The power of outdoor management development

States that outdoor management development (OMD) is on the increase. Based on personal experience, lists the characteristics of effective OMD programmes, and argues that this type of training can be very powerful. On the basis of a review of relevant literature and anecdotal evidence, discusses ten salient features of OMD that account for this power: emotional intensity; psychological safety; consequentiality; enhanced self‐confidence; use of metaphors; unpredictability; experiencing peak performance; multiple skill/knowledge types; developing the whole person; and focus on transfer.