The Cebu Regis Leadership Team Building was woven around the 4 Pillars of Leadership of Chris Lowney

'Quamplurimi et quam aptissimi" (As many as possible of the very best)

Rizal Philippines
December 15, 2015

                                            The instructions

                                 The marshamallow Eiffel tower of fettucini rods, the winner the tallest
                                  built by none engineers (the team that had an engineer had a collapsed
                                  tower hahahaha) Congratulations.  Teams really produce results


While other team building activities were simply conducted as as a series of discrete events, last Saturday team building was woven around the stories about 4 pillars of leadership of Chris Lowney - self awareness, love, ingenuity, and heroism.  (The MM team building was built around 6 na katitikan)  This is a way of further reinforcing the  leadership lesson of this course.

The post recalls that the following were conducted:

1.  Cheer leading

2.  The tallest tower built with fettucini rods and with marshmallow tower

3.  The my glass overflows with paper clips

4.  Reflection on who you are and what the significant others really think about you

4.  The reflection on chicken a la carte and the commitment letter





Comments on the team building:

Leader Bryan said that he conducted team building as a training manager way back in early 2000.   But must have forgotten how they are being done (so this is a refresher for him)   Leader Gem kept on repeating that she was being asked to do something that is outside her strength and capacity.  However they are thankful for the opportunity and that they have been motivated (pressured) by the professor to do their best.   And did their best they did.

The significant unique features of the team building were:

1.  In the tower building contest, the materials were:

    hidden (the team had to exert efforts to find the materials - to be ingenious in order to start the tower

   they were given only a length of string and tape to work on

   the fettucini rods were brittle, thus they had to be careful

2.  In the self awareness, the leaders wrote only 3 words :  their strength, their weakness, and what the significant others really thought of them.  Whoa!   Leaders Brian and Gem called up emailed the spouses of leader and wrote a mouthful about their spouses.  We are not really subjective about what we think about ourselves.  While some thought themselves to be intelligent, the other half thought them to be funny.  While some thought their career to be important, the spouse thought time with the family was more important. The self awareness exercise was deep and I would not have gone that far in the team building.  As true leaders, leader Bryan and Gem went that far to do this a la De Colores Palanca exercise and some were teary eyed.;  they were brave and fearless (because may be the waiver covered freedom from being sued.  Hahaha

3.  For heroism, writing a letter to one self about commitment to be of service to others, of being heroic, is something that is unique.  Sana tatama at titimo sa mga dibdib ng mga leaders tonight

There were a lot of prizes awarded at the end of the day.

I conclude that the team building was well planned and executed and went wide and deep.  That they were able to learn about previous team building of other classes and that they were able to build on them does not take away the superb team building activity that took place.

CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT ACTIVITY LAST DECEMBER 12 2015  Leaders Bryan and Gem.


The marshmallow tower challenge

                                          Leader Bryan observes the other Leaders as they search for the
                                            tower materials

                        While other teams found their materials, the group of Leader Mel, Izumi and Glym
                         could not find theirs (it was on top of the Iwata cooler!)

                                    Beware of shaking unstable tables/foundation and the wind

 x                                   Do not build your house upon the sand but upon the rock

                                           Getting started;  building the foundation

 x                             This team should win because they have techies here (two engineers)

                                  A doctor, lawyer, banker, and a bishop building a tower (and yet they won)

                                    The advantage of this team is the planning so that when they were handicapped
                                    by speech (no talking they were able to proceed)

                                         The tower builder leaders hard at work

                                  Proud tower builders (no techie around)

                                          Tower standing on wobbly legs/foundation

                                        Can the tower stand for 30 seconds?

                                            Can the tower stand?

                                 The slight wind caused the tower to topple over

                                       A Flour Daniel engineer is around to give strength to the tower

                               The tapes and string could not hold the tower plus the wind... tsk tsk

                                 The tower leans a bit  (leaning tower of Pisa and Eiffel tower)

Processing the marshmallow tower challenge

1.  Leader Bryan said that MBAs, having very complicated thinking all ready found difficulty in the tower challenge.   Those who excelled were kindergarten kids. They started with the tower and built up  Covey was right, begin with the end in mind.

2. Leader Andre said that they spent a few minutes planning and strategizing so that when there were handicaps were imposed, they could still work.

3.  The no talk, one hand new policy were tests on flexibility and ingenuity.

4.  The limitations of materials and time challenged even those who are technically capacitated.  Intelligence and experience evaporate under pressure.

May I add that the communication challenge is worse than lack of materials and other handicap.

Leader Mel said that knowing that we are all leaders made the challenge challenging.  Hence the need for submissiveness, ie to follow the one who knows and who is in charge.   That is the operational word for the day:   SUBMISSIVENESS

This challenge was won by non techie:    that of Dr Gubantes, Atty Glym, Izumi and Bishop Mel

My glass is full challenge

                                    Empty glass yet

                                    Two boxes of paper clips to put into the glass full of water

                                       Some teams straightened the paper clips

 x                            Does straightening the paper clips affect water being displaced?

                                    Leader Izumi very carefully adding more paper clips

                          The outdoor challenges have ended; going back to the conference room

The idea behind this challenge is to fill the glass to the brim with water, give two boxes (200 pcs) to the teams and challenge them to put the paper clips into the glass full of water without spilling the water.  Leader Bryan asked them  to bet. There were two betting session.

The teams of Leader Andre and Glym straightened the paper clips;  that of Leader Dovie and Oliver did not.

At the processing session, Leader Bryan said that for some unexplained reasons (science would not be able to explain this, the maximum number that could be accommodated in the glass was 300 pcs.  And that could be done quickly with say 4 persons alternately placing the paper clips very carefully.
He said that the paper clips do not seem to have the density (the water displacement properties) we expect of other materials.  The group of Leader Andre won this and placed more than 100 paper clips. second was that of Leader  Glym with 94 pcs.

The betting gave limits on what the group can achieve.  We have to be no limit leaders/persons.  That is an important lesson HOW TO BE A NO LIMIT PERSON.  How to empty your cup?

Awarding of prizes and exchange gifts for Christmas

Congratulations to the winning teams.  Everybody is a winner, richer in knowledge and experience about leadership.  Merry Christmas to all.  See you next year for the last session

Thank you once again for joining this very memorable event that must have made you understand leadership, Ateneo Leadership for that matter.   Thanks to the team building masters:    Leaders Bryan and Gem and all others who made this event a reality

GOD BLESS.

                             Leader Brya, Gem and I looked tired but still manage to smile

                                   A new procedure for exchange gifts suggested by Bishop Mel
                                         MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!