Development By Challenge: A View On Using Ropes Courses as Leadership Development

Research presented by Camille Bunting & John Donley at the Bradford Woods Research Symposium stressed that “if a person is supported to move out of his/her comfort zone, and has a powerful experience, then powerful conditions exist for positive change” (1).  I support this education assumption by taking student leaders to camp. Our “camp” is a day on a challenge ropes course. Working at an institution with many students from urban backgrounds makes going out into the wildness a huge step out of their comfort zones.

Before participating in a challenge course, however, it’s important to develop goals the group would like to achieve. The goals can be educational, developmental, or recreational in nature. Often with the student leaders I work with, the group chooses to develop leadership skills through personal challenge and activities in teamwork. Loading into the van in the wee hours of the morning, there is much complaining and many questions – mostly from the anxiety of not knowing what will face them during the day. I give very basic information and stress that the day will be a “challenge by choice” and it’s up to the leader how far he/she would like to involve or challenge themselves. A typical day at camp will be 4 – 10 hours. Challenges begin by starting off with team energizers in a field (trust falls, name games), working through low elements (ground based obstacles, low roped activities), and finishing up with high elements (pre-fabricated course in trees or with utility poles).

It’s important to make sure you’re using a challenge course that is certified and one that puts SAFETY FIRST. YMCA’s and local church camps often have some version of a course at reasonable rates if you don’t happen to have one on your campus. If you’re looking for a retreat that will focus on group interaction, development of leadership skills, and problem solving then a day at camp may be exactly what your students need. Outcomes of a day at camp are numerous – with a growth in self-confidence, experience in positive risk taking, and teamwork topping my list.

I just returned from working with Orientation leaders on a course. A comment from one of my sophomore leaders sums it up best “I didn’t think I could, but now I know I can. No obstacle will stop me this year!”

Research:

1) Bunting, C. J., & Donley, J. P. (2002).  Ten Years of Challenge Course Research: A Review of Affective Outcome Studies.

Comments

[Chuck Steele]

I teach an experiential Speech course which includes a camping weekend w/ challenge activities. I was asked to take over the course in 2000 when the original instructor who had developed it decided not to do it any more. I didn't have any experience in Experiential Education, but I'm always up for a challenge so I accepted. Teaching that course and specifically learning about Experiential Education has really made me a much more effective advisor to Program Board (in addition to becoming much more effective in the classroom as well).

One thing that I've found useful is an extension of the Comfort Zone metaphor. We've all heard the phrase, "get out of your comfort zone." But why? What's out there? The answer is your Learning Zone. And beyond your Learning Zone is your Panic Zone (where no learning takes place cause your only goal in the panic zone is survival). The goal of Experiential Learning is to get people out of their comfort zone without sending them into their panic zone. This also ties in nicely with the idea of setting your own challenges. After all, everybody's zones look different.

Another piece I like about challenge courses is the ability to increase self-confidence. I think a big piece of that getting students to face their fears. You encourage that creating an environment that is physically and emotionally safe. I have found terrific results by focusing on keeping Program Board an emotionally safe place. It really helps students to take chances and explore their own potential.

These are just a couple examples of how experiential education is a great framework for working in Student Activities.

[Flanna Yusef]

I've noticed on rope courses that the debrief of the event can be just as powerful if not more powerful than the actual event. A method I learned and currently use is:

So - So what was the goal of this event? What equipment did you have? Did you have a time limit? etc.. (focus on the event logistics)

So What - So what did you try to do to achieve that goal? What worked? What didn't? How did that make you feel? etc.. (focus on the ups and downs of the event)

What Now - What are you going to do now in your regular life differently because of what you learned in this event? (focus on the future and walk away skills)