A different way forward: an ecological perspective on leadership in outdoor adventurous activity.

Abstract

Abstract A growing amount of evidence is showing the benefits of being outdoors, with outdoor adventurous activities (OAAs) offering a key avenue for engaging with outdoor environments. One of the key factors to successful OAAs is the outdoor leader and the leadership they provide. Currently, leadership in (OAAs) does little to recognize the importance of the human environment relationship and how each participant in OAAs has a variety of different needs. In addition, these needs are not static, and a constantly changing external environment requires a resilient framework for incorporating this fluidity. The ecological perspective offers an alternative pathway for leaders which provides a framework for considering how individuals and the environment interact differently and allows the leader to draw on a range of interpersonal skills through a heightened awareness of participants. By acknowledging that every participant is unique, has their own constraints and abilities, and sees affordances in the environment differently, the outdoor leader can better perceive and provide opportunities for action within OAAs. Adopting an ecological perspective requires a change in our current understanding of how outdoor leaders are trained. By considering this, we can provide a leader with an ability to adopt alternative perspectives that will enable them to look at individuals, groups and the working environment differently, leading to the design and delivery of OAAs that are more satisfying for all participants.