The Great Outdoors

Abstract

This study compares outdoor adventure-based leader development programs with a traditional non-outdoor program to test predictions about differential effects on leader development outcomes. Participants were drawn from the population of U.S. Naval Academy midshipmen involved in experiential leader development programs as a component of their training and education. Three concurrent experiential leader development programs were compared in terms of their impact on leader development outcomes, including leader identity, leader efficacy, and organizational cynicism. Two programs were outdoor, adventure-based experiences; one was a conventional, non-outdoor experience. We found that outdoor adventure-based programs varied in their effects on leader development outcomes, whereas the non-outdoor program had no significant effects on outcomes. Implications of these varied effects on leader development are discussed in terms of the implementation of theory-driven leadership development experiences.

WHO WANTS TO BE HERE? Empirically Investigating Motivation and Engagement During Leader Development

“…Of the 242 students invited, 172 (71% participation rate) agreed to participate in the study; 139 (81%) were men and 35 (17%) were women. This is closely reflective of the academy's overall gender ratio (Huey et al, 2014). Ages ranged from 18-26 years at the time of the survey; 85% of participants were between 19 and 22.…”

“…This program is an outdoor adventure-based leader development program in which crews of 10 students train together and then sail to ports along the East Coast of the United States. Participation in this program has been associated with increases in leader identity and leader self-efficacy on par with or higher than other leader development opportunities offered by the same institution (Huey et al, 2014), though, in the primary author's experience, participants are often unaware of the training as a leader development opportunity when they volunteer for the program.…”

Missing the tide? Workplace cultural differences as a barrier to seafarer mobility in the U.S. workboat and sail training sectors

“…Research on sail training finds positive benefits for trainees in those areas (Norris and Weinman 1996, McCulloch 2004, McCulloch 2007, McCulloch 2010, Capurso and Borsci 2013, Huey et al 2014. Although existing research focuses on the trainee crew members of sail training vessels, we expect that similar benefits are likely to accrue to the professional crew members aboard such vessels as well.…”