Rock climbing on the company clock could be the best thing for your business. According to 5.12 Solutions, the sport, along with other outdoor activities, improves corporate production when used to build and tune skills for communication and team work.
5.12 Solutions a corporate training and professional development company, creates and leads outdoor workshops for corporations, government agencies and nonprofit organizations nationwide. Launched in 2002, the Boulder firm organizes more than 50 workshops a year, relying on outdoor activities to teach communication, collaboration and leadership skills.
Most of 5.12's workshops are held in a location, whether in Boulder, Summit County or on a beach in Mexico, that is most convenient for clientele, though the firm also offers in-house programs, says company founder and president Sal Silvester. Instructional activities range from GPS navigation to outdoor rock climbing. All workshops are tailored to meet specific needs of clientele, which have included Wells Fargo NA, Sunrise Medical Systems, and the Colorado Department of Revenue.
Silvester, a former Army Officer and seven-year executive at Accenture, launched 5.12 in 2002. He operates the company with only one other full-time employee and contracts with outside facilitators. 5.12 also maintains a partnership with area outdoor organizations, such as the Boulder Rock Club and Colorado Mountain School.
According to Silvester, getting people out of the office and into the elements is the best way to foster interpersonal skills. "People have to get out of their everyday environment," says Silvester, 36. "It generates creative thinking and breaks down barriers, and it really makes learning memorable."
UCAR, or the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, hired 5.12 Solutions last year to lead a skills-training workshop for the institute's summer program, SOARS. SOARS, or Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research and Science, is held annually at the Boulder facility to deepen the interests of undergraduate and graduate students in the study of atmospheric science.
"We chose Sal because of his ability to embed learning in fun outdoor activities," says SOARS director Rajul Pandya. "And we liked the idea of introducing our students who come from all over the country to outdoor Boulder."
Contact Sara Toland at saratoland@yahoo.com.