Outbound Behavioural Training for First-Year MBA Students

Outbound Behavioural Training for First-Year MBA Students

19–21 August 2025 | Sona VT Towers, Yercaud

Resource Persons: Mr. A. Alauddin and Mr. Mahesh Ramarao, OBT Trainers

Participants: First-Year MBA Students – Three Batches

Sona School of Business & Management organised a three-day Outbound Behavioural Training (OBT) programme for its First-Year MBA students at Sona VT Towers, Yercaud. The programme was conducted across three days, with each student batch participating in a dedicated day of experiential learning.

Designed around experiential and activity-based learning, the programme provided students with opportunities to observe their own behaviour, work with peers, respond to challenges and understand the importance of individual contribution within a team. The activities were structured to develop behavioural competencies that are essential for management education and professional life.

Experiential Learning Through Behavioural Activities

The programme featured a range of carefully designed activities, each focusing on a specific behavioural or managerial capability.

Fall in Line – Leadership

Students were required to organise themselves and work towards a common objective, creating an opportunity to understand leadership, coordination and collective responsibility.

Pick Up the Cup – Goals Over Distractions

The activity encouraged students to remain focused on their objectives while managing competing demands, reinforcing the importance of goal orientation and prioritisation.

Count the Numbers – Strategic Thinking

Students were challenged to think, plan and respond effectively, helping develop strategic thinking and decision-making abilities.

Colour Building – Effective Communication

The activity demonstrated how clarity of communication and coordination influence team performance, highlighting the importance of effective communication and shared understanding.

Selfie Monk – Leadership, Awareness and Team Cohesion

This activity focused on leadership, self-awareness and team cohesion, encouraging students to recognise how individual behaviour contributes to the effectiveness of the larger team.

Alphabet Chain – Resource Management

Students experienced the importance of planning and making effective use of available resources while working towards a common outcome.

Developing Management Competencies Through Experience

Beyond individual activities, the programme encouraged students to develop a broader set of competencies relevant to their MBA journey and future professional roles:

• Leadership and initiative
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Communication and coordination
• Strategic and critical thinking
• Goal orientation
• Resource management
• Decision-making
• Adaptability and confidence

The experiential format also enabled students to understand how different individuals respond to challenges and how effective teams emerge through trust, participation, communication and shared responsibility.

From Hesitation to Participation

An important feature of the programme was the visible change in student participation during the activities. The observations recorded across the batches indicate that students moved from initial hesitation towards greater openness, participation, confidence and team engagement. The experience encouraged students to take initiative, support their peers and become more comfortable working in unfamiliar situations.

The programme also gave students an opportunity to build stronger peer relationships and understand the value of collective effort. The activities created situations where success depended not merely on individual performance but on the ability to communicate, coordinate and work towards a shared goal.

A Meaningful Beginning to the MBA Journey

Conducted amidst the serene surroundings of Yercaud, the Outbound Behavioural Training provided a refreshing learning environment while maintaining a clear focus on behavioural development.

The programme reinforced an important aspect of management education: effective managers need more than knowledge. They need the ability to work with people, respond to uncertainty, take responsibility, think critically and lead themselves and others.

For the First-Year MBA students, the OBT programme offered an early opportunity to experience these capabilities in action and laid a strong foundation for their journey towards becoming confident, collaborative and responsible management professionals.

The programme was successfully conducted with the active participation of all three batches and provided students with meaningful experiences, new perspectives and valuable lessons to carry forward into their academic and professional journey.