Riding the Waves: Reflections from the 2024 IEU Team Training Session

Team building involves exercises and activities to help groups bond. The IEU’s team training taught me the importance of resilience, authenticity, and teamwork. It reinforced that when we work together, support each other, and communicate clearly, we can overcome any challenges and achieve great things as a team.

Day 1

We commenced our journey to Suwon from G-Tower in Songdo, convening promptly at 7:30 AM on Thursday, 10 October. Colleagues’ punctuality highlighted how the energy in the group was contagious—smiles, laughter, and morning hellos set the perfect tone for the day.

On arrival in Suwon, we were placed in small groups. I was part of the “Blue Besties” group and our motto was “Riding the waves together," which reflects how we are all keen to help each other out when problems arise. The training session started with a Resilience Framework cutting across Foresight, Agility, Robustness and Rebound/Activation. We explored how to navigate uncertainty, remain agile in response to challenges, maintain robustness in our efforts, and rebound effectively from challenges. These competences are vital to our individual roles and our collective approach to challenges as a team. In another session, we were divided into the Unit’s four workstreams and were asked to identify the IEU’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This SWOT analysis revealed plenty about the IEU's present strengths and what could be improved, helping to guide the team's continued ability to deliver ‘trusted evidence, informed policies, and high impact’.

Day 2

We started Day 2 with conversation cards. Each had an image which could be seen to represent a reflection of oneself. The facilitator asked each group member to pick two cards. The conversation cards sparked meaningful discussions on how to enhance communication both within teams, ensuring everyone stays informed, and externally, strengthening our connections and understanding with others.

In the afternoon, we went to Hwaseong Fortress and tried archery—a classic Korean sport. Of the 10 arrows I let loose, 4 hit the target! We also took a guided tour around the ancient walls and gates. It was a day that combined many insights into Korean culture with time to think about how we can work better together.

A Stronger, More Resilient Team

This training was an amazing experience that helped me grow personally and professionally. I was fortunate to have taken the Seven Traits of Change Readiness as part of the group activities. These traits are Resourcefulness, Optimism, Confidence, Adventurousness, Adaptability, Tolerance for Ambiguity, and Passion/Drive.

After self-assessment, I scored highest for resourcefulness, confidence, passion/drive and adaptability while lowest for adventurousness. My strategy to be adventurous is to ensure that I accept uncertainties and take necessary risks to pursue the unknown. This was my first IEU training session, and I must say it met my expectations in all aspects. The genuine camaraderie among my colleagues and their kindness and warmth made it a meaningful experience.