The Great Outdoors

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Macho Nonsense or Serious Development Alternative?

Does the idea of using outdoor activities fill you with dread, fear for your professional credibility or your budget, do you think it is something that is fine for the SAS, schoolchildren or those fit young fools from sales, but nothing to do with "proper" management development? Is your view similar to a respected OD professional who once told me that she does appreciate the great outdoors, but that: "It's best viewed from a shaded patio with a misted glass of Chablis to hand."

Maybe you actually enjoy a leisurely walk in the country, but don't see its relevance to improving performance at work. Perhaps you have had, or heard of others having a bad experience. Whatever your take on the subject I would invite you to pause and reflect for a moment as to whether you are neglecting an effective and stimulating option for developing people.

There has been some bad press for this sort of training, much of it justified. I have met many rightly indignant training professionals, whose scepticism turned to cynicism after watching a "fly on the wall" documentary about an outdoor development event in Scotland. One summarised it as follows:

There have been numerous stories of dubious practices from eating worms to walking on hot coals. While recognising that some people claim to have benefited from such events, it is at the extremes that the most damage can be done - to individuals, organisations and to the reputation of a medium from which many have taken real and memorable learning.

So what are the real differences and benefits of outdoor activities in management development? Let's firstly be clear what we are talking about. We prefer to call it Management Development Outdoors or MDO. This places the emphasis in the right place - we are referring to the use of outdoor activities as a medium for management development, not the other way around. These activities may be adventure based, such as caving, climbing or canoeing. They may equally be simple problem solving exercises based outside and using rope, wood or scaffolding.

MDO is an extension of experiential learning, which is a key element in much effective development training. Experiential learning is more powerful and has a more lasting effect than conventional approaches. It is centred on learning by doing, but linked to facilitated reflection, theoretical models and behavioural experimentation. All stages are equally important and valid, but the practical emphasis is the key to its appeal and effectiveness.

Outdoor activities should not be undertaken lightly, but designed to highlight particular lessons or processes. They are also enjoyable and memorable, which enhances the learning.

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