ACHIEVEMENTS
Creativity & Innovation
GET CREATIVE
We think that everyone has an inner human that is fundamentally creative and original. Through the use of a wide variety of props, our multimedia exercises include a vibrant aural, kinaesthetic, and visual experience. Each team member must be able to channel their creative energy if they are to function well under pressure, expectations, and deadlines. Therefore, the module’s core element is creativity.
We also think that being humane includes a yearning for belonging and company. Our desire to be recognised for who we are as individuals is universal. The key concepts of belongingness and individual expression are at the centre of the module “Engage Your Inner Human”. Providing a space for creative involvement is beneficial in two ways: first, participants come up with original methods to communicate, work together, plan, and perform; and second, creativity fosters interpersonal interactions that are more compassionate and encouraging. Our capacity to ignite the creative energy in a wide range of participants—regardless of their positions in the corporate sector—is what makes us the ideal fit.
“LEAVE YOUR TITLES BEHIND”
We advise all participants to “leave your titles behind” at the beginning of each session. During the early stages of the module’s implementation, this directive was intended only for Senior Level Employees. I think that when people start using titles as masks, they start to conceal. I’ve discovered from experience that masking is a characteristic of every human experience. It becomes normalised in many of our interactions, both personal and professional. As time passes, the layers of masks that cover our genuine selves cause us to lose touch with ourselves and others. Now, by asking participants to drop their titles, I’m asking them to defy business conventions of hierarchy and be open, authentic and present for the duration of the session.
BE PRESENT
I like to keep my sessions between one and three hours long. The module draws its inspiration for its execution from mythology, fairy tales, stories, and personal narratives. I naturally organise the participants into teams and sub-teams using motivational stories. Depending on the instructions provided by the client, I select tales that discuss togetherness, security, inclusion, respect, trust, and teamwork. Therefore, through the medium of stories, I am able to introduce these ideas right at the inception of the module. I have two hats here. As a storyteller, I make sure the audience is given the go-ahead to feel secure and present, and as an emcee, I experience a sense of vitality and self-connection. I am fully in line with my commitment to the group and my intention to deliver.
Let me walk you through three exercises: “Step step step,” “Drop the ball,” and “Big Picture,” which best illustrate the module’s main idea.
Activity 1 : STEP STEP STEP
“Step Step Step” places emphasis on strategy, leadership, role-management, execution, communication and team-work. This is one activity that has given us fascinating insight into the participants’ ability to adapt, innovate and formulate numerous strategies of execution. That there is no one way to complete the task is the biggest takeaway for the participants. They learn multiple styles of planning and execution, clear identification of leadership and chain of command, role management and the consequences of overstepping their roles. And that in spite of the best of strategies, execution and leadership, human errors are unavoidable. The module helps participants accept that flaws are integral to the human condition.
Activity 2 : DROP THE BALL
Drop the Ball aims to reestablish each participant’s sense of belonging to the team and its general purpose, while also reminding them of the importance of their individual goals to team operations. The activity accomplishes this by fostering conditions for goal congruence between the team and the individual. Learning how crucial it is for the team to achieve each member’s own goals benefits the participants. It’s endearing to observe how the exercise brings out the team members’ feelings of humanity, support, and motivation for one another.
Activity 3 : BIG PICTURE
The module begins with a story and concludes with a jigsaw puzzle. By reintegrating the teams into the initial whole, “Big Picture” takes participants back to the beginning. As a result of this activity, the participants gain a fresh understanding of their own story as well as how it naturally fits into the tale of their team. Participants understand how crucial each person is to the success of the greater vision. The lesson to be learned from this is that each team/unit/person can make sense on their own. However, if one is successful in discovering the link between the units, they will also have discovered the secret to creating a larger and more significant picture (a metaphor for team operations).
THE JOURNEY
Planning & Execution
“The programs are diverse in nature ranging from reading newspaper to passing balls using tight ropes to performing as a team/group. Many artistic talents were uncovered that day, we sang, danced and painted. I loved how the four paintings, whilst worked on separately by four different teams, came together perfectly eventually. This shows that if we collaborate we can jointly deliver amazing results. She (Maryann) has effectively engaged all of us, the time passed very quickly which is a clear sign that we had fun. We left the session feeling very energized. Thank you Maryann and team for doing such a great job organizing our team building event.” – Testimonial by Jill Chieng, General Manager, Shell Office.
In my experience the success of my module revolves around my ability to go a step further than just meeting the requirements of client briefs. I take each session of the module as an opportunity to create a transformative journey between who I am and who each participant is.
THE JOURNEY BETWEEN EXPERIENCE & CONCEPT
Our curiosity about the motivations underlying the behaviours, actions and thought processes of each individual set us apart from other team building modules in the market. What’s more is that we have replaced team building with team bonding as a core mantra of our activities. The last 20 years of my personal experiences are as integral as my professional ones in the evolution of the module. Witnessing people’s everyday struggles with life and death has helped unlock a part of me. I see all around a deep longing for moments that make us feel fully alive. Somewhere between being born and now, going through the song and dance of life, the monotony of daily routine and the pressures of expectations, we lose sight of what truly matters to us. And it is from this awareness that my concept of “Engaging Your Inner Human” was born. I have designed the module to unlock the Inner Human in each of us through the creation of moments where all of our emotions—joy, anger, disappointment, excitement, confusion—come alive even if for a second. We ensure that our participants have the permission to feel and express the complete scale of emotions without the fear of being judged.
