26 Mar Leadership development in the wild

Who for:
A major finance company.

What required:
A three-day immersive fiction in which the leadership skills of the delegates which had been coached in a training programme delivered by a Leadership development consultancy would be put to the test.

We delivered:
We worked with the consultants to devise an energetic simulation which would take place in real time and between London and a rural location 250 miles away.  Delegates travelled and communicated in this time and space, and were set in competitive groups to solve a challenge.

Actors played characters in this dynamic situation that constantly revealed itself to the learners. Characters appeared within the fiction and within the real environment, and interactions between them and the leaders were necessary to the furthering of the objectives.  Characters included a street vagrant, a competitor business and a ferryboat captain.  Actors improvised their interactions with the learners, responding to the learners’ leadership capabilities.

The exercise incorporated feedback loops so that the narrative and trajectory of the exercise and the pressure on learners could be adjusted according to the level of leadership skills on show, and interludes were taken so that learners could reflect on their progress and skills.

Outcome:
15 senior leaders exposed their behaviours under pressure and gained valuable insight into their skills and areas for attention.
The team of leaders had an unforgettable bonding experience.

Applause:
‘I’ve never done anything like this before”
“It felt so real and believable”
“She showed she could be a great leader under pressure”