At The Trust, we believe that effective teamwork stems from individual behaviour and action. At the same time, it’s vital that each team member is working to achieve a common goal. That’s why we focus on equipping your delegates with a sense of responsibility and an understanding of how behaviour can impact upon group dynamics.
From analysing team interactions to establishing productive patterns of behaviour, we’ll enable your teams to develop the capabilities they need to achieve your objectives. And even when team structures change, your delegates will be able to adapt and continue to deliver the results that you need.
Our unique approach
- Wild and remote environments as a catalyst for development
- Opportunities to test and experiment with team interactions and learn from concrete experiences
- Practical applications of proven theoretical models to develop skills to transfer to the workplace
- Reviews and peer to peer feedback sessions to encourage reflection on individual performance
- Expert facilitation from some of the industry’s most experienced practitioners.
Find out more about 
our approach to team development
Business benefits
- Action-oriented teams who easily adapt between projects, structure changes and business challenges
- Newly formed teams who can work together effectively and deliver outstanding performance from the outset.
- Teams whose behaviour is linked to organisational goals and your corporate culture.
Our programmes
New teams – specifically designed for newly formed work groups or those who have undergone changes to their leadership or purpose. We accelerate the familiarisation process to ensure that your teams perform effectively from day one.
Moving to high performance – enabling your teams to move from normal behaviour to high performance. Delegates will learn about working in a devolved leadership structure whilst developing their communication and group working skills.
Team analysis – allowing you to understand the specific areas for development within your teams. Through intensive review and feedback sessions, your team can analyse their current state and establish objectives to enhance performance.
Cross functional or virtual teams – enabling these teams to understand individual member’s strengths, agree on roles, responsibilities and set the authority and accountability to act.
Find out more about our team development programmes
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If you would like to discuss the ways in which The Outward Bound Trust can contribute to the success of your business teams, please call 01931 740000 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it |
Achilles Group Ltd - Team and Leadership Development
Colin Maund, CEO
Case Studies
Senior Team Development, Achilles Group Ltd
Background
This team works on a national basis and team members are scattered across the UK. They deliver sales / compliance training. Their main objective is improve sales performance. The team had grown significantly in the months leading up to the Outward Bound programme.
Objectives
The team has shared goals yet prior to coming to OB, Eskdale they set about these in a variety of different ways. The objectives of this teambuild were:
- to build team spirit
- to communicate more often and more effectively
- to integrate new team members and achieve what we call an
'accelerated rapport'
- to have a shared, fun and memorable experience
Process
Over a three-day programme our training consultants facilitated a range of projects and exercises that were followed by short reviews. Of the activities used, some were designed to bring about a conscious understanding of high performing teams, added-value creation and effective communication. Others were designed to bond the team and increase members’ understanding of each other. Learning here was less formal and structured but just as powerful nonetheless.
Outcome
Barclays Services, Dublin are 'still reaping rewards from our days with you (Outward Bound)'. The team continues to grow and their value/profile within their organisation has never been higher. They are looking forward to further developing their team with Outward Bound.
Background
National Grid is one of the world's largest utilities. The company owns and operates gas and electricity transmission and distribution networks in the UK and US. It’s also involved in wireless network infrastructure for broadcast and mobile telephones, metering, liquefied natural gas importation, interconnectors and property.
Objectives
To develop sound working relationships between sections of the same team operating in separate locations.
Process
Outward Bound Eskdale (UK) worked in conjunction with Outward Bound Thompson Island (USA) to deliver an exciting team-building programme bringing together members of the same team from remote sites across two states. The programme used a series of demanding scenarios in a picturesque and highly memorable location to provide a positive and enjoyable experience where all team members used co-operation, support and mutual trust to achieve shared goals.
Aims
A new Senior Manager leading the Team proposed a radical shake-up to the existing traditional Civil Service ways of working. He envisaged a more streamlined, flatter structure to deliver a more efficient and effective service to meet the changing demands on Government. He needed existing staff to support these changes with new attitudes to cultivate a culture encouraging more self-directed behaviour. To generate these changes the Senior Manager wanted his middle managers to be inspired by a teamwork and leadership programme encouraging them to take greater ownership and responsibility.
Programme
The programme is one element of our on-going relationship with the Department. It was run over a period of five months and carried out as residential and non-residential formats to meet the family caring commitments of more than 200 delegates. The schedules delivered consistent aims and objectives with modifications to correspond to the levels of fitness of the delegates. It provided an opportunity for the middle managers to practice their teamwork and leadership skills and receive feedback to enhance their awareness of their strengths and weaknesses. The intention was it would create an impetus for changes in behaviour on return to the workplace.
