How to Train Your Dragon

After a busy preparation and execution of my first personal team building project for a client, I decided to reward myself to watch a movie at home. The movie I chose to spend my 2 hours watching was “How to Train Your Dragon”.

The story is about a young man who lives in the world of vikings. The norm is everyone should be brave enough to fight the dragons and win over them. But there is a young viking, Hiccup, that aspires to hunt dragons to belong with the norm.Though his father, the leader of all the vikings, wants Hiccup to be as brave as him, he found himself different. Instead of fighting the dragons, he knows how to tame them. He discovered this when he found Toothless, a dragon who lost the capability to fly and eventually ‘can fly again’ because of Hiccup’s help.

Hiccup, unlike all the vikings, doesn’t believe that dragons are enemies. He believes that vikings and dragons could be friends. Eventually, he proved to his father that they shouldn’t fight the dragons anymore but befriend with them. That the only reason why dragons are fighting them is because they are just protecting themselves against them.

You are unique

This is a movie that touches my heart to stop trying too hard into something I am not. I am different with unique capabilities that can do great things like Hiccup.

Be patient, passionate

I am also moved on the patience and passion that this young viking has shown in building friendship and helping Toothless. This is a proof that all things – friendship, relationship, career, dreams – will work well if you will patiently and passionately invest your time, effort, energy to win them.

Strategy matters

It also teaches us to work smarter than hard; and put strategy to find the best way to solve every dilemma. This was evident when Hiccup had a better way of fighting the ‘big’ dragon near the ending of the story. Instead of doing the ‘usual’ style of the vikings, he used the other dragons that can fly and looked for the weakness of the main enemy, of the problem. He achieved the victory and helped the whole community.

How to Train Your Dragons is an extraordinary movie that touches your heart while having fun watching it.

Team Building Project

I had a wonderful opportunity to organize and facilitate a team building project for the staff of a nice and relaxing suite in Tagaytay, Philippines.

The objectives are to enhance their customer service skills; differentiate what is and not important by prioritizing tasks; help each other out of initiative while keeping the group solid; and learn when to consult with owners and when to act immediately.

I structured the program from easy to difficult activities (Ball Toss, Line Ups, Inner Tube Pass, Puzzlemania) that will link back to each of the competencies to develop such as customer service skills, time management, teamwork, and decision making skills. I also incorporated one major activity (River Crossing) that cemented all the insights. Then, ended with an action planning by creating commitment on things they’ll start doing, stop doing, and continue doing.

It was a fun and insightful learning session with them. I love how to mix and match the learning activities that will end up to wonderful realizations on how they can relate their experience to work and improve for better.

I was touched reading their heart-melting feedback. Some of them are:

Magaling mag-lead at magexplain si Ma’am Leonie. Masarap makinig sa kanya.

Nag-enjoy po kami at natuto

Kahit very light ng mga activities, ang learning malalim.

Thank you for the wonderful  team building activities. I enjoyed very much.

Good facilitator and very happy and fun team building.

Thank God for a privilege to facilitate a session for them.