The Economist columnist Andrew Palmer joined Carey Flex MBA students for the first days of the 2023 LDE Norway course, giving an inside look at the team's early challenges and learning, particularly about the value of simple structures and rules for making progress when leading, in The Economist's Boss Class podcast about leadership and management at work.
Leadership Development Expeditions
Develop your leadership skills through faculty-led adventure expeditions
Through Leadership Development Expedition (LDE) courses, students develop their capacity for leadership and build a deep understanding of their own strengths and contributions as a leader in a high-performing team. LDE courses draw on outdoor experiential education theory and challenge participants to serve as leaders during an adventure expedition. These courses build leadership skills through a combination of rigorous academic inquiry into the nature of leadership, honest self-assessment and reflection, and hands-on experiences in challenging environments.
Who can take Leadership Development Expedition courses?
LDE courses are offered during the Summer term (in July) for all Flex MBA and Full-time MBA students at the Carey Business School.
CIL also offers LDE courses for practicing leaders and executives in partnership with the Carey Business School’s Office of Executive Education. Learn more below about opportunities to participate in LDE-Professional or about custom executive treks for organizations wishing to develop high potential managers and build a pipeline of strong leaders.
“The program provides a framework for leadership and teamwork through a shared language that allowed a group of strangers–of various ages and physical ability–to get from point A to point B on a timeline, feeling not only emotionally and physically cared for but also with a sense of pride in the individual and team growth.”
Chelsea Heneghan, DNP/MBA candidate ’25
Pediatric Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner at Boston Children's Hospital
LDE Norway
The Norway Leadership Development Expedition course takes place each summer, challenging students to navigate challenging terrain across the coasts and mountains of Norway. The LDE Norway course offers two separate sections (each running over the same dates) - alpine hiking in the Jotunheim mountains or coastal kayaking around the island of Smola. The academic component of the course is the same for both sections. However, the adventure activities and location are different to allow students to select where they will best learn, grow and enjoy a challenging, culturally-rich adventure in Norway.
Spanning nine days, each section will work together as an expedition team to manage daily challenges such as navigation, time management, physical and emotional safety, and team morale. Each day will begin and end with team meetings to debrief learning moments and discuss individual and group needs. Throughout course, students will focus on enhancing individual and team performance, learn and apply appropriate leadership models, and provide and receive structured feedback.
Register for the 2025 LDE Norway Course
Participation in the LDE course is by application, due to the limited number of spaces available in each section of the course. Application available at the link below or by following this link: https://forms.gle/qq9J6ad2viHwEM3a9
Please make sure you have reviewed all of the information below (including the guidance provided on selecting the right section/activity for your interests and abilities) before applying.
Applications are due by December 15, 2024
Program Details
2025 Course Dates
- July 5 - 13, 2025 (same dates for both sections)
2025 Course Locations
- Mountain Trekking Section: Hiking through the alpine environment of the Jotunheim mountains - course begins in Voss, Norway; fly into Bergen airport (BGO)
Coastal Kayaking Section: Kayaking and camping around the island of Smola - course begins in Trondheim; fly into Trondheim airport (TRD)
Program Costs
- 2-credit Tuition Fee (Summer 2025 rate)
- $2550 course Program Fee (covers all in-country transportation, lodging, meals and activity fees during course dates)
- Students are responsible for their own international airfare, pre- and post-course expenses, travel insurance and travel documentation (including a passport and visa)
Physical Demands & Safety
Both sections, trekking and kayaking, are physically challenging and require students to be in moderate physical health and possess a willingness to experience physical and social discomfort for the sake of learning. However, students do not need any prior mountaineering or kayaking experience.
Instructors and guides take risk management and personal safety very seriously and take appropriate measures to mitigate chance for accident or injury. However, this is an adventure-based course which includes a certain level of inherent risk and uncertainty. For students with physical disabilities or needs that might require accommodations, or if you have any questions about the level of physical activity, please contact Mike Doyle to discuss options.
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Both LDE sections will have the same syllabus, assignments and pre- and post-trek virtual class session requirements, and both sections will also provide hotel stays on first and last night of the course in Norway for students to adjust to time changes and feel rested before and after the adventure activities of the course.
Although each section takes place in a stunningly beautiful and wild environment with unique and beautiful scenery and views, each section's activities offer different forms of comfort and challenge. Students should make their decision based on personal interest in activities and best fit for physical condition.
Specifically, though the mountain trek offers cabin-style lodging and meals, the hiking days are long and strenuous. And though the kayaking days are shorter and less physically demanding, students will set up/break down camp and cook their own food. Each course offers a challenging learning environment and the opportunity for rich leadership development - the specific nature of the challenge just varies.
Below is a breakdown of course components and student expectations for each section:
Mountain Hut-to-Hut Trekking
(Hiking Section)
Coastal Paddling & Camping
(Kayaking Section)
Core Activities
5 days of hiking on dirt-packed, rocky trails.