Outcome
The delegates "enjoyed being away from the norm, and casting traditional work roles aside" and appreciated "the opportunity to practise new ways of doing things". Individual feedback described the course as "a useful insight into leading vs. managing, and different leadership styles" helping managers to become "aware of my own next steps to develop my leadership style". "It's really good to appreciate how the tasks we have completed can be put into practise at work" and "I can delegate more, and communicate better".
Aims
This group of pensions and investments experts worked independently in separate branches around the country. Although they communicated frequently within the team this was often done through conference calls and emails mainly at a task level. This style of communication had led to duplication in efforts and offered room for improvement. The organisation felt the group needed to develop their interpersonal skills to meet changes in their roles. It was planned that they would become more sales oriented requiring them to build strong working relationships with external clients. This group of pensions and investments experts worked independently in separate branches around the country. Although they communicated frequently within the team this was often done through conference calls and emails mainly at a task level. This style of communication had led to duplication in efforts and offered room for improvement. The organisation felt the group needed to develop their interpersonal skills to meet changes in their roles. It was planned that they would become more sales oriented requiring them to build strong working relationships with external clients.
Programme
This programme was designed to launch the newly formed team of specialists. It provided an opportunity for the team to work together face-to-face away from their day-to-day disparate work environments. By working together, sharing challenging and fun exercises, they gained a deeper understanding of their own and others’ strengths and weaknesses. This insight helped them apply the learning back to the workplace and develop useful contacts for future collaborative work and sharing best practice.· Working as one large group with co-facilitators they accelerated the process of forming a one-team approach which they could continue back in their separate workplaces.
Outcome
This team critically analysed the learning process and challenged the trainers intellectually with stimulating questions about applying the learning back to the workplace. Together we "helped to identify a practical approach to tasks which translates into my business model". Through the shared experience they found they were using metaphors as part of a common language they had developed through the two days. They found that "very important things can be put across simply".
Aims
One of the most important considerations was that we provided an ethical purchase for the Trade Union. POA successfully negotiated a team building programme for a cross functional team working independently in disparate locations. The roles ranged from accountants to those working on the front line as Prison Officers in dangerous and demanding environments. The Union officials were keen to offer the opportunity to their mainstream members to enjoy the unique learning experience that is achieved only through the outdoors. Several of the staff were uncomfortable with the remoteness and the rural location and were resistant to attend.
Programme
The programme was designed to push the delegates outside their comfort zone and surface enduring patterns of behaviour. The group faced a range of challenges they had not previously experienced in a new environment. They were encouraged to notice their own strengths and weaknesses and those of their colleagues. Using a range of review and feedback techniques the teams explored strategies for maximising assets and managing their deficiencies. By building trust and support mechanisms some delegates managed to overcome barriers to achieve effective working relationships that had been an issue prior to this course.
Outcome
The feedback from the delegates was universally excellent with the highest praise from the reluctant attendees. For them, the two days was profoundly life changing and they left a different person to the person they arrived as. All delegates appreciated the opportunity to “push [them]self and overcome boundaries/fears” and were genuinely surprised at their positive response to the wilderness that is Eskdale.
Aims
This was a team of Director level managers, each expert in their respective field. The work pace was high with unanimous sense they were expected to consistently work at 120 percent whilst ensuring high quality outcomes. The consequence of this accepted and reinforced culture meant the team worked long hours yet had little understanding of one another and how they could best work together. A new member was about to join the team and it was hoped that this course would integrate the member faster to enable him to be fully functioning as soon as possible.
Programme
The programme was intensive and highly paced to match the team’s day-to-day experience in the workplace. The location was sufficiently far away from work to ensure disturbances were kept to a minimum and ensure focussed learning. Extended Disc Team Analysis was used as a tool to identify individual work style preferences and team patterns. This combined with powerful feedback sessions encouraged the team to devise more effective methods of interacting to make more efficient use of their time.
Outcome
The General Manager had been sceptical throughout that the course would be successful and had gone so far as to research another training provider. The HR Manager, an Outward Bound advocate, had positively influenced the choice of provider and both attended the course. The outcome was that the decision of the HR manager was endorsed and the General Manager became a convert. Business concerns perceived prior to the course were articulated honestly and constructive.
