On today’s podcast, the first of Season 2 of the Coaching Outdoors Podcast Series, our guest is Dave Stewart, founder of “The Fresh Air Leadership Company”.
Dave has a wealth of experience in the outdoor world, having a background in the military and then as a mountain rescue specialist, which he brings to his group and team coaching journeys.
We talk about Dave’s 3 P’s of outdoor coaching – Place, People and Process – and how important each is to creating these wonderful learning experiences for his clients.
Dave also shares how he uses the technique of Appreciative Inquiry to help the groups and teams he coaches to identify the big question(s) they are facing and want to inquire about. Using the landscape to then delve into the question, discussing what the ideal future would look like and identifying what things they can do now to achieve that ideal future.
We also discuss the practicalities of taking groups of people on outdoor coaching adventures, keeping them safe, excited and giving them a sense of freedom to explore mentally, physically and emotionally without worrying about what is going on ‘behind the scenes’.
Through story-telling and anchoring, Dave ensures his clients have a truly experiential outdoor coaching journey.
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Our guest
Perthshire-based Dave Stewart is on a mission to help leaders figure out what it is to lead well in their worlds.
He is the founder and Managing Director of the Fresh Air Leadership Company, a Performance and Resilience consultancy based in Scotland, and operating UK-wide.
The company helps leaders and teams explore their business environment, evolve strategic roadmaps and fit-for-purpose operating systems, and execute projects that are aligned to strategic intentions.
Quality discourse is critical to success and in addition to working with clients online and at their workplace, Dave and his associates create bespoke thinking and development experiences in amazing Scottish spaces with exceptional and unconventional coach-facilitators. Experiences include creative outdoor workshops, decelerator retreats, leadership treks, and team missions.
Dave’s passion for this type of work stems from earlier experiences and careers in a rock band, mountain rescue team, Special Forces, and a range of executive and non-executive roles in public, private, and not-for-profit organisations.
Dave is a Chartered Director and holds an MBA and Masters of Organisational Change. He is an experienced consultant, facilitator, and coach. He is also a qualified mountain leader and outdoor first aider.
