As your outdoor skills grow, your leadership abilities will also progress. After getting through the initial days of learning how to live and be comfortable in the wilderness, your instructors will begin to encourage you to make more decisions on your own. At first, instructors will travel with you in small groups, giving your group input when decisions are made. Over time they will step back more and more, allowing you to learn from your successes and mistakes and become a leader. As you get more skilled, you'll gain a new respect for yourself, which naturally leads to . . .
Confidence grows from practice and competence.
But your hard work and practice soon leads to a new confidence, both with your outdoor skills and your emerging leadership qualities. This person is head architect and guardian of the travel day, making decisions and assigning tasks with input from the rest of the group. You're responsible for seeking clarity, giving input, supporting the leader, and working for the betterment of your group and its plan. You'll gain confidence in other ways too. It may be fixing your first flat tire, or tying a perfectly dressed figure-8 knot during climbing class.