Noyoners

We just came back from an amazing two-day leadership development program for Noyon Lanka Ltd. We have worked with these people for quite a while already, but again it felt so fresh and inspiring to share our leadership savvy with them. These guys are so intelligent! They are not only book-smart but they are emotionally intelligent. “Noyoners” can work easily together; there are no ego-issues or departmental barriers. They are quick to adapt new theoretical inputs and crack any practical problem via seamless teamwork and out-of-the-box thinking. Here are a few pictures from the program to show you how much fun we had while taking them to the next level in leadership understanding.

But let’s take a step back…. In early 2006 our BLUE Strategic Management Framework saw the daylight. I was still back home in Finland, but it had been confirmed that later that year I would be joining Unleash Talent Inc. So, I started giving my inputs to the model already at that time. It was exciting: the first strategic management framework that I had ever seen that is so simple, so down-to-earth, so inspiring and first and foremost so people-oriented.

As soon as I landed in Sri Lanka I joined Ruki in first ever BLUE project facilitated for Noyon Lanka Ltd. Though I had no clue of lace manufacturing, I fell in love with this client instantly. They had been established just two years ago in cooperation with French Noyon and local MAS Group. They were fresh, yes, but they were also open to fresh approach. We admitted that our product is about 90% ready; they were ready to experiment with us.

The process was painstaking but rewarding. People got frustrated at times under the workload we pushed on them: We didn’t let them go easy. We didn’t give them readily chewed answers. We wanted them to think strategically.

And they did. The whole Noyon crew, or family as they call it, grew to a whole another level in their thinking. Excitement took over as they launched the first glimpses of new identity and strategy. They could see clearly the path they have walked with us. And they were genuinely happy.

When we are not working with Noyon we occasionally miss them. We want to go back there. We want to feel their energy and joy. I love Noyon Lanka!