Welcome to Ascent: for Leaders and Teams

“An excellent day combining physical exertion, superb scenery, and time for the management team to chat in natural surroundings. Well organised. Job done and we will be back for more!”

Paul Aldrich, President (Europe & Americas) Global Sage

"You create a safe environment that encourages self reflection, honesty and creativity, helping people see themselves not only as they are, but how they want to be.

You help them identify their strengths and give them the roadmap to becoming the person they know they can become. Our perception of ourselves is often conflicting and convoluted - you help clear the fog and ultimately the path to recognizing and acheiving our own potential. "

Kim Cermak, VP Sales, FGI World

We take the powerful, successful Ascent formula and tailor it precisely to your needs to create a clearly defined, closely aligned and purposeful team. Whilst Ascent can work at any level in your business, it is most effective at a senior or executive level where careful alignment between business strategy and executive teams has the greatest impact.

The Corporate Ascent program can encompass anything from a day's business planning in a beautiful environment, to a full Ascent experience, helping your team to challenge and overcome barriers to success.

Ascent is not team building, it is not outward bounds, it is not leadership training and it is not like anything you think you have done before.

Ascent is based on the foundation of creating a physical activity that acts as a metaphor for an organisation's current situation or problems. You tell us about the situation you want to explore and we create an Ascent experience that helps you to explore it.

Ascent has no team building activities as you might recognise them: there are no ropes, no barrels and no blindfolds. Yet what Ascent consistently achieves is a powerful sense of unity and purpose in everyone who participates. That is largely down to the expertise of the coaches who plan and guide the Ascent experience, working closely with you to create a unique experience that delivers the outcomes you need.

Previous Corporate Ascent programs have included:
	Ascent: The Hero's Journey for the Sales Director and the Sales Management team of a major UK food producer who had endured a tough few years and felt they had 'a mountain to climb' in turning the business around. The reflective experience of Ascent helped them to forge far deeper relationships than they had imagined possible, and the Sales Director said "It's been an enlightening experience for me as well as a relationship building experience for myself and the team" (See all photos from this event)
	A global conference and training event held on a private game reserve in South Africa.
	A 'walking board room' where we took the partners of a professional services business out of their normal environment and helped them to explore strategic issues against the background of a walk in the Peak District. The change of scenery unleashed their minds from their everyday chains and conflicts and transformed their role in the business as a result.
	A global conference in Istanbul where we created a number of team challenges that mirrored everyday problems and conflicts in the work place. The challenges were not designed as team building games; they were designed to subject individuals to the same stresses and conflicts as in the workplace, giving everyone in the organisation the opportunity to face up to those problems and resolve them, once and for all. (See all photos from this event)
	A series of workshops in a Canadian holiday resort for the US and Canadian sales teams of a global HR services provider, combining uniquely tailored learning and coaching with fun in a great environment.
	A team communication day for a NHS trust, incorporating a series of activities that got the whole team understanding each other and learning the value of each others' contribution to the organisation. (See all photos from this event)
	A program designed uniquely for a team of rowers who took part in the 2005 Atlantic Ocean Rowing Regatta, including personal coaching, team building and development of both leadership and crewmanship skills. The Atlantic 4 crew came second in the 2904 mile race from the Canary Islands to Antigua, a tremendous achievement.
	A team building day for a NHS Trust who wanted to prepare for a period of change and uncertainty following the announcement of their merger with another trust. We worked on areas such as leadership, team alignment, understanding each other and team dynamics in order to create strong team cohesion for the change as well as the ability to easily integrate into a new, bigger team. (See all photos from this event)

We work with a number of outdoor activity providers who run corporate events but are unable to provide the high level facilitation that leads to real learning and change. In this way, we can deliver fun team building activities that also lead to tangible outcomes such as improvements in focus, performance and communication.

When you take your team on an 'away day' to a beautiful hotel in the countryside and then spend a day in the conference room, you are wasting your time. A meeting room in the Cotswolds or the Lake District looks exactly like a meeting room in London or Manchester. Ascent helps you to use the natural environment to achieve your objectives more easily, because the powerful metaphors we create in the environment and the strength of our facilitation lead to a depth and breadth of exploration that is not achieved in a simple meeting format.

The duration of a Corporate Ascent program can be upwards of one day, and the location and accommodation will be chosen to create a supportive environment within which your team can relax, work together and achieve more than you ever thought possible.

The Ascent team of highly experienced coaches can work as closely with you as you need. With some teams, we closely guide the process of insight and reflection, with other teams we simply follow behind to ensure you stay on track. The degree to which we interact with you and your team is your choice entirely.

At all times, you will be safe and in the company of people who are there to support and guide you. No technical climbing skills are required and you will never be asked to give more than you feel able to. You will climb or walk at your own pace, following instructions that have been designed around a known route by an experienced member of our team.

How is Ascent unique?

Firstly, Ascent is not a traditional team building activity. It is focused entirely on you as an individual and helps you to move beyond the barriers and limitations that stop you from fulfilling your potential. This personal focus helps you to align your own goals with those of your team or organisation.

Secondly, other outdoor adventure programs do not make the connection between the geography, your behaviour and your achievements, whereas Ascent is designed explicitly around this.

Thirdly, Ascent has been created by inspiring, experienced coaches who are entirely focused on helping you to achieve your ambitions. There is simply no other program that has this combination of outdoor activity, reflection and coaching.