Experimental Training Program: Wilderness/Adventure Learning
Experimental Training Program: Wilderness/Adventure Learning
Training employees is a fundamental element of a corporations success. A company succeeds only as well as the people running it can perform. This training process can cover many skills and go into many areas of expertise. One key element that has only recently come into action is an outdoor- based experiential training program. Commonly called "ropes courses," wilderness courses or adventure learning programs have been in use in the USA since the early 1980 's, and by organizations in the UK since the early 1970 's. Outdoor programs have been most beneficial when used to promote effective work teams and used to enhance leadership and management skills in the participants. Outdoor- based training programs seem to accomplish these objectives by allowing participants to develop a high level of trust in their peers, improve their problem-solving ability, and generally improve the level of interpersonal communications between group members. Companies are looking for leaders that can launch them into a new era.
Constant improvement is necessary to meet the growth of challenging competition.
So who defines leadership? What is a leader and how would you raise these skills that may be laying dormant in your subordinates? Organizations need great leaders to help them successfully survive the many difficulties of this decade. Yet, the very notion of leadership has rapidly degenerated into a cliché, a buzz word. In many people 's minds, leadership has become identified with an overly simplistic conception of vision and empowerment.
Although these concepts do play an important role in the leadership process, they only scratch the surface of what an exceptional leader actually does on a day-to-day basis. What do leaders really do to make an organization work well? In my research
I found that great leaders exhibit nine different kinds of behaviors that enable them to bring out the best in the people
Training employees is a fundamental element of a corporations success. A company succeeds only as well as the people running it can perform. This training process can cover many skills and go into many areas of expertise. One key element that has only recently come into action is an outdoor- based experiential training program. Commonly called "ropes courses," wilderness courses or adventure learning programs have been in use in the USA since the early 1980 's, and by organizations in the UK since the early 1970 's. Outdoor programs have been most beneficial when used to promote effective work teams and used to enhance leadership and management skills in the participants. Outdoor- based training programs seem to accomplish these objectives by allowing participants to develop a high level of trust in their peers, improve their problem-solving ability, and generally improve the level of interpersonal communications between group members. Companies are looking for leaders that can launch them into a new era.
Constant improvement is necessary to meet the growth of challenging competition.
So who defines leadership? What is a leader and how would you raise these skills that may be laying dormant in your subordinates? Organizations need great leaders to help them successfully survive the many difficulties of this decade. Yet, the very notion of leadership has rapidly degenerated into a cliché, a buzz word. In many people 's minds, leadership has become identified with an overly simplistic conception of vision and empowerment.
Although these concepts do play an important role in the leadership process, they only scratch the surface of what an exceptional leader actually does on a day-to-day basis. What do leaders really do to make an organization work well? In my research
I found that great leaders exhibit nine different kinds of behaviors that enable them to bring out the best in the people
References: Corporate Quality Universities, lessons in building a world-class work force (Richard D Irwin, INC., 1994) Conceptualizing Reflection in Teacher development (J. Calderhead and P. Gates, 1993) Training and Development Yearbook, 1995/1996 (Prentice Hall, INC., 1995) Experienced based Training and Development, a professional group within The association of experiential Education 2885 Aurora Ave., Suite 28 Boulder, CO. 80303-2252 (303)440-8844