Evaluating outdoor experiential training for leadership and team building

TLDR

Advocates of outdoor experiential training (OET) claim it improves leadership and team development, yet hard data on business outcomes is scarce; ROI analysis is considered the best way to demonstrate OET’s impact. This paper outlines a model for calculating the ROI of OET and encourages further research in this area. ROI calculations treat OET expenditures as an investment and evaluate the financial returns relative to that investment.

Abstract

Advocates of outdoor experiential training (OET) fervently believe in its efficacy, but often have difficulty mustering “hard data” on the business results attributable to OET. OET adherents tend to rely on testimonials of how it promotes leadership and team development. Return on investment (ROI) analysis is perhaps the best way to demonstrate the impact of OET. ROI calculations treat leadership and team development training expenditures as an investment and evaluate the financial returns to an organization relative to that investment. This paper outlines a model by which the ROI of OET can be calculated, and encourages research in this area.