European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 5, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Crossing a Stream with three narrow Board challenges executives problem solving skills. Colo. Aboul a year ago. Live advertising executives died in a White Waler rafting Accident in British Columbia. Anyone Over ago "15 on an outward bound course needs a doctor s permission to participate. Climbers must Wear helmets. The school s Rule no. 1 for Peak expeditions quit in a thunderstorm and head below Timberline. Many companies have Lound Slaff resistance to such programs fades when participant discover the Joys of conquering physical challenges. Those feelings Are carried Back to the Job and often have a profoundly positive Impact. Thomas Brug Gurre head of Mentor graphics corp., a computer concern in Beaverton. Ore., decided last year to enrol himself and 17 subordinates in an outward bound rafting expedition Down the rogue River in Southern Oregon. He said his goal was to strengthen manager relationships within the rapidly expanding company. I legislated that we were going to doll says Bruggere 42, no Ono else Wanold of. We had people who had never slept outside before. Their idea of roughing it was checking into the Maui Hyatt Regency without a  alter a few Days the reticence disappeared. Bruggere says the catalyst was an exercise in which everybody Slid Down a sheer Cliff on a rope. When people got through thai in really lifted their Confidence and experience he says there Are some failures when a Large soda Nolller retained outward bound to help in absorb managers of a newly acquired subsidiary Many participants simply followed orders from Iho highest ranking Metier of their group a senior vice president who was to be their new Boss. The dynamics Don t work sometimes says an outward bound instructor who had helped Leach that course speaking privately. This Guy was just so autocratic everybody else was afraid of him despite outward bound s pro Eminence criticism of its rigid. Spartan philosophy has helped engender the Competition some rivals claim to Ollor More flexibility soft Beds instead of sleeping bags filet mignon instead of Reeze dried soup. One example is Atlanta based executive adventure inc., founded about six years ago by Robert Carr a 38 year old former head of an insurance concern who had attended a 15-Day outward bound course. Sites for executive adventure courses Range from the Blue Ridge mountains to Florida s Amelia Island to sorts. About 175 companies have contracted with executive adventure Tor outdoor based executive training including Hewlett Packard co., wheat first securities. Days inns of America inc. And Domino s pizza. Tha physical nature of our program is such that 99 percent of Iho people can do what we do says James 0. Hickey. Executive adventure s sales and marketing director. We be had groups tilled with Macho Guys who want everything we can throw at them. Including rope courses and Rock climbing Hickey says. On the other hand we have some groups who say. We re Only going to be with you for a Day we Don t want to sweat that s Lino  executive ventures group a Denver based consulting concern formed by five Lormer outward bound instructors oilers companies the option of sending people to its rustic Colorado Springs ranch or bringing courses to them by setting up outdoor activities on the Lawn. Founded a Lew years ago executive ventures has attracted clients that include american Cyan amid co. Arthur Young & co. And Citicorp diners club outward bound officials admit their strict policies have driven potential clients elsewhere. They have turned away company executives who reject its alcohol prohibition or want to play Golf in the afternoon. There Are people who consistently Como and say. In t there any Way we could do outward bound and Stilt stay in a resort?1" Mccormick says. Whal makes us special is thai it in l an Ordinary event. The one Cardinal sin for outward bound would be in in were  at the other extreme some adventure trainers Pride themselves on offering even tougher programs. The most Saros soul appears to be hell Camp a us. Atli Liale of a famous japanese management Insl Lule Karisha Yosei Zakko. Based Al the Cal Amigos ranch conference Center near Malibu Calif. The 13-Day, 12,430 hell Camp course has been described As a mix of Marine Drill training and Samurai Warrior school for managers. Instructors require students to Complete a 25-mile night hike with a misleading map shout slogans by Rote and croon a memorized song about salesmanship in a Public place to crush their inhibitions. This is where in lies into the Samurai by promoting the most Alert highly skilled and efficient says Teresa l. Abass a hell Camp graduate and sales representative. If a person acquired these characteristics they d be pretty formidable. They could nol be  but despite newspaper advertisements and considerable publicity. Hell Canp has nol attracted significant corporate inheres a. Most students Are Small business managers or Independent salespeople Abass says acknowledging that our marketing is nol  october 1988 the stars and stripes Page 13