Leadership lessons from the wild

Known for his extreme outdoor adventure television series, Bear Grylls is the ex-SAS serviceman, survival instructor and writer who has authored books on human endurance feats. In his latest venture, he opens a survival academy nestled in the rocky mountains of Ras Al Khaimah, where weekend survivalists can learn first-hand what it takes to make it in the wilderness.

CEO of RAK Hospitality Holding, Alison Grinnell, oversees the project in the UAE and tells CEO why it’s the perfect adventure option for corporates, and why there’s no better time than now to harness the power of being out in nature to alleviate the effects of a long lockdown and a WFH environment that has seen many teams connect only through Zoom or sporadic days in the office.

Why should corporate groups attend the Bear Grylls Camp?

Outdoor and nature-based group activities are an important part of building communication capabilities, team co-operation and trust, allowing people within a corporate structure to face fresh challenges and grow their transferable skills. The various courses at the Bear Grylls Explorer Camp allow guests to apply their existing knowledge and develop new skills when adapting to new situations.

Many of the simulated survival situations at the Camp require collective problem solving and delegation capabilities, in addition to trust and self-reliance which are beneficial for overall group development.

Why was Ras Al Khaimah chosen for this venture?

We decided to launch the world’s first Bear Grylls Explorer Camp in Ras Al Khaimah owing to the Emirate’s identity as a fast-emerging adventure hub in the Middle East. With its diverse landscape and majestic mountains, Ras Al Khaimah offers a thrilling blend of adrenaline-packed activities.

The Bear Grylls Explorer Camp’s unique placement on Jebel Jais – the UAE’s highest peak– has proven to be an ideal location in which to challenge adventurers with its stunning mountainous terrain.

Alison Grinnell, CEO, RAK Hospitality Holding

In addition to this, the nature of the courses varies greatly from the camp’s UK counterparts which operate in wet, cold conditions, whereas the Bear Grylls Explorer Camp set within the Wadi, offers an arid environment coupled with a dramatic wilderness setting, offering limited wild food options.

The challenges faced also differ, with dehydration and heat stroke forming the main focus in this region. These differences set aside the Bear Grylls Explorers Camp from UK based entities, creating a completely unique experience to be enjoyed. The courses offered at the Bear Grylls Explorer Camp are also complimentary to its UK counterparts offering varies climatic challenges to guests who have explored the UK-based camp.

What are the benefits of taking part in the camp for corporates?

The Bear Grylls Explorer Camp offers a corporate getaway unlike any other, as it is removed from usual city activity. Through the various courses at the Camp, corporate employees can foster strong team spirit. The Camp also demands a certain level of discipline from its participants as they are taught how to survive in the wild, which ultimately develops a sense of co-operation within team members. Its activities are also beneficial in growing the communication skills of the team members.

A trip to the camp offers a new setting which is sure to invigorate guests, following the past year of restricted movement, which when combined with survival challenges and tough situations offers the perfect opportunity to let loose and learn about our natural surroundings, amidst open channels of communication between corporate employees.

What lessons can be learned from survival activities that can be applied to working better together?

The activities at the Bear Grylls Explorer Camp challenge teams in different ways than in the office fostering team collaboration and group support and reliance. They also improve problem solving skills by introducing participants into new perceptions of teamwork, calling for a different mindset – driving motivation and team resilience.

Throughout the camp’s activities, participants must rely on each other for support, using lateral thinking that will ultimately promote a more cohesive working experience in the office.

The activities at the Bear Grylls Explorer Camp challenge teams in different ways than in the office

What do participants learn about themselves?

Individually, the Camp’s activities will increase participants’ resourcefulness and their drive to learn and embrace new challenges and environments. In addition to this, the courses also boost personal character development, allowing participants to develop problem solving skills while trying to test their limits in certain survival simulations.

The courses place participants out of their normal environments requiring them to think on their feet and act with agility which will ultimately improve their response under pressure. All these skills will automatically reflect positively on the business and their individually work styles.

What timeframe is needed and what can participants expect?

The Bear Grylls Explorer Camp offers a variety of survival courses developed by Bear Grylls himself which offer insight into his dynamic and hands on techniques. These include half day (three to four hours), eight and 24-hour courses that will teach practical life-saving skills and attitudes such as resourcefulness and how to be calm under pressure.

At the Camp, participants can expect to meet with highly qualified instructors with years of experience in the outdoor industry. In addition to be intensively, professionally trained at the Bear Grylls Survival Academy in the UK, the instructors also hold a variety of outdoor qualifications including Mountain Leader, Rock Climbing Instructor, Bush Craft Instructor etc.

All instructors also possess up to date wilderness first aid certification, safeguarding qualifications and are certified fire marshals. In addition, the staff also have IRATA rope technician and rope rescue training.

Employers are highly aware of the negative effects of remote working when it comes to team building and connection to fellow employees; do you think ‘zoom fatigue’ can be countered by more team activities?

Yes, absolutely. Since video chats or conference calls have become part of our new normal, it is to everyone’s benefit to ensure that employees engage in more team-focused outdoor activities where possible.

Of course, it goes without saying that it is necessary to ensure that the preventative measures pertaining to pandemic are all in place as in the case of the Bear Grylls Survival Camp, to safeguard teams. Engaging in more team-focused activities, in less crowded areas such as the Jebel Jais mountain range with its abundant spaces would be beneficial to building in-person connections, in the face of new working norms where teams engage over the usual video conference calls.

You made it through 2020, but can you make it through a night in the wilderness?

What COVID-19 measures are in place for group activities?

The safety and wellbeing of our visitors is our top priority. Our preventative measures across the Camp are based on the recommendations of the Adventure Travel Trade Association and comply with all the local government regulations to combat the spread of the Novel Coronavirus. Along with being a Bureau Veritas-certified attraction, the Bear Grylls Explorer Camp is also adhering to the most stringent cleaning standards and operational protocols. 

In line with social distancing advisories, from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the UAE federal authorities, the academy has put in place necessary measures such as use of masks and gloves while a complete and thorough sanitization of equipment is completed after each use and maintained for the facilities at the end of each day.

Contributing to the national effort to curb the spread of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), the camp currently limits its daily visitor intake, further supported by its sprawling outdoor nature.

What leadership characteristics can be drawn out through a survival programme, and what qualities amongst individuals?

Corporate outdoor activities can be used as means for management to gauge potentials leaders. Under the camp’s tough courses, employees will be faced with challenges designed with time-constraints leading to learning and decision making under pressure.

In such instances, participants will unknowingly reveal they discover their latent leadership abilities through aiding their teams, managing of resources and ensuring the wellbeing of all participants.