This paper utilised a two-part mixed-methodology to examine the value placed on judgement and decision-making by a sample of qualified mountain leaders in the UK. Qualified leaders (N = 331) completed a web-based survey and a smaller sample (N = 8) were then interviewed. Survey data showed that mountain leaders place greater value on their…

Research on leadership in outdoor adventure programs has focused primarily on Educational and Outdoor Skills. Anecdotal and practical experience has suggested that the performance of highly effective leaders may depend instead on distinctive qualities and components closely tied to individual character--a perspective of transformational…

Outdoor education researchers have accumulated a notable cache of work documenting the outcomes of participation in outdoor education programs (e.g., Hattie, Marsh, Neill, & Richards, 1997; Kaplan & Talbot, 1983). While continuing this work remains an important task, some researchers are turning their attention toward understanding the process of…

Adaptive expertise, an individual's ability to perform flexibly and innovatively in novel and unstructured situations, could have particular relevance for expedition and outdoor leaders. This element may be recognized in leadership practitioners who are able to act more effectively when problem-solving in complex, ambiguous and unpredictable…

Discusses some characteristics and skills of the effective outdoor leader: confidence, feeling "at home" in the outdoors, continuing awareness of and curiosity about the outdoors, good communication skills, creative thinking, and team-building abilities. (SV)

Integrated adventure programs are those in which persons with and without disabilities participate together in planned adventure activities. A study sought to identify the leadership competencies necessary for leaders of integrated outdoor adventure programs and to measure the effectiveness of a staff training addressing one of these competencies.…

An international group of experts generated a list of 14 skills and attributes of outdoor leadership. The top-rated components were (1) safety skills; (2) judgment based on experience; (3) awareness and empathy for others; (4) group management skills; (5) problem-solving skills; (6) instructional skills; (7) technical activity skills; and (8)…

The study identified land-based outdoor leadership competencies deemed necessary by outdoor leaders in the western United States. Using resources such as outdoor leadership literature, competency-based teacher education manuals, consultation with outdoor leadership specialists in educational, private, and governmental agencies, and personal…

Defines the concept of leadership. Reviews different theories of leadership and how they relate to outdoor leadership. The Conditional Outdoor Leadership Theory is a new approach to leadership based on applying the appropriate leadership style according to importance of task, group relationship, and level of conditional favorability. (LP)

A survey of 64 adventure programs in North America examined selection practices in hiring outdoor leaders. Respondents preferred candidates from an institutional background who also had personal outdoor experience. Compared to a similar survey 14 years ago, those hiring staff were more sophisticated in their preferences and were more likely to be…

Tacit knowledge is a generally unarticulated, preconscious form of knowledge that forms a basis for human judgment and decision making. Tacit knowledge is acquired primarily through experience, usually observation of and working with "qualified" teachers or mentors. Tacit knowledge may also be described as "practical," that is,…

Criticizes the New Zealand approach to outdoor leadership, which relies on teaching risk assessment and management from manuals and checklists and which asserts that risk-management skills are transferable between risky sports. Suggests that sound outdoor practice involves more than "legal duty of care," and recommends reliance on…

A study found that male and female co-leaders of wilderness camping trips were very aware of stereotypes of male and female leadership roles. Sometimes leaders deliberately performed stereotypical tasks and roles of the opposite sex, but tasks and roles generally resulted from preferences, necessity, or participant expectations. The D-R model of…

The Wilderness Education Association's (WEA) 18-Point Curriculum emphasizes experiential teaching and learning and is based on a central belief that wilderness education and outdoor leadership are essential in order to elevate preservation in the minds of students and future leaders, help develop a land ethic congruent with the ideals of the…

Questionnaire responses of 130 women outdoor leaders representing Outward Bound, all-women groups, university recreation instructors, and primary/secondary school teachers were compared as to background, income, motivations, and leadership perceptions. Essential leadership qualities were identified: effective communication skills and knowledge of…