Page 46 - Islands Business September 2023

SPBD SPBD

BUILDING THE SPBD TEAM THE IKIGAI WAY

Konnichiwa! Team SPBD gathered for their annual team have to do proper marketing. It’s in the training manual. The
building workshop at the stunning Yadua Bay Resort in more members, the faster they grow in terms of portfolio and
Sigatoka from 4-6 August, 2023. It was attended by all their savings.”
employees, including interns from all nine SPBD branches Early morning stretches at 5.30am on Saturday and Sunday
in Suva, Sigatoka, Savusavu, Rakiraki, Levuka, Taveuni, were integral. Team SPBD was led by Canadian-Filipino fitness
Nabouwalu, Labasa and Lautoka. They were organised into trainer, Edsel Segovia, who offered a more holistic approach
five teams: Kuro (Black), Samurai (Blue), Chimu Kiiro (Yellow), to fitness. “Not everyone loves to exercise so I just incorporate
Chimugurin (Green) and Chimureddo (Red). many strategies to get people motivated,” Segovia said. “The
Team Kuro was the overall winner after teams were judged exercises shown by Edsel helped me understand that we can
on their team participation, attendance, team banner, ikigai still do our work and do these simple exercises. I see this as
presentation, food catering, ikebana, haiku, origami, Japanese one of the most important activities at this team building,”
dance presentation, kimono and team t-shirt. The first runner said Jaynendra Raj, SPBD Acting Operations Manager. Sunday
up was blue team followed by yellow, green and red. It was a morning devotion was led by staff member, Pastor Tupou Talala
great team bonding exercise with fun, sweat and participation. to ensure that all aspects of Team SPBD’s lives were integrated
This year’s host – Sigatoka branch, an all-male team – in this team building programme.
cooked and served a delicious seafood dinner on the first night. Staying true to the theme, ‘Integrating your life’s purpose with
The seafood – octopus, crabs, prawns, nama, vakasakera and your journey at SPBD: The Ikigai Way’, Team SPBD, through
fish – were all bought from SPBD members from Yadua Centre. presentations and haiku (poems), expressed the essence of
SPBD Fiji Director, Lorraine Seeto said: “This workshop is one Ikigai, a Japanese concept that means ‘something worth living
of the few times that we get together as one team and get to for’. “Most of us weren’t aware of Ikigai, but when we do our
know one another better. If you know one another, the work research and try to understand it, it helps us in our journey of
flows better. You put a voice and a face to that email and mobile self-discovery and self-reflection,” said Joana Adikoca, SPBD
call, and it just breaks down a lot of barriers and improves the Membership Support Services Officer. Other team bonding
effectiveness and efficiency of the workplace.” activities included dance items in theme kimonos, making
Team SPBD shared meaningful discussions about their work origami and ikebana, drinking matcha tea and eating sushi.
across Fiji. Out of the nine branches, Lautoka branch was found Some even learned to use chopsticks for the first time. “It is
to be the best performing branch so far. “Opening new centres my hope that Team SPBD will be able to incorporate Ikigai in
was easier when SPBD first began in 2010 as SPBD was brand their daily lives, that means being happy in doing what you
new,” Usaia Bogirua, Centre Manager, SPBD Lautoka branch, love, in what you’re good at, in what the world needs and in
told participants. “We have faced many challenges over the what you can be paid for. I hope that working with SPBD fulfils
course of 13 years and I believe we should work according to those elements,” SPBD Fiji General Manager, Elrico Munoz
the policy announcements by the government. We should work emphasised.
together to open new centres. In order to grow our centres, we

Team SPBD First runner up, Team Samurai

Overall winner, Team Kuro Second runner up, Team Chimu Kiiro

46 Islands Business, September 2023
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