Outbound Experiential Training & Developmental programmes for Corporate Executives represents a powerful process to enhance employee, team and organizational interaction, helps to develop skills,communication and collaboration and to resolve tensions, anger, conflict and crises. Outbound Training is a technique used to enhance the efficiency of employees through Experiential Learning. In other words, taking the group of employees away from the actual work environment into the outdoors and are assigned some challenging task or activity that needs to be completed by them within a given time frame.

Today a lot of organizations do outbound training programs. They usually have multiple objectives, when it comes to outbound programs.

• Inculcate experiential learning cycles

Experiential Learning cycles are distinct from other traditional forms of learnings. Typically, you can visualize traditional learning as a one-way process where a teacher/facilitator instructs, and the team absorbs instructions and depending on their understanding, applies these newly learned concepts in their work or personal lives. The instructional sessions could be in person (physical sessions) or could be over e-learning modules or could be through course ware. Typically the max extent to which the team can absorb is limited to what has been provided as course ware. If people go beyond the course ware, then it is through their own initiatives and application of the learnings in their job situation.

Experiential learning is very different. Each person carries with him a different version of what he can take away from the learning as it applies to his job situation. Also, since it is a group learning, it also fosters a lot of belonging and trust among the team-members, which are so useful, when you get into pressure situations. When you get back to work, you have to work with the same set of people. Having interacted with them in a social setting helps make the relationships really cordial.

• Team building

This is one of the common reasons for doing outbound training programs. You work as a team in office. Why not carry the same team in an independent setting and measure them against different goals, that they will accomplish together, working as a team, using a new set of skills. You stay with your team, interact with your team in open settings and are set goals to achieve, as a team. All of this helps a lot in team building. Like before, the team has pleasant memories of their outing together and that helps a lot, in real life pressure situations at work.

The profession of outdoor training programs is today well respected for its specialized training, ethics, and processes.

How should one go about developing an outbound Training Methodology?

The safety of the participants is prime. As we are getting into the outdoors, taking care of any medical conditions of participants is also very important. Also, as you need to cater to food and lodging during the stay, it is necessary to also understand if someone has any specific dietary restrictions related to their health. Broadly, this is how we plan for an outbound experiential learning program with a focused, planned, safe and structured approach. It includes few steps

 Benefit of Outbound Training with Employees

Outbound training is the process of using experimental learning in an unknown outdoor environment to develop the skills and talents within employees so that they can utilize them for the betterment of the workplace. Here are some known benefits of outbound training programs.

• Helps in improving the teamwork abilities.
• Nourishes the interpersonal skills.
• Improves the Communication Skills.
• Better partnerships and alliances.
• Help in resolving intergroup or personal conflicts.
• Helps people become more positive.
• Leadership qualities get enhanced.
• Nurtures the personal and intergroup relations.
• Improves and streamlines the overall thought process of the employees.
• Greatly assist the employees in displaying their best behavioural skills.
• Also helps participants to realize their unexplored potential and talent.

Some ideas for outbound training comprises of a series of exercises and games such as treasure hunt, trekking, camping, raft racing, etc. built around the training theme and are carried out by employees in teams. The main focus with the Training approach is to impart learning on organizational needs such as Leadership, Strategic Thinking, Conflict Management, Team Building, Effective Communication, Quality Improvement, Mentoring and Skill Development.

If all this sounds interesting for you, when are you planning an outbound experiential learning program for your company. If you need any help, you can always reach me.