Field report

Weigh anchor and set sail in the Danish South Sea

A completely different kind of management training!

At Transportkühlung Thermo King GmbH, where I work as a branch office representative in Rostock, great importance has always been attached to training and the Training of the first and second management levels laid. So when my managing director told me that I was to take part in a team-building seminar, I wasn't particularly surprised. But I was surprised when I found out exactly where the three-day course was to take place: on the Eye of the Wind, a sailing ship launched in 1911! I had previously spent several years on a 15,000-tonne ship myself and had therefore gained some experience in the field of seafaring, I looked forward to this special sailing trip with curiosity.

I arrived in Holtenau near Kiel on the evening before the start of the trip, where the brig was anchored and waiting for me and the other participants. Even at first glance, you could see what was special about this beautiful tall ship: Despite the 100-year history of this tall ship, which had already sailed around the world twice in its life, the entire interior was of the finest quality. We were warmly welcomed by the trainer and the crew and were assigned our cabins below deck. Everything we needed was there: Air conditioning, hot and cold running water, shower and toilet. This was followed later by an extensive dinner up on deck, where the participants were able to get to know each other in a relaxed, informal atmosphere. I found the fact that we all addressed each other as "Du" right at the beginning to be very pleasant - we realised that we were all on the same boat. pull together for the next three days become. As a result, teams formed more quickly and we realised that we were equal to each other.

The next morning, after a hearty breakfast, we set sail! All the participants stood on deck and watched the crew perform their manoeuvres. But not for long, because then our trainer said "Off below deck!" and the first theory block began. As the total number of participants is limited to just twelve, the get-together in the stylishly furnished parlour was very pleasant. As far as the theoretical part of the trip was concerned, I was a little sceptical at first as to whether the advertised leadership topics could actually be conveyed well in such an environment. It was very important for me to gain as much leadership knowledge as possible from the event, especially aspects of teamwork. But the trainer soon dispelled my initial scepticism. He vividly explained the Principles of different management stylesmade us with Conversation and communication techniques and gave us a confident introduction to conflict management. The special nature of the location was noticeable in the group and team work: No one could escape. It was like the real everyday life of a manager - when you are confronted with a situation, you can't avoid it in the end. Just like you can't jump off a ship on the open sea.

However, the training was not only characterised by theory, but above all by practice. And that was something absolutely special that a "conventional" management seminar simply cannot offerWe were allowed to join in, i.e. we took an active part in life on board! Teams were formed with the crew: Each participant was assigned to a crew member according to the principle of "double manning" - from the captain down to the ordinary sailor. I was assigned to a team at the main mast, and then it was time to "set sail!" or "hoist the sails!" I hadn't expected this work to be so strenuous! But the purpose of the manoeuvring work soon became clear: only A goal can be achieved through clear communication and the commitment of everyone involved. You quickly realise where things are going wrong, where problems arise and how you need to react quickly. In a normal hotel conference room, you can perhaps practise such situations briefly in a role play, but on a ship in real operation, you can't afford to make any mistakes. Just like in the everyday life of a manager. We enjoyed the shore excursion on both evenings. In addition to the opportunity to have dinner, it also offered the Opportunity to talk to each other in a relaxed atmosphere. It was very interesting for me to find out what problems the other participants were confronted with in their day-to-day management work and how they had dealt with them so far. Based on what we had learnt so far on the ship, we started discussing possible solutions together. On the third and final day, despite the overall short duration of the trip, we were already a really well-rehearsed team. It didn't matter to us that the wind freshened up a little at the end. On the contrary: we braved the weather together and sailed back into the harbour in Kiel under full sail. Personally, I found taking part in this somewhat different leadership seminar extremely instructive and would not want to miss the overall experience. In addition to the aspects of team building that were particularly important to me, the The surroundings and the associated atmosphere on the ship were simply unforgettable. If someone were to ask me whether I would take part in such a trip again, my answer would be: Immediately!

Ralf Breetzmann
Transport refrigeration Thermo King GmbH