Project Adventure
Just back from an amazing experience at The Project Adventure Centre just outside Boston.
When I first received the programme outline I wasn’t sure why we were going on a one day Adventure Programme. Out of an eight day course it seemed an extravagance.
Having now experienced it I can only say it will probably have been one of the events on the course which will have the most profound effect on me.
We worked in a group of ten people – who form our “Process Group” who meet every evening to reflect on the day’s programme. Our group contains Principals from throughout the USA, myself from Scotland and an Australian.
By working through a series of carefully crafted activities we began to learn about each other and to use the experiences to reflect upon our own leadership practice and how we might make our own Process Group work even better of the duration of the course.
The last challenge was to walk across a log suspended 30 feet in the air - it was good to put ourselves in vulnerable and challenging postions again in a very supportive environment.
It was this constant connecting back to our work by the facilitator which made the event so worthwhile – the tasks could have become a series of disconnected challenges but by articulating them and connecting them to a set of very coherent values they merged into a unique experience.
It made me wonder about the potential of doing something like this with our own Head Teachers back home where we really start to learn more about each other and make connections back to how we lead our professional lives as part of a supportive community. One of our emerging strands of our Leadership Development Strategy in East Lothian is Nurture and Well- Being - I know some Head Teachers would baulk at the idea of giving up a day to do something like this - but it really would contribute in very positive way to the nurturing of our people and contribute to their well being.
As I said to Jane (the Director) at the end of the day – “it had been a privilege”.
Beth Wonson wrote:
I am glad to know the Project Adventure added value to your experience. We would like to be able to use your words in some of materials. Would that be okay. You can respond to me directly at bwonson@pa.org. I have passed your posting to Jane Panicucci (the lead for your group) and our staff at PA.
Thanks again.
Posted on 15-Jul-07 at 3:37 pm | Permalink
Don wrote:
Beth
I’d be delighted if you wanted to use my post in any way you wish. You have a wonderful organisation - which lives up to its values - which is not something all companies can say!
Posted on 15-Jul-07 at 4:18 pm | Permalink
Bill Stephen wrote:
Great to see such interest in using the outdoors to help facilitate learning and that it had a “profound effect” on you personally.This is not an unusual response and I have seen similar reactions on OMD programmes I have run over the years. As you will be aware many of the blue chip companies and authorities use OMD (Outdoor Management Development) programmes to help facilitate learning and good professional facilitation as you observed helps transfer the learning back to the workplace.They feel the results are worth, to use your words,the “extravagance”.
Several groups within in East Lothian use the Outdoor Service for staff development days and our recent Staff challenge was amongst other things to let staff teams see how it can be used. Once teams embark on these days the realise that they can get much more out of “adventure days” than just a “jolly”. Courses can be designed with specific aims or issues in mind and outcomes can be realised in the workplace with good use of feedback and follow up days(and integrated to CPD as part of coahing and mentoring - see earlier post).
Perhaps we can have a chat when you get back on how we can help & support any future leadership development by integrating days into training programmes.
Posted on 15-Jul-07 at 5:48 pm | Permalink
Bill’s Outdoor Learning Blog » Blog Archive » Outdoor Management Development wrote:
[...] A recent post from Don out on the Harvard programme got me writing about OMD. Don and his colleagues have been on an “adventure day” and it has had a “profound” effect. This is no surprise to those of us with experience in developmental training in the outdoor education sphere.The use of outdoor learning in management and leadership training can be extremely powerful and at the service we try not to under sell it! There is a tremendous amount of research and evidence to back up the benefits of development training in the outdoors. [...]
Posted on 15-Jul-07 at 6:30 pm | Permalink
Harvard Graduate School - School Leadership » Blog Archive » High Wire wrote:
[...] Project Adventure [...]
Posted on 15-Jul-07 at 11:27 pm | Permalink
Don Ledingham wrote:
Bill
Give please contact my PA Mary Horsburgh to arrange a meeting. It would be good to talk about this with our staff development co-ordinator Kirsty Macrae.
Posted on 16-Jul-07 at 2:06 am | Permalink
Bill Stephen wrote:
Excellent. I will contact Mary and arrange a suitable date.
Posted on 17-Jul-07 at 1:46 pm | Permalink
Alastair Seagroatt wrote:
The “constant connecting back to our work” seems to me a vital part of these types of courses if they are to help people make changes.
How did having folk from different backgrounds influence the effect of the course? I usually prefer to work with team from a unit, rather than 1 person going back to others who have not had that experience and have not been enthused.
Posted on 24-Jul-07 at 10:16 pm | Permalink
Don’s Learning Log » Blog Archive » The John Muir Leadership Development Centre? wrote:
[...] I met Bill Stephen and Ollie Bray on Friday to explore how we might build upon some of the experiences I had at the Project Adventure programme in the summer. [...]
Posted on 26-Aug-07 at 7:07 pm | Permalink