Executive Development aboard Schooner Denis Sullivan

In addition to our flagship experiential education programs for youth, World Ocean School also offers leadership and team development programs aboard Denis Sullivan as a unique approach to executive development.

Designed with Your Team in Mind

In 2021, World Ocean School engaged with Harvard Business School staff to think creatively about developing a unique executive development and team building program aboard Roseway, all within the framework of typical World Ocean School programming and in support of realizing the WOS mission. Our programs are flexible in terms of length and alignment with an organization’s individual objectives. All activities are facilitated by World Ocean School crew using our signature curriculum as the foundation. Our curriculum encourages all participants to fully engage with all aspects of Roseway’s sister ship, Denis Sullivan, as the ship and their crew embody countless metaphors for leadership and team building. A leadership, team, or executive development program experience aboard Denis Sullivan can range from five hours to a full day (and in rare cases longer). A program can accommodate groups of 12-25 participants, for a variety of objectives. Some examples we’ve seen are:


  • Team building and development for an intact team

  • New employee onboarding

  • Corporate networking events (for employees, customers, or clients)

  • As an experiential learning component of a corporate university training program

  • As part of a volunteer activity in support of a corporate or foundation objective


Program activities are many and varied, and entirely experiential. The objectives would vary for each of the above audiences, but the themes of leadership, team building and community building are universal.

  • TRUST

    The foundation for any strong team is the confidence that you can fully rely on your teammates to support you. Each task aboard Denis Sullivan is only possible when all crew members trust each other to fulfill their individual roles, setting each other up for success.

  • COMMUNICATION

    It is virtually impossible to over-communicate, and the clarity and protocols aboard Denis Sullivan represent the type of communication that many organizations strive for.

  • TEAMWORK

    The Denis Sullivan crew is a high-performing team and serves as a model of the power of strong teams and community building.

  • SELF-WORTH

    Denis Sullivan evokes the confidence needed to bring your full, authentic self to the workplace so that you can show up fully and wholeheartedly for your team.

Sponsorship, Design & Execution

 

The organizational sponsor for these experiences is often a senior executive, in partnership with Human Resources/Learning & Development. Alternatively, corporate foundations with philanthropic objectives aligned with our mission may also sponsor these programs. Any program is custom designed in partnership with the sponsoring organization, and we welcome involvement ranging from active co-creation to letting our team do the design. World Ocean School crew, staff and volunteers (some of whom are executive development professionals) are highly skilled in designing these experiences for a variety of audiences.

 
 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • We usually start with a dockside ice breaker and orientation, and then get underway for all activities— setting sail and learning about navigation, seamanship, and steering—all followed by an end of program reflection. Here is an example agenda:

    11:00-12:00 - Optional lunch hour with the Denis Sullivan crew

    12:00 - Participants arrive

    12:00-5:00 - Team development program

    5:00-6:00 - Dinner with the Denis Sullivan crew

    6:00-8:00 - Optional public harbor sail to show off your new skills!

  • The concept for this initiative was prototyped and successfully piloted in 2021 with a select group of professionals from top business schools such as Harvard Business School, MIT, and Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, as well as senior human resources and leadership development professionals in Greater Boston, and several WOS Board members.

  • Not at all! We welcome individuals with all levels of sailing experience. Even if you’ve never been on a boat before, this program is for you!