This paper aims to describe how military‐style activities in the mountains of Snowdonia helped to break down barriers and establish a common purpose among the 16 operating‐board members of UK home‐shopping company Shop Direct.
The paper explains the reasons for the training, how it was conducted and the benefits it has brought.
The paper details the exercises the board members undertook, including: blindfolded exercises where group members had to develop their own non‐verbal communication system and navigate through a densely populated wooded area while maintaining a magnetic bearing and while being led by a sighted leader; common‐goal tasks, where each group member had to reach an allocated location in the Welsh hills at a set time, navigating the terrain and battling the elements, to successfully complete the task and avoid forfeits for the whole group; and a series of rapid‐fire exercises, constantly changing with an interchange of leaders’ roles and positions.
The paper outlines how these exercises helped to develop communication skills, group cohesion and mutual understanding of strengths and weaknesses within the team.
The paper highlights the benefits of outdoor training over more conventional approaches.
The paper explains how, drawing on aspects of military training – discipline, timing, structure, teamwork and communication – team members can be aligned to the vision and values of their organization.
