Leadership Development is Camp for Adults
Some of the best memories are summer camp memories…the smores, sailing competitions, and singalongs to mention a few. Whether you went to overnight camp, day camp, computer camp, or sports camp, there are some life experiences that can only be achieved by going to camp. It’s that immersive experience where you literally dive in headfirst with a group of strangers who are all learning, doing, and experiencing new adventures together for the first time – new people, perspectives, activities, skills, and schedules. It bonds you immediately and expands your mind exponentially. The amount of self-confidence and growth that occurs in those situations can last a lifetime and is impossible to replicate…or is it?
At ON Point, we believe professional and leadership development events should be treated like camp for adults. In fact, we are in the middle of hosting our annual Signature Leadership Summit for Women in Chicago where 30 top-performing professional women are attending from all over the country and from different companies with different professions. After only three days, these women walk in as strangers and leave as BFFs. Strong friendships are forged quickly as we all live together at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, wake up early for a private yoga class or run along the river, and dive in headfirst into a variety of leadership development topics and activities uniquely designed to catapult self-confidence and to elevate leaders to the next level. It’s a challenging environment that requires the participants to step outside their comfort zones, stretch themselves, have fun and be playful, and to fully focus on themselves.
The childhood life lessons learned at summer camp can carry over to adulthood when growth, learning, and development is done in the same spirit – when it’s fun, new, interactive, engaging, hands-on, personalized, challenging, supportive, celebratory, and facilitated in a way that optimizes and maximizes the experience. Adults only learn when they are uncomfortable, and too often leaders can get stuck in a rut – trapped in the complacent comfort zone. Camp shakes it up for kids in the summer and leadership development does the same for adults.
Follow the ON Point Action Plan and learn why adult camp should be on your calendar…
7 Reasons Why Adults Need to Go to Camp
- Meet Up – to connect with people beyond their usual circle and to expand their professional network
- Open Up – encourages adults to have more of a growth mindset rather than a fixed mindset; open to new ideas & perspectives
- Act Up – close the computer & engage in more dynamic activities that require movement & in-person interaction & collaboration
- Whoop It Up – let yourself have fun, have deep belly laughs & be silly while learning
- Make It Up – new activities, people & environments boost creativity, innovation, problem-solving skills & adaptability
- Pay Up – investing in yourself & your leadership development is mandatory not optional; you are worth it & need to make it happen
- Level Up – immersive learning experiences empower adults to take their leadership skills, confidence & energy to the next level
