Navigating Leadership: The Fleet Formation Workshop Experience

Laughing and Learning: Folding paper boats

The session began with a task that made everyone laugh: folding paper boats. This simple act contrasts with the complexity of leadership principles and set the tone for lightheartedness and doors to a deeper understanding.

Self-insight on the open sea

Next, the participants dived into self-reflection and chose a type of boat that reflected their personality on the vast sea of life and leadership. On every ship, there is the rational mind or captain, who is a slow but steady thinker. Alongside them is a crew of 150 'pirates', or ego states. They represent the multifaceted aspects of human personalities. Everyone identified three dominant 'pirates' who usually took command.

The mirror of perception

In an interesting twist, the participants engaged in dialogues, where colleagues observed and noted down three 'pirates' they saw as most influential. This exercise reflected the often overlooked tension between self-perception and external perception, an essential element in understanding leadership influence.

Fleet formation as a team mirror

The highlight of the workshop was the formation of a fleet. Each participant placed their boat and the collective arrangement said a lot about how team members operate, think and feel. The diverse outcomes were telling: some ships were left on the floor, which can indicate a lack of motivation, while others formed into strategic and enthusiastic fleets, ready to conquer the waves.

Diversity in collaboration

The different fleet structures were striking. Some participants, fully immersed in the exercise, organised their ships into impressive armadas. Others hesitated, stayed on the sidelines, their vessels as witnesses to reluctance or reflection. These reactions painted a realistic picture of workplace dynamics and highlighted the different attitudes and involvement within a team.

A journey of self-discovery

The workshop is supported by a 9-step process designed to deepen self-knowledge, promote self-understanding and strengthen self-direction, skills that are equally applicable to understanding others and navigating situations.

The photos of the workshop capture moments of interaction, concentration and the physical manifestations of the 'fleets', a microcosm of the intricate workings of the business world.

As Hans Demeyer guided the participants through this journey, it became clear that leadership is not just about steering the ship, but also about understanding the currents within yourself and your team. The laughter, the folded boats, the conversations, they were all part of a larger quest to discover how to lead effectively and empathetically.

Conclusion: more than team building

The workshop is more than a team building exercise; it is a journey of discovery

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