CHALLENGES & EXECUTING THE CONCEPT
I’ve previously stated that the variety of participants and audiences has presented the biggest obstacle for me in putting the concept of activating our Inner Human into practise. I have worked with teams from various corporate industry sectors made up of participants from all over India and at least seven other nations. My training has been useful to employees with a variety of roles and responsibilities inside the company structure. How have I been able to find a common ground with such diversity? My awareness of the unifying thread of longing that connects each human being has helped me assemble the module on this very potential of individual difference and how it can become a scope for shared learning and integration between the participants.
In 2012, I received a certification in story-telling, and in 2019 had the opportunity to learn from Laura Simms, a globally recognized story-teller, writer and humanitarian. I use my learning from myths, stories and personal narratives to clearly organise each session into an introduction, a journey and a conclusion. With the help of stories, I encourage participants to reconnect with the lost meaning and purpose of their life and work.
As I have mentioned elsewhere, I use the first part of my session to build rapport with the audience through a journey into their senses and personalities. I have designed the ice-breaking activities keeping in mind the diversity of each group. I gently lead the participants into a state of present-ness where they can temporarily set aside the many masks they wear in their personal and professional lives. The idea is not to create uniformity but a safe space where individuals can set aside their prejudices and biases to be open and respectful to each other. It is only when I am sure of their presence in the here and now that I proceed with the main segment of activities. My objective from then on, as the story-teller, is to safely navigate the audience through the activities of the module.
The activities are inspired by the worlds of visual arts, AI, theatre & dramatics, music, cinema & sports. This encourages participants to unlock aspects of themselves that they haven’t explored for long and in many instances are not even aware of. To make this magical experience possible, the team of “Engage your Inner Human” has collected and designed colourful props and ideas. This creative exploration results in engineers becoming artists, event planners becoming athletes, and dancers discovering their voice.
INFLUENCE
Impact & Effectiveness
“…I was a bit eager at the beginning of the day on how the day was going to go, Maryann was outstanding in conducting us through the day. We had a wonderful time and could not imagine pulling off without the guidance of Maryann. She exceeded our expectations, especially when she had to handle a management team where the average age was >40. Everyone appreciated various activities that were conducted by Maryann. they were well thought through and very apt for the intended audience.” Thank you Maryann.—Testimonial by Ramasubramaniam, Assistant Vice President, Hexaware Technologies
“Maryann took charge of a group of 16 of us with 7 different nationalities and managed to bring us together as one cohesive team. She is full of energy and has a number of different options in her toolkit, including physical, agility and mental tests, all designed to bring out the team player in us all. She even managed to get a bunch of mainly Engineers art that were not bad at all—considering the participants. Overall, with the emphasis on fun and achievement by working together, Maryann’s session was very well received by all.”—Testimonial by Martin Rhodes, Asset Support Manager, Shell Projects & Technology
These two endorsements highlight how satisfied clients are with my module, which has led to enduring relationships with a number of companies, including Amazon, Aspire Systems, Shell, Wabag, Saint Gobain, Hexaware, Tata Play, and Cognizant. The creative, engaging, and energising character of the module has positively impacted more than a lakh individuals in the past fifteen years. Clients have attested to my communication skills, consistent levels of enthusiasm and passion, ability to engage and take leadership of all participants, and patience and passion for the task at hand.
The “Engage your Inner Human” team assesses the module’s effects on two registers: its short- and long-term goals. Following the session, companies like Confederation of Indian Industry, Exhilar Innovative Solutions Pvt. Ltd., and Hexaware Technologies provided feedback indicating that the module’s performance was in line with the event’s intention and communication plan.
IMMEDIATE IMPACT
Due to the activities’ high levels of physical and mental involvement, participants are more energised and stimulated. After a session, the groups spontaneously express their happiness, excitement, enthusiasm, and contentment. Individuals have an experiential learning and understanding of the fundamental values of teamwork, communication, leadership, cooperation, creativity, implementation, resource allocation, and time management, as well as how important it is for a team to uphold these values in order to work effectively and efficiently. Teams exercise physical and mental agility through the use of new and unexplored skills such as theatrics, arts, crafts, and sporting.
LONG-TERM IMPACT
As a long-term feedback, clients have mentioned how their team members display more openness, collaboration and positive approach towards each other. In my personal observations, employees do return to their workplaces with a greater degree of comfort with each other. It makes me incredibly happy to witness the look of surprise and joy on their faces when participants learn that their typically quiet colleague is also quick witted or is a phenomenally skilled musician. They are as if reintroduced to their team members in an altogether new light. I am glad that the module allows for the beginning of new intimacies. The module has the effect of reprogramming teams and individuals to become more connected with one another as participants become aware of the obstacles that prevent them from connecting with their true selves and with others. We support participants in reviving these crucial relationships and give them a taste of what it’s like, even if for a split second.
