The Staff Ride: A Proven Tool for Continuing Executive Development

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The “Staff Ride” has a long, distinguished history as an important component in a well-rounded continuing professional leadership development program. Originally developed for military officers, the staff ride concept has been adopted by both the private and public sector – particularly in occupations where managers and leaders confront dynamic and unpredictable situations. They are not 'tours' - rather, they are planned learning events that recreate significant historical events while engaging participants in open reflection and dialogue.

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As noted by the Academy of Management Learning & Education, Staff Rides are grounded in "experiential learning theory, the case study, and critical incident methodology.... [They] are unique in engaging participants in active exchange of information, reflective thought, and collective analysis of the event under study."  Academy of Management Learning & Education Vol. 13, No. 4 Research & Reviews, Instructional Staff Rides for Management Learning and Education, Wendy S. Becker and Michael J. Burke, Oct 2013.

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Staff Rides are now used for organizational and individual leadership and executive development in not just the military, but throughout the public safety sector, as well as a wide variety of public and corporate entities.

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Premier academic institutions have also taken note of the utility of the staff ride in other contexts as well.  The Wharton School of Business and a number of other universities and commercial organizations have adapted the practice for executive management and leadership development training.  "Studying the life and death decisions of military leaders on the very ground where the consequences of those decisions played out is a powerful experience.  When it comes to executive training, corporate staff rides offer an unforgettable set of lessons.”  Wharton Leadership Digest, Steven L. Ossad, Volume 10, Number 4, Jan 2006, 

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Evesham Consulting LLC has designed unique learning experiences utilizing these "living classrooms" at locations in the United States, the United Kingdom, and selected sites in Europe, including:

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• Battle of  Gettysburg [Gettysburg, PA USA]

• Battle of Antietam [Sharpsburg, MD USA]

• Washington's Crossing / Battles of Trenton & Princeton [Mercer County, NJ USA]

• Battle of Monmouth Court House [Freehold, NJ USA]

• Saratoga Campaign [Saratoga County, NY & Bennington, VT USA]

• The Philadelphia Campaign [Delaware County & Philadelphia, PA]

• Leadership Lessons from the Founders [Philadelphia, PA]

• Normandy/D-Day [Portsmouth, England & Normandy, France]

• Battle of the Bulge [Aachen and Hurtgen Forrest, Germany; Ardennes Region, Belgium; and Luxembourg]

• Dunkirk & The Battle of Britain [London & Kent, England]

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Upon request, Staff Ride programs can be developed for locations specifically chosen by the client organization.  

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