Wilderness Leadership Transformation Program
The ‘Wilderness Leadership Transformation Program' is one of the programs of the Foundation for Natural Leadership. A natural leadership circle is a group of 5-7 participants, who are interested in experiencing wilderness as a portal to leadership transformation. The heart of this program is formed by a 6 day trail in South Africa. Participants are not part of an existing team and the group is typically created through some form of self-organization. The group could for instance be gathered around a former participant, thus forming multiple overlapping circles over time.
Nature areas that are totally devoid of signs of human civilization provide the right context for a non-mediated experience that is in sharp contrast to most of our daily existence. Other crucial ingredients to this experience are the servant leadership style of our local guides (providing a service to both nature and the participants), the unique backgrounds of our facilitators and the mindsets and behaviours of participants.
The program starts with a foundation workshop in The Netherlands. In this workshop the participants of several trails jointly learn about leadership in the new paradigm and the U-process of transformation. The workshop focuses on learning by doing and experiencing. Some theoretical backgrounds are in writing provided after the workshop. Also they prepare themselves mentally and practically for the upcoming trail. A senior leadership specialist facilitates this workshop that stretches out over a full day.
In Africa the trail is preceded by an evening of life-story dialogue around a fire in which the whole group of 5-7 participants, 2 guides and the trail-facilitator will take part. During the 6 day trail by foot there will be many moments of silence to foster encounters with self and nature. Solitary night-watches, an unstructured program, complete absence of signs of civilization, sleeping under the sky and the presence of wild-life all facilitate a deep immersion in nature. In stead of looking at nature, we become part of it. Through this shifts in perspective occur so that we get a sense of interconnectedness. Also, through resonance with nature we gain access to those parts of our consciousness that generate our purpose in life.
On return from the trail participants share the essence of their experience and their intentions while they stay at cabins near the wilderness area. On return from Africa everybody writes a personal story of their experiences to share with their group. A few weeks after the trail participants will have an individual in-depth landing conversation with designated coaches (facilitators) to reflect on their experiences in their personal, private and professional life. Approximately 2 months after returning there will be an integration workshop. Attention is paid to possible barriers that prevent new insights to become normal practice. All kinds of leadership issues and challenges will be dealt with. The workshop also serves s a reunion with the participants of the specific trail group. This workshop is also the formal closure of the program. Often groups continue to meet with each other on their own initiative to deepen their insight and share their action experience.
