1The Challenge
What was the challenge?
Metso brought together their team in India with a clear mandate: strengthen team cohesion, break down silos, and build the kind of trust that translates into real performance. Metso's expat team reunited for a conference in India, but it wasn't your typical event. Instead of team building, they aimed to embrace Indian culture in a fun and engaging way. This meant immersing themselves in the vibrant experiences and traditions of India, putting the focus on creating lasting memories rather than the usual workshops. From spicy street food to captivating cultural encounters, they were ready to discover the beauty of India firsthand.
2Our Solution
What solution did we design?
The Thought Bulb designed a fully custom in-person Cross-Cultural Engagement Workshop across India for the team. Every element was built from scratch around Metso's objectives — the challenge design, team compositions, facilitation rhythm, and debrief structure were all tailored to produce specific outcomes. The programme blended structured problem-solving with high-energy collaborative challenges, ensuring both sustained engagement and genuine behavioural learning throughout. No off-the-shelf modules, no generic facilitation — every minute of the session was intentional.
3How We Did It
How was the programme delivered?
Team Thought Bulb created an unforgettable three-hour experience with our energetic facilitators! Here's what the flow of the activity looked like, as our expats delved into the essence of India: 1) Four Zones: The setup was divided into four areas representing different regions of India - North, East, South, and West. 2) Cultural Orientation: Before exploring each zone, participants received a cultural orientation from our facilitators, who shared insights about the unique culture and traditions of that particular region. 3) Local Experiences: Within each area, participants encountered three local experiences, focusing on Food/Drink, Dress up/Attire, and Dance/Music. From street food of various regions of india to creating handicraft art from scratch while experiencing the famous padgi tying tradition the stations were colourful and engaging. 4) Directional Standees: Each station was depicted through customised directional standees to guide participants smoothly through the experience. 5) Taj Mahal Flex Photo Booth: Participants didn't miss the opportunity to capture memorable moments at the Taj Mahal-shaped flex photo booth. 6) Garba Experience: The final and surprise experience was a lively Garba dance session, where the team was provided with traditional attire and a dandiya set to take home as a souvenir. 7) AR-based Questionnaire: To qualify for the Garba Experience, team participated in an AR-based questionnaire about the knowledge you gained through the experience.
4Key Outcomes
What were the results?
Participants left with a remarkable India experience, without traveling extensively. They carried loads of souvenirs and takeaways they created and experienced, capturing the essence of India in a beautiful way. The team completed the programme with an overall satisfaction score of 9.8/10. Facilitation quality was independently rated 10.0/10. Metso reported a visible and sustained improvement in cross-team communication in the weeks following the programme — and subsequently engaged The Thought Bulb for a follow-up session.