Free TCE Outdoor Leadership Flashcard Review

Communication, planning, organisation, conducting/leading, and evaluation. Strong exam answers link each role to a specific action in the scenario.

A range of styles from autocratic (leader decides alone) through democratic (leader shares the decision) to abdicratic (leader hands the decision to the group). The right point depends on the group, the task and the conditions.

When danger is imminent, time is short or the group lacks the skill to decide, for example a storm approaching an exposed ridge. Clear commands reduce confusion.

Overuse lowers motivation and ownership, stops participants from learning to make decisions, and can build resentment if no danger justifies it.

Moderately favourable conditions with time to discuss, such as choosing tomorrow's campsite. It builds ownership, cohesion and decision-making skills.

It is slow, and the majority view may not be the safest or best option. The leader must still steer the group when safety is involved.

The leader gives the decision to the group and steps back. It suits a highly competent, cohesive group in favourable conditions, and it is risky with novices.

Reviewing the activity against its goals and plan through debriefs, incident reports and trip reports, then recording changes for next time.

The in-field role: briefing, supervising, making decisions, managing the group and responding to changing conditions during the activity.

Conditions, group competence and time pressure change. Effective leaders adapt their style to each situation instead of using one style throughout.

A model by Priest and Chase that recommends a leader's task and relationship orientation according to how favourable the conditions are.

Task orientation, relationship orientation, and conditional favourability.

High task, low relationship, which is an autocratic approach. The leader directs the group firmly to safety.

High relationship orientation, which is a democratic approach that involves the group and builds cohesion.

Low task and low relationship, which is an abdicratic approach. A competent group in good conditions can be trusted to run itself.

Environmental dangers, individual competence and group cohesion, the leader's proficiency, the clarity of the decision and the seriousness of its consequences.

It was designed for adventure settings and gives a clear rule for changing style as weather, terrain or group condition changes.

Judging favourability is subjective and can change quickly, so an inexperienced leader may misread conditions and pick the wrong orientation.

Fiedler holds that a leader's style is fixed and must be matched to the situation. COLT expects the leader to shift orientation as conditions change.

Rate the favourability of the scenario using named factors, state the recommended orientation, describe specific leader actions, then explain the likely outcome for the group.