrounds, life stages and personalities. Everyone showed up as their true selves - their strengths, worries, and fears. I realised that differences aren’t just okay - they make a team stronger. Learning about the Team Management Wheel helped me understand that different roles complement each other, and diversity is what makes teamwork succeed.

The change didn’t happen in one day, in the past 6 months there was back and forth, there was struggles, but I’ve seen this become a strong belief in my mind. I’ve learned to give my family more space - for example, I no longer push my husband and son to go swimming with me if they don’t want to, I just go myself. I’ve also learned to appreciate my son’s love of technology and gaming, even though I prefer gardening. These differences have broadened my world, and I’m thankful for that.

WHAT FEARS DID YOU OVERCOME?

My biggest fear was not performing well - whether falling behind physically or misunderstanding instructions because of language barriers.

Before going, I prepared as if I were getting ready for an exam. I printed the gear list, checked every item carefully, looked up unfamiliar words and even searched for pictures to make sure I understood everything correctly. It showed how much I cared about doing things right and seeking reassurance.

The course helped me overcome this fear by throwing us directly into action. There wasn’t much time to overthink - we were on the sailing boat right after a short introduction and started learning and working together straight away. I was so focused on the tasks that I forgot my worries.

The reflection sessions and group check-ins after each activity also helped me. Hearing others share not only what they did but how they felt made me stop judging myself. I began to relax and realised I was doing fine - even helping others, like when I used acupressure to ease a teammate’s headache. That gave me quiet confidence.

HOW WERE YOU CHALLENGED CULTURALLY?

One cultural difference I noticed was how much attention was given to everyone’s emotional and physical state.

For example, between activities we often did a quick check-in, and if someone rated themselves below 3 out of 5, the group would pause to support that person instead of moving on.

In my own culture, we tend to focus more on efficiency and results, encouraging people to push through challenges and celebrate success after overcoming them. It was interesting for me to experience a team culture that values emotional awareness as part of teamwork, rather than something separate from achieving the goal.

HOW DO YOU THINK OUTWARD BOUND WILL HELP YOU BETTER COLLABORATE WITH YOUR COMMUNITY?

Outward Bound helped me better understand myself and how I work with others under pressure. Through teamwork and shared challenges, I learned to communicate more openly, care about others’ emotional states, and appreciate different perspectives. As a woman and new immigrant, this experience strengthened my confidence to bring my voice forward and create space for others to be heard. I believe these lessons will help me collaborate more effectively with my colleagues and wider community - to be more understanding, caring and adaptable - and to build a more positive and inclusive environment.

For example, in our culture, people tend to be more restrained and personal emotions are not often openly expressed. But that doesn’t mean they are unnecessary - human nature and needs are universal. I can use some of the methods I learned to encourage awareness and expression of emotions when interacting with my community, helping people realise the positive value of doing so.