Outdoor coaching: what is it and what are its benefits

For a long time, it has been assumed that the main sources of learning from which human beings can be nourished take place in the classroom; spaces created to transmit knowledge verbally in the manner of classic lectures: the The educator speaks and the students or trainees listen, and if it is the case, they pose questions to solve them at that time. moment.

This conception of knowledge has a grain of truth: it is clear that the use of the word is one of the keys to our evolution as a species and as a society, because a large part of the cultural content is inherited through language. However, assuming that our growth as people is only due to the memorization of verbal information in rooms of educational centers (or even of our own house) limits us much.

The Personal development, our psychological and emotional maturation, occurs through experiences that go beyond the words and that usually take place in the diversity of scenarios that nature presents us with. surrounds. This is the idea on which outdoor coaching is based, which this article is about.

• Related article: "The 6 types of Coaching: the different coaches and their functions"

What is coaching?

Coaching is a discipline that proposes personal development strategies in private and/or professional life. Thus, in the field of coaching, a distinction is made between the coach, who is the professional in charge of energizing and leading the sessions, and the coachee, on the other hand, who is the one who receives the coaching sessions. In addition, the coach's intervention can be applied to individuals or groups.

Generally, coaching is raised as a way of harness the potential of people; that is, to give strength to what is already in operation and has positive repercussions. In other words, it does not have the goal of reducing the discomfort generated by illnesses, strong crises that cause a strong emotional impact, etc. This last type of problems is addressed by psychotherapy.

On the other hand, there are different branches into which this discipline is divided. On the one hand there is individualized coaching, which is adapted to the needs and problems of a specific person, Giving you support in projects that have to do with professional goals or vital concerns linked to development staff. And on the other is business coaching, which, as its name indicates Its objective is to generate a change in the functioning of an organization..

• You may be interested: "Types of motivation: the 8 motivational sources"

What is outdoor coaching?

As implied by its name, outdoor coaching is a form of coaching that is designed to exploit the potential of situations that can only take place outdoors. Specific, tends to emphasize spaces in which nature predominates and there is an absence or scarcity of human-modified environments.

In general, outdoor coaching programs last between several hours and several days, and are applied by working through team dynamics; its application in individual coachees is rare. These can be teams formed ad hoc for the proposed activity (that is, forming them on the spot) or they can start from natural teams (This is what happens, for example, when these groups and are formed in advance starting from the divisions that exist between different departments of a business).

Why do you choose to choose an open-air setting away from the typical hustle and bustle of cities and densely populated areas? Mainly for the following reasons:

• Nature helps to "disconnect" and get rid of dynamics learned in everyday life, giving the opportunity to stop always making the same type of mistakes because of habit.
• This break with the environment with which the participants are familiar helps them to relate in a way different from the usual, leaving aside prejudices and without behaving according to the expectations of the roles of each one in their daily life.
• Nature makes it easier to relax when you play, something useful in practices such as meditation, Mindfulness or learning relaxation techniques.
• Such special environments help to generate a shared experience that remains in the memory and that, in the event that participants come from the same company, it will help them reinforce their group identity when the coaching program has finished outdoors.

On the other hand, it should be noted that although outdoor coaching proposes "disconnecting" for a time from the everyday and already known, its objective is always linked to the type of experiences that coachees face in their daily lives. For example: managing work stress, conflict resolution through dialogue in work teams, decision-making in the face of new challenges, enhancing assertiveness, etc.

• Related article: "Self-Actualization Needs: What Are They, According to Maslow?"

Do you want to benefit from outdoor coaching?

If you want to participate in an outdoor coaching program, you may be interested in the proposal of Eugenio Burzaco Bussolini, NaturalCoach.

It organizes retreats and Intensive Natural Coaching campuses in a privileged environment: the Mediterranean nature of Mallorca.