Well certainly you shouldn’t go in what you know for a fact is the wrong direction. Option One: I would tell the group this: “I know the camp is somewhere over there. Let’s head that way. If I’m right, we’ll see the campfires when we get over there and we’ll be safe. If I’m wrong, we’ll be lost in the woods. In other words we won’t be any worse off than we are now except that it will be about 10 minutes later. So if you’re not convinced that I’m leading you the right way 10 minutes from now, let _____ take over. But if we go his way now and he’s wrong, we’ve lost the opportunity to go the way towards where I saw the fires.” Option Two: This is based on a technicality, but I think it’s a good answer. If it’s just “getting dark” and not actually dark yet, and you could see the campfires for a second, imagine how clearly you’ll be able to see them when it’s actually dark. Convince everyone to stay there until it gets dark, and when it’s actually dark it will be easy to see the campfires.
Have the team slowly walk in opposite directions one at a time. Evenly spread the team out in a line going towards the direction that I saw and the direction that the other guy saw. So if one gets close to the campfire you can just yell and tell your neighbor to come this way… It’s hard to explain…it’s easier to draw a picture.
You soptted campfires, but is that where you’re going? Whose campfire is it? Listen to the other guy.
You tell the group you think it’s this way but in the interest of team spirit you are willing to follow the experienced survivalist. That way, if he’s right, you come across as a true teamplayer and you can appoint him the chief scout and yourself the chief executive officer, if he’s wrong you kick him out of the group, assume leadership and enjoy the spoils (the hot chicks).