FROM TEAM BUILDING TO LEADERSHIP TRAINING: LESSONS NOT WRITTEN IN THE HANDOUTS

Last Saturday morning, the weather was exceptionally pleasant — no dark clouds, no sudden rain.  My work in the morning went smoothly, and I arrived at the airport on time. After parking the car, I walked into the terminal to meet my fellow club members. We boarded the plane without delay, enjoyed a smooth flight, and landed punctually.

My brother (who is also the K Division Director) was already waiting at the airport. He picked us up and brought us for a hearty breakfast. When we arrived at the café, several Toastmasters leaders and the team-building facilitator were already there. We chatted, took photos, and enjoyed breakfast together in a relaxed and cheerful atmosphere. Shortly after, we made our way to the venue for the team building and leadership training — Seaside Travellers Inn.

Located in Kinarut on the west coast of Sabah, the resort sits right by the sea. The setting is simple yet comfortable. Upon arrival, I instinctively took out my phone to capture the seaside view. Leaders from Toastmasters clubs across Sabah had gathered here. After registration and collecting our room keys, we were guided to the restaurant for lunch.

The lunch was satisfying, but what truly caught our attention was the sea view outside. We ate, talked, and enjoyed the scenery at the same time. Two other leaders and I were assigned rooms by the sea, with a balcony facing the sea at the back. Being able to hear the waves at any time from our rooms drew quite a bit of envy from others.

After lunch, the team-building activities officially began. Most people associate team building with socialising and bonding, but this experience felt different. We were told that the K Division leaders had spent months working closely with the facilitators to design these activities thoughtfully. There were no intense physical games — all activities were conducted indoors — yet every one of them was meaningful. These were not activities you simply “play and forget”, but experiences that left us with insights worth bringing back to our clubs and daily lives.

 

Activity One: TFAR

The facilitator first invited us to list the challenges faced within our clubs, especially those related to people. We then analysed them using a simple framework:

TFAR

T – Thought

F – Feeling

A – Action

R – Result

When a person encounters a challenge, a thought arises, followed by a feeling. That feeling then influences the action taken, which eventually leads to a result. This activity helped us realise that beneath conflicts or problems, feelings are often the most crucial element that needs attention.

The facilitator guided us to practise having conversations during conflicts by asking:

1. What caused you to feel this way?
2. Why do you feel this way?
3. What can I do to help you feel better?

These may seem like simple questions, but they are powerful soft skills — useful both in club leadership and in workplace communication.

 

Activity Two: Clarifying the Gap

Next, we were asked to list our current situation within the club. This included challenges, such as a shortage of members, as well as strengths, such as satisfactory educational progress.

We were then guided to describe our ideal situation, and to reflect on one key question: What is missing between now and where we want to be?  Once the gap is clearly identified, goals and strategies can be set, and progress can be made within a timeline. The facilitator shared a statement that left a strong impression on me:

“A problem is half solved when it is well-identified.”

 

Activity Three: From Strangers to Conversation

By evening, we moved on to the third activity. Participants were regrouped, and each team secretly selected two members with unique experiences or traits — such as having won a championship, their biggest childhood fear, or their most embarrassing moment.

Each team then appointed one person to read out the clues, while members from other teams were allowed to ask questions not directly related to the answers, in order to deduce who the mystery person was. Laughter filled the room, especially when one reader accidentally let slip the word “she”, triggering instant laughter as everyone immediately guessed it must be one of the female members in that group.  Through humour and curiosity, the activity encouraged us to practise communication — especially initiating conversations with people we were not familiar with.

 

By the time the activities ended, it was already close to midnight. Some members stayed back to discuss club matters, others went out for supper, while some leaders continued chatting. As I had been juggling remote work alongside the activities throughout the day, my mind was already saturated with information. I decided to return to my room and rested until morning.

The next day, after completing my remote work, I walked to the restaurant for breakfast. It had not opened yet, so a few of us sat by the sea, quietly watching the waves. The tide had receded, and the morning air felt especially fresh. Once the restaurant opened, we finally sat down for breakfast.

 

From Team Building to Leadership Training

I felt the first day of team building like reorganising relationships between people. The second day of leadership training, however, focused on how these relationships could be transformed into a structure that allows an organisation to function sustainably.

The leadership training was conducted by Division K leaders. What stood out to me was that the trainers did not simply “teach”. Instead, they designed many interactive sessions and practical exercises, allowing participants to immediately reflect on and plan for their own clubs. The speakers also shared personal experiences, offering ideas we could adapt and discuss.  During the sharing sessions, I noticed how humble some club leaders were. Their sharing was sincere and grounded — not exaggerated, not performative. Their words conveyed that they were people who genuinely put in the work.

After the training, we took many photos together. The delegation travelling with me returned to Tawau that evening, while I stayed on for another night to focus on remote work. That night, me and several leaders gathered again for dinner, enjoying a generous seafood meal before heading to karaoke.

 

This journey was a blend of learning and rest. I am truly grateful to the leaders for their thoughtful planning, and to the sponsors for their support. These two days of team building and leadership training have broadened my perspective and given me space to reflect — allowing me to continue growing through learning.

 

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#HeartfeltReflections #ReflectiveLearning #TeamBuildingInsights #LeadershipLearning