Chapter 15. The Divergence Camp