Newsletter September 2025

Welcome to our September newsletter

Welcome to another TetraMap community newsletter and September already! Where does the time go?

This month we celebrated 25 years of TetraMap at our London gathering, we look at how the TetraMap workbooks bridge the gap between workshop insights and real-world application, hear first-hand why you love TetraMap so much, and we zone in on fun ideas from the first workshop in Mauritius.

The London event was filled with warmth, laughter and the unique connection that comes from being part of the TetraMap community. We reveal the highlights and unique insights from our special guests and speakers.

In Trust the Process we go back to basics – the trustworthy process that sits at the heart of every TetraMap resource. We explore the choice of workbooks and how they extend TetraMap’s impact far beyond the workshop room.

After reporting new territories for TetraMap in Mauritius last month, we go behind the scenes of the first workshops and see Ehsan’s creative twist on ‘Nurturing Accountability and Valuing Diversity’.

And finally, we revisit our Vietnam facilitators and see how their proactive approach is creating real opportunities to take ‘Why Are You Like That’ to a wider community, improving understanding in work and family environments!

Nurturing Accountability in Mauritius

Following on from last month, we catch up with Ehsan in Mauritius to see what happened when he held his first (and second!) Why Are You Like That? workshop, specifically designed for his clients. He has generously shared some of his notes on the activities that elevated the workshop into a fun and uplifting session.

Ehsan’s brief was to nurture accountability in a group of employees from a property and mall management company in a residential two-day workshop with the theme ‘Nurturing Accountability and Valuing Diversity’.

TetraMap shaped the framework of the session and day one focussed on valuing diversity, day two on nurturing accountability. The sessions were packed with games and activities and kept the group engaged for a full two days.

Nurturing accountability was at the core and Ehsan designed a programme for Self, the Team and Leaders with the aim of promoting a culture of ownership, reliability, and trust. He added his own twists on the theme which included an accountability self-assessment questionnaire, an interactive exercise ‘My Accountability Roadblocks’, and the ‘Accountability Hunt Game’ where TetraMap was a key feature.

The questionnaire invited people to rate themselves on their accountability. This facilitated a group discussion to identify common trends, challenges, and best practice. ‘My Accountability Roadblocks’ asked participants to write on cards what gets in the way of self-accountability. These were posted on a board for group discussion led by Ehsan.

Ehsan said: “The fifteen participants were fully engaged and thoroughly enjoyed the Accountability Hunt which was fun and worked in reference with each other’s elemental preferences. In the evening, around a camp fire on the beach, participants were still having stimulating conversations around WAYLT with a glass of red wine. TetraMap is great learning for all of us and I am having a lot of fun!”

Thank you to Ehsan for sharing details of the ‘Accountability Hunt Game’ and if you want to play, you can find it below.

It’s all about learning and sharing ideas, so please get in touch with ruth@tetramap.com if you have a favourite tip, trick or game that you would like to bring to the TetraMap community.

Play the Accountability Hunt Game 

The Facilitator introduces the Accountability Hunt Game and rules and divides participants into four teams (balanced across elemental preferences: Earth, Air, Water, Fire). Each team receives a starter envelope with instructions and their first clue.

Structure of the Hunt

• Four Clues = Four Values of Accountability (linked to TetraMap principles)
• Each clue hidden at a different outdoor station
• Teams must complete a challenge at each station to earn the envelope for the next location
• By the end, teams gather all four clues to assemble the full picture of Accountability in their role

Clues and Stations

Station 1 – Diversity (AIR)

• Clue Location: Under a bench in the garden area
• Challenge: Solve a logic puzzle together (Air = clarity, ideas, analysis)
• Envelope Message: “Accountability thrives when we value diverse perspectives. How does embracing different viewpoints improve decision-making in your role?”
• Reflection Prompt (record answer in team logbook): When has a diverse viewpoint helped you make a better decision in your work?

Station 2 – Sustainability (EARTH)

• Clue Location: Attached to a tree or eco-friendly spot
• Challenge: Build a small structure using natural objects (Earth = stability, long-term thinking, reliability)
• Envelope Message: “Accountability requires thinking beyond the immediate. What sustainable practices can managers adopt to protect long-term success?”
• Reflection Prompt: How does accountability ensure sustainable operations?

Station 3 – Interdependence (WATER)

• Clue Location: Near a fountain or water source
• Challenge: Transport a cup of water through a mini relay without spilling (Water = empathy, connection, cooperation)
• Envelope Message: “Accountability is not a solo act. How does recognizing our interdependence strengthen teamwork?”
• Reflection Prompt: When did collaboration and shared accountability produce a better outcome in your work?

Station 4 – Synergy (FIRE)

• Clue Location: Close to an open area for group activity
• Challenge: Perform a 30-second group cheer or energizer (Fire = passion, inspiration, action)
• Envelope Message: “When we combine strengths, we create synergy. How can your team harness individual strengths to drive results together?”
• Reflection Prompt: How can we channel passion and energy to keep ourselves and our teams accountable?

Why Choosing Your Workbooks Is a Bridge To Understanding

In this month’s Trust the Process Madelize Bekker looks at the story behind the TetraMap workbooks. What was the underlying philosophy that shaped these resources? How do they bridge the gap between workshop insights and real-world application?

After an insightful few days with TetraMap’s founders, Jon and Yoshimi Brett, conversations kept returning to something fundamental – the trustworthy process that sits at the heart of every TetraMap resource.

Madelize said: “It made me reflect deeply on the workbooks and their role in extending TetraMap’s impact far beyond the workshop room. The energy in a TetraMap session is tangible – those moments when understanding clicks, when teams suddenly see each other differently, when individuals recognise patterns they’ve carried for years.”

But what happens when people return to their desks, their daily routines, their familiar challenges?

How do you nurture those fragile new insights until they become robust, integrated understanding? Whether we’re understanding ourselves, building teams, serving customers, or aligning purpose, Nature’s wisdom – with its cycles, its patience, its interconnectedness – offers guidance.

Madelize continued: “This is where I see the genius of the workbooks. They weren’t created as add-ons or marketing materials. They emerged from a deep understanding of how learning actually happens – not in dramatic moments of revelation, but in the quiet, patient work of integration.

“The workbooks were never designed as manuals, they are living companions – practical, accessible, and grounded in nature’s wisdom. Workbooks provide a structured space to capture insights, test behaviours, and revisit actions that matter. Each workbook is an invitation into a process, not a one-off event. They hold space for reflection, conversation, and action that creates lasting change.

“The workbooks don’t tell you what to think. They invite you to think more deeply. They don’t provide answers – they help you discover better questions. This reflects something I’ve always valued about TetraMap – its trust in human wisdom and natural learning processes and building stronger connections with ourselves, others, and the world.”

The Workbooks at a Glance

• Why Are You Like That?addresses something fundamental to the human experience – the need to understand ourselves before we can truly understand others. In our conversations, I was reminded how revolutionary it can be when someone realizes their natural preferences aren’t character flaws to be fixed, but strengths to be understood and managed. This workbook creates space for that foundational shift from self-criticism to self-awareness.
• Why Are We Like That?tackles one of the most complex challenges in any organisation (whether that is in a family or corporate environment) – team dynamics. I’ve seen how teams can struggle with invisible tensions, unspoken assumptions, and conflicting work styles. This workbook makes the invisible visible, giving teams language and frameworks to understand their collective patterns and leverage their differences as strengths rather than sources of friction.
• Why Is The Customer Like That?connects TetraMap to one of the most practical challenges many of us face daily – building genuine connections with the people we serve. It’s fascinating how a shift in perspective can transform a difficult customer interaction into an opportunity for deeper understanding and better service. TetraMap turns irritations into insights!
• Why Are We Doing This?addresses perhaps the most ambitious challenge – aligning diverse perspectives toward common purpose. In my experience facilitating strategic sessions, I’ve seen how the most robust plans emerge when teams can integrate different ways of thinking and seeing. This workbook provides structure for that complex collaborative work.

Celebrating 25 Years In London

Inspirational, creative, humbling, engaging, insightful – just a few words used to describe our 25-year celebration in London!

Despite the disruption of a London underground tube strike, our fantastic delegates and speakers gathered in the aptly named Friends House, where the laughter and conversation could be heard down the corridor.

We kicked off with a mind mapping session with Lex McKee – what a colourful way to celebrate our similarities and differences! It made for a perfect ice-breaker and a short cut to getting to know more about our fellow TetraMappers and a timely reminder ‘the map is not the territory’.

Big thanks to Kate Jenkinson, research scientist turned award winning business leader, who helped us to appreciate and recognise divergent and convergent thinking – why following a different path can bring so much more to the table. In Kate’s role as a business poet, she challenged us with a blank page – to get creative with a free writing exercise to explore our version of balance distilled into a haiku. Not only did we surprise ourselves with what we produced, it confirmed that whatever your preferred Element we are all creative beings!

Mark Doughty (Mr Corporate), founder of the Global Kindness Institute, brought the lessons in business and leadership focus. He dynamically illustrated how to create and speak the language of business value with two powerful case studies from major organisations. How do you present the story? What do you need to do in the client teams to facilitate that dialogue?  Mark shared his insights on to how to discover where value is created in an organisation and how to create a story around it that includes TetraMap. And the great news is we will be sharing more of Mark’s insights in next month’s newsletter …

Emma Mauger, Global Head of Learning, introduced the next generation of leadership – actions everyone can take to exercise leadership without needing or having a role or title. The TetraMap of Leadership programme develops four key capabilities: Courage, Wisdom, Compassion and Inspiration. This struck a huge chord with many of you, so much so that we are now looking at running two TetraMap of Leadership programmes in November.

Nicki Davey, nature practitioner and Master TetraMap Facilitator, took us on an exploration of interconnected interdependence. Four groups, four everyday items (birch tree, wheat sheaves, metal nut, brick) – we mind-mapped inputs and outputs, explored deep time connections, and experienced meditation on the Four Elements. Powerful realisations for all.

Nothing can beat a face-to-face celebration – cake, a fun book exchange, TetraThoughts – leaving with gifts, new friends, deep learning, enhanced facilitation expertise – and big smiles!

“The TetraMap brand is about caring enough to make a difference in the lives of others through facilitation, celebrating the beauty and interconnectedness of nature and human nature. To be in a room full of likeminded people with such a passion to make this happen was an absolute joy.”
Louise Duncan, Global Brand Ambassador 

We now pass the tetrahedron to Singapore for their 25-year celebration – see a teaser from our Global Brand Ambassador Louise  – and read all about it next month!

Energy That Sparks Change

Since the launch of TetraMap in Vietnam in March 2024, word has been spreading fast. Facilitators Lily (Ms. Phuong) and John (Mr. Khoa) have taken the innovative approach of introducing free, 1-2 hour online sessions sponsored by their business, to get potential customers engaged.

It clearly pays to be proactive. After the free program Lily and John signed up 15 people for the paid one-day course ‘Why Are You Like That?’, and the feedback was glowing.

Recently the team held a TetraMap workshop ‘Why Are You Like That? Discover Yourself, Understand Others, and Elevate Relationships’.

Seventeen participants—teachers, leaders, entrepreneurs, office staff, and freelancers—stepped into a space charged with curiosity and openness. From the first activity, the room buzzed with laughter, insight, and the courage to see both self and others in a new light.

The reflections revealed just how transformative the experience was. One participant said: “On the way home yesterday, I felt like a new wife—more appreciative of my husband, more understanding, and able to let go of my ego so our family can be happier.”

Another said, “Thanks to this course, I finally understand why I am the way I am. Now I know how to balance my energy, stay grounded, and move forward smoothly in my work.”

Lily said: “Many described a deep inner shift – discovering personal value, empathising more easily with others, and stepping with greater confidence into new projects. Parents voiced their hope that teenagers could access TetraMap early to help them choose career paths, build adaptability, and develop strong, balanced relationships.

“And the ripple effect was immediate. Before the day had even ended, three business owners invited John and me to bring TetraMap into their companies, schools, and parent communities. That moment confirmed what we already felt: TetraMap is sparking a brighter future in Vietnam, igniting not only individuals, but whole communities to connect, collaborate, and thrive.

Together, we are fuelling a movement of compassion, understanding, and sustainable growth. The fire has been lit. And it’s spreading with warmth and purpose.