Redefining the purpose of conflict — Yiwen now feels more empowered to act in tough situations.

Yiwen testimonial

"It is an extraordinary experience you absolutely must go through. For me, it was a moment to pull myself out of my day-to-day life to have some deep reflections."

Industry: IT / Telecom
Job title: Scrum Master

Here is what Yiwen had to share after her experience participating in a Surdek retreat.

The main challenge I addressed

I registered for the retreat because I was hoping to get a deeper understanding of what is personal leadership. I am a person that aims for excellence, so continuous improvement is a big part of my daily life. I want to help people around me grow while also growing with them, and I was looking for new ways to do this.

Yiwen sharing

How my mindset changed

I came back to work very inspired! You go back to your life and you are not the same. My colleagues noticed it right away and asked me what happened to me! A transformation definitely occurred in my head. I am really lucky to have crossed paths with Steffan and Louise in my personal development journey.

I am now more conscious of the impact of my behaviours. This makes decision making easier for me and encourages me to act more than I used to in difficult situations.

What I learned

In an individual coaching moment, we did a word mapping exercise to explore what I associate with the word “conflict”. This allowed me to see conflict from another angle. I can see now how we can benefit from it and maybe we should not avoid it. Occasionally, I do this word mapping exercise with my colleagues when I feel it is appropriate.

Thank you once again for these two unforgettable days and see you soon!

What I also apply every day is to not avoid difficult conversations and assume the impact of my words and actions.

My experience at the retreat

Anyone can get something depending on their personal situation and maturity level. The experience you go through helps as much in a professional or personal context. The peaceful surroundings help in creating a space for personal reflection. The delicious meals were the cherry on the cake.

My three key moments

  • The first key moment was right at the start when we redefined leadership together. This moment was very powerful to start awakening my leadership. The definition gives me the courage to take the initiative to make things happen that were not going to happen anyways!
  • The second key moment was the discovery of my core values. The tools we used and the individual coaching that I received helped me introspect in a way that would not have been possible before. Being more aware of my core values supports me a lot now in my decision making.
  • The third key moment for me was when I created my personal leadership declaration. A lot of things got very clear and concrete for me and this ended the retreat beautifully for me.