Taking leap of faith is all part of programme's philosophy
The courage to overcome fears, gain the trust of the people who support you and the leadership to bring people with different backgrounds together are all essential qualities of a successful manager.
Since 2004, Manchester Business School has organised Outward Bound programmes every year to train their MBA students in these qualities. In the one-day programme, teams have to accomplish tasks such as building rafts to cross rivers, jumping from high poles into water, and walking on high-rise timber trunks without using hands for support.
'Our school's philosophy is 'learning by doing',' said Christina Siu Chor-wah, director of Manchester Business School Worldwide East Asia Centre. 'The Outward Bound exercises teach the students the right attitude to face difficulties and to solve problems. We hope they can use what they have learnt in their daily lives. We also want to help the students build up relationships through the one-day course.
'As a distance learning programme, our students do not have to come to school every week. We want them to help and support each other by forming study groups.'
Martin Keil, a sales and marketing manager for a consulting and sourcing company, is halfway through the Manchester MBA. He said the Outward Bound programme brought the students out of their comfort zones and through the experience they learnt more about themselves and others. As a former member of the armed forces, Mr Keil is familiar with the challenges of rigorous military training. But he said some of the exercises still posed a test of nerves. 'When I was on the hanging timber I had to depend on my teammates to support me with ropes. I was scared,' he said, adding it was a lesson in trust. 'The exercises helped us overcome our psychological barriers.'
The exercise served as a reminder at work and in studies that difficulties can be overcome. It also helped students better understand each other and build stronger relationships, Mr Keil said.
The Outward Bound programme was the second meeting between students, after an introductory gathering. Mr Keil said the Outward Bound exercise showed students at their most honest. 'We saw that we had the same fears and limitations. We also saw how we deal with our fears and limitations in different ways.'
Mr Keil said the Outward Bound exercise brought conflicts in the process of trying to accomplish tasks as a team. The students all came from very different backgrounds and some were used to giving orders. 'But we sorted out our positions. We learnt that everyone can take a lead, and everyone can play a supporting role. And through the conflicts, we understood the strengths and weaknesses in every one of us. We learnt to respect and appreciate each other,' he said.
Dorothy Wan Siu-wah, another MBA student, said they learnt to support people and let people help and support. One of her teammates had a fear of water from a childhood trauma. It took her 15 minutes to succeed in making a jump from a three-storey pole into the water, after encouragement from her teammates.
'The whole team was so happy when she did it,' said Ms Wan. 'She told us our encouragement helped a lot. And she thought that she cannot make the team fail the task. We were very proud of her.'
