High 5 Executive Director and Founding Director | Jen Ottinger and Jim Grout

Description

Episode 223: In this conversation, Phil Brown interviews Jim Grout and Jen Ottinger about their roles at High 5 Adventure Learning Center and the past, present, and future of the organization. Jen shares how she was drawn to High 5 and the adventure education field, while Jim reflects on the early days of High 5 and the organization’s growth. They discuss their complementary leadership styles and the importance of trust and collaboration. They also talk about the future of High 5, including exploring the concept of social enterprise, promoting career building in the industry, and supporting professional development through a scholarship fund.

Episode Takeaways:

• Jen was drawn to High 5 because of the opportunity to work with an amazing group of people and the excitement and passion she saw in the organization and its customers.
• Jim and Jen have complementary leadership styles, with Jim being the visionary and Jen being the integrator, which has been a successful partnership for High 5.
• Trust and collaboration are key elements of their leadership approach, and they prioritize putting people first and supporting the team.
• The future of High 5 includes exploring the concept of social enterprise, promoting career building in the adventure education industry, and supporting professional development through a scholarship fund.