How does experience work in the Living Campaign?

We will be using an encounter system as experience for the Shadows of the Swordspyne campaign just as SagaBorn 1.5 uses. 

In SagaBorn, leveling occurs at the discretion of the GM. While Challenge Ratings (CR) are used to aid the GM in gauging the difficulty of encounters, experience points are not used. Instead levels are rewards that occur after a certain number of encounters, which can be combat, environmental, and social-oriented. The number of encounters is up to the GM, using the table below as a general guideline; the rate at which characters level can be tweaked by adding to or reducing the number. 

The adventuring group leader ( those who help organize, plan, and submit an adventure on the Adventure Contract) also gain an extra encounter experience point. This counts as an encounter since they are spending the time trying to get a group together and on the road.