Coaching, Consulting & Training
for High Value Personnel
Ropes Course Training
Ropes Course programming transforms your training or management retreat into a shared peak experience
that will serve as a touchstone for future relationships and behaviors.
Participants assimilate training content more quickly, remember it more readily,
and incorporate it more consistently.
Who Uses Ropes Course Training?
Executive Teams
Supervisors and their Departments
Youth Groups, Faith Groups, Non-profits
Why is Ropes Course Training so effective in building teams?
Trust and Cooperation
Team members experience each other outside of the traditional work
setting; they discover new strengths that aid understanding and improved
communication back on the job.
Initial ropes course activities highlight existing team dynamics in ways
that are apparent to all; they provide a starting place for participants to
meaningfully discuss what is working (or not), what is needed, and
strategies for improvement.
Subsequent activities focus on those aspects of teamwork (e.g., trust,
communication, leadership/"followership," etc.) that the team in a non-threatening,
supportive process; participants have the opportunity to practice new
skills and behaviors.
PEOPLE LEARN BY DOING. Rather than simply talking about how we
need to be with each other, teams experience success through
cooperation, trust, risk-taking and encouragement.
About the First Steps Challenge
Course
Going For It
Low Course Elements:
the "Mohawk Walk" - a team tight wire walking activity;
the "Whale Watch" - a team platform balanced on a tiny
pivot;
Three "Wild-Woosies" - a partner activity that requires total
commitment;
a "Triangle Tension Traverse" - an
individual tight wire activity that requires safety consciousness;
the "Trak Walk" - a balance and trust exercise;
Three "Trust Fall" platforms for the ultimate in developing
trust with your coworkers;
the "Fidget Ladder" - an individual balancing activity
that highlights goalsetting and individual initiative;
Two "spider's webs" - a classic activity for
developing team communication;
the "Nitro Swing" - you and your
team have to swing across a chasm;
Four different "All Aboard" platforms - ever see 20 people stand
on a postage stamp?
Artesian Beams
the "Islands" - another teamwork-and-problem-solving activity
where you have to cross from one platform to another on planks
without falling in the "poison peanut-butter." Only one problem: the
boards don't fit
The "Artesian Beams" - your team must find its way through a
confusing array of concrete platforms with only the resources
provided;
Two sets of "Trolleys" - imagine snow skis big enough for 12
people and you'll have the picture; and
the 12-foot wall that you and your team ascend using only
yourselves. The ultimate challenge!
High Elements
Several of our high elements are part of an "Alpine Tower," a
50' tall, self-supporting structure that provides a tremendous
variety of unique challenges and team-oriented experiences for
groups of 8 to 36. First Steps has the only such structure in the state of
Mississippi.
We also boast two additional high courses, the "high
line" (a series of traversing elements culminating in the
Zip Line) and the "X Course" (independent elements at over
50 feet - the Ships Crossing, High Wild Woosie, Heebie
Jeebie, Multi-Vine, and the Pamper Pole), as well as a 50'
outdoor climbing wall.
Preparing to Zip
The Pamper Pole
Outdoor Climbing Wall
Our Host Venue -- the Henry S Jacobs Camp
The Henry S Jacobs Camp hosts the First Steps Challenge Course. A
beautiful, full-featured retreat facility that can accommodate groups up to 400,
Jacobs Camp is located just 30 minutes south of Jackson, MS.
Add assessment to the event: especially useful for intact teams that are
not currently reaching their potential.
Trainers/HR: incorporate ropes course events as the experiential counterpart
to your classroom sessions. Maximize retention and transfer of team
skills back to the floor.
We recently worked with an Executive Team. Assessment data gathered prior to the retreat showed that the team thoroughly discussed site problems but struggled to bring these issues to resolution, with clear actions identitied and responsibility assigned. While they acknowledged the issue verbally, they didn't choose to address it ... until they experienced keypunch, one of the lead-up activities that we frequently use early in a team building retreat.
In this exercise, the team experienced their dysfunction and saw it for what it was. Following this exercise, the team chose to identify a new run rule stating that each issue brought to the site council would be resolved during the meeting and action taken within thirty days.
When we last visited with the team at their site, they reported that they were much improved in their ability to bring issues to speedier resolution.