Approximately 8-10 hours of hiking per day at a moderate pace with regular breaks.
5 days of flat water kayaking along the island’s shoreline.
Approximately 4-6 hours of paddling per day with regular breaks.
Lodging and Meals
6 nights in rustic mountain cabins with bunkrooms and basic bathroom facilities (e.g., pit toilets).
1 night before and after course in modern hotel.
All meals during the trek will be provided at the cabins.
6 nights of tent camping (2-person tents) with no access to bathrooms or indoor facilities.
1 night before and after course in modern hotel
Students will cook all meals as a team in camp.
Key Considerations
Terrain will be rocky, steep, and wet with snow and stream crossings. Students must carry a 40L pack (approximately 15-25lbs)
More information about the area and the cabins available at: https://www.dnt.no
Weather conditions change quickly and may include rain and wind. Students must be comfortable swimming with a life jacket.
More information on the area and kayaking available at: https://www.smolakajakk.com/
Interested in talking with Carey students and alumni who have taken the LDE Norway course?
Email Mike Doyle to get connected with a former LDE student.
“Oftentimes, I found myself putting a label on my leadership style and focusing on operating in that one capacity. However, on the trip, I had to be adaptable. This trip gave me the opportunity to step into nearly every kind of leadership role and to practice balancing empathy, agility, and competence to best serve my team in that moment.”
Sydney Sanchez, MBA candidate ’24
People Team Manager at PwC
LDE in the Media
Writing in the Harvard Business Review, CIL Directors Mike Doyle and Chris Myers describe the philosophy of the LDE course – and how the expedition helps participants develop abilities to tackle challenges, make decisions, and collaborate – highlighting four key characteristics of the course that can be adapted and applied to enhance many other forms of leadership development and training in organizations.
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Leadership Development Expedition-Professional (LDEPro)
Nature Inspired, Human Powered Learning
This uniquely designed leadership development expedition for professionals invites a small group of individuals to participate in a week-long kayaking-camping expedition along the coast of the Sea of Cortez in Baja, Mexico. While paddling these majestic waters and camping on remote sand beaches, participants will engage in focused discussions on salient leadership topics, give and receive feedback on daily team performance, and receive ongoing executive coaching from instructors. Active participation in the expedition will allow individuals to reflect on and evaluate personal leadership capacity, strengths, and growth areas as leaders.
Disconnect to Reconnect
Participants will experience the unique opportunity to deeply immerse themselves in the quiet, wilderness, and the therapeutic beauty of nature for a week while completely disconnecting from work, technology, and the stress of daily routine back home. Although this disconnect can be disorienting and uncomfortable at first, participants will quickly grow to appreciate the opportunity to slow down, be more present, and reset their intentions for self-improvement in areas of mind, body, and spirit.
Present Moment Leadership
The course’s foundation is CIL’s Present Moment Leadership framework, which emphasizes that leaders must deploy the right amount of empathy, competence, and agility to influence positive change and innovate solutions. Participants will navigate the technical and environmental challenges of adventure-based learning in a remote setting by getting out of their comfort zones, adapting to a steadily evolving set of scenarios, committing to group over self, and learning by collaborating with others.
What to Expect
- Individual executive coaching sessions with goal setting before, during, and after the program
- Daily routine of kayaking, camping, and cooking meals
- Daily paddling duration: 3-4 hours (may include swimming and snorkeling)
- Double kayaks and tents for all participants
- The support boat will allow for fresh ingredients and cold drinks for meals
- Participants will work in teams to manage navigation, cooking, and camp setup (with guide support)
- Opportunities to lead group for a day
- Share your talents and gifts as a leader
- Experiment with new and different leadership approaches as appropriate
- Receive direct and specific feedback from peers and instructors
- Evening team debrief and discussion
- Assess individual and team performance and make necessary adjustments for the next day
- Connect leadership lessons learned on expedition to work and life at home
- Share personal leadership story and hear other’s stories
Program Details
LDEPro is a program for working professionals interested in developing their leadership. Full- and part-time MBA students should register for the LDE Norway course (LDEPro is not open to current students, but alumni are welcome). ** This is a physically demanding program. After day two, we will be camping in tents on sandy beaches with no access to showers, cell phones, or Wi-Fi. Students should be in moderate to strong physical condition and comfortable swimming or floating in open water. However, no technical outdoor skill or prior camping or kayaking experience is required.
For questions and inquiries, contact Mike Doyle mdoyle@jhu.edu.
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Custom LDE
How do you build the leadership skills needed to navigate your team through uncertainty and difficult situations? Put yourself in a controlled, high-stakes situation with Johns Hopkins leadership experts by your side. Whether as part of an open-enrollment Executive LDE course to Mt. Cotopaxi in Ecuador or as part of a custom program carefully crafted for the developmental needs of your organization, CIL's outdoor leadership experiences will help you develop the skills to succeed as a leader.