Cultivating natural teams & natural leaders
Imagine a team in which everyone knew what their role was, based not only upon the needs of their ‘busyness’, but also:
- Natural cycles
- Directions in nature
- The relationships between them
- Empathy for the gifts and talents of others.
Everyone could instinctively relate to their responsibilities and those of others.
They could also look to natural systems for extra inspiration and guidance.
It could be regenerative and sustaining.
We could run businesses as if nature truly mattered, as if we were part of it.
For a simplified example, we could divide the business up based upon the main directions of the compass, giving us 8 teams, and four axes:
- The North (Star) team would hold the overall direction, the mission statement of the business.
- The Creatives in the NE might dream up the spirit, hold concepts and the creativity .
- The team in the East include those that welcome new customers/clients and help them relax and feel safe.
- These people would be responsible for invigorations and making sure new bright ideas were tested playfully.
- The team in the South would make sure there was enough focus on solving problems by looking at the detail, and things got done on time.
- The SW team could be the HR team, responsible for the health and happiness of the employees.
- Those in the West would gather the fruits, celebrate the successes of the business and honour the input of the employees.
- The NW team would draw on past and present performance, to review and reflect on progress and advise on creating a healthy future.
Each of these directions is balanced by the quality of the axis they are on.
- land art
- working with fire!
- Natural Musicians activities
- dynamic and active games and challenges,
- learning about bird language
- forest bathing and mindfulness
- bushcraft and survival skills
- navigational challenges
- foraging and cooking
- overnight quests
- multiple day adventures.
Relax. Re-connect. Refresh. Restore. Re-invigorate.
Corporate away days, natural leadership and team building events – create the perfect mix of foraging, bushcraft, land art, games, challenges, presentations and storytelling to bring out the best in your staff for your business.
Some of the benefits of the re-connecting with nature work I do include:
improved physical health and mental wellbeing for staff
develop passion, teamwork and creative thinking skills
reduced stress levels in the workplace and at home
better communication skills and problem solving in the workplace
save money and improve efficiency – use Biomimicry to inform design, structures and processes
find solutions based on millions of years of evolution
new skills and attitudes
improved self-esteem and self-reliance
increased empathy, passion & common sense
honour the gifts of self, others and nature
remember we are all part of the land, no better or worse than anything else we share the planet with…
and build team spirit with laughter, games and shared experiences
When people are deeply connected to themselves, each other and nature it is becomes natural for them to do their best in a work setting. Wholeland helps put a love for our selves and our world back into businesses big and small, sheds light on connections to natural resources cycles and uses successful natural design to inspire and create regenerative business practice.
Read on for more info:
Collecting and creating a wild-food feast. Making shelters and dens. Creating fabulous temporary or longlasting sculptures. Reviewing through environmental art and storymaking. Music making, body percussion, song and beat-boxing inspired by Nature. Rubbing sticks together to make fire. Getting camo’ed up with earth paints and sneaking about with water-pistols, blindfolded drum stalks…teamwork, celebrating individual talents, creativity and fun, this is what nature connection is about.
You can have an event tailor made for you or choose from a theme:
- Foraging – wild food focused: gathering, preparing, cooking, celebrating
- Bushcraft – learn basic life serving skills: making shelter, lighting and tending fires, collecting water, gathering food, recognizing we are the land we live on, and building community then reflect on how this relates to your business
- Natural Musicians – working with voice, body and natural objects to create loops, symphony and harmony in teams and as a whole group
- Natural Artists – natural expression and larger group works of art to aid reviewing or to leave your mark
- Natural Connection – guided time in wild and beautiful places find stillness and clarity, reflect and move forward with natural inspiration
- Naturally Creative – using biomimicry to inspire brainstorming, creative design approaches, planning based on natural cycles and next steps
- Nature based reviewing – facilitated time to help review products, projects & processes with reflection and inspiration from natural cycles and patterns
- Tribal – naturally playful teambuilding, mentoring, competition and celebration: be prepared to be active, have alot of fun, get dirty and primal
- Tending the children’s fires – explore ways to live sustainably in the moment through woodland camping and quest for regenerative community, through story and environmental art, with the children of the future in mind.
In beautiful East Devon or at the stunning Westley Farm in Gloucestershire, at your favourite wild location, at Escot Park near Honiton, along the River Otter, Overnight in five star yurts in Devon and Glos, bivvis in the woods, or even up on Dartmoor, Chris will tailor a memorable event in Nature, re-connecting with your colleagues and the land we are all part of.
Nature connection – A cunning mixture of bushcraft, environmental art, and nature awareness activities.
“Nature Connection comes naturally to everyone. The mixture of bushcraft skills, environmental art and nature awareness games cover such a huge field of knowledge, beneficial activity and traditional craft. There will always be something for everyone to shine at. There is huge scope for reviewing, teamwork and spending quality time together doing something new, and having a laugh while your at it. To date most people want shelter building, wild-fire making and foraging days out…I would love the opportunity to try something new myself, like organizing a coppicing and basket making away day, or even a tracking away day. Try me out, I am sure you will not be disappointed.” says Chris Holland
Lovely local food and drinks provided, to keep food miles down and you nourished with something from the land you live on.
South West Water bushcraft away day with wholeland at Otterton Mill from chris holland on Vimeo.
For another short video about foraging with Chris, click here: http://youtu.be/kOv8Bpa5crA
Simple, delicious, locally sourced food is provided to compliment an array of bushcraft, environmental art and natural awareness activities designed to inspire your team, build team and group energy and raise the spirit and delivery of your service (for the greater good of all of course!).
You might find things get a bit tribal, challenging and focused:
But there is always quality time so spend chatting with colleagues around the fire while the kettle boils (oh no, not nettle tea again!):
As of October 2008, Chris is also qualified to lead Muir Treks.
“I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.” – John Muir
The Muir Trek is a sunrise to sunset journey through a natural wild place no one knows, inspired by explorer, Sierra Club founder and ‘father’ of the National Park movement, John Muir. Muir would head into the wilds of nature seeking only the richness of the day rather than set a destination. The Muir trek emphasises the Muir-inspired qualities of zest, celebration, joy and adventure in the natural world. However the focus of the Muir Trek is on the individual in the natural world – not the group. Group bonding is not emphasised on a Muir trek. Instead, the day is accented with leader inputs which help the participants explore their own perceptions and experiences in nature, which are shared in an informal way with the group.
The Muir Trek begins shortly before sunrise as the leader and 8 to 11 participants set off to explore the essence of a wild place close to hand. Carrying all they need with them – water, a bit of food, proper clothing – they take the time to explore a small part of our planet. Rather than seeking a destination or being challenged by nature, the Muir Trek moves deliberately with the day. The goal is an internal one, to be conscious and joyful in being outdoors, in direct contact with the earth. There is time to sit and watch and reflect on the natural world, and to saunter and wander over relatively short distances. Click here for more details on Muir Treks.
Prices from £80-100 per person for day events. Concessions are made for voluntary and charity organisations so phone up if you want to haggle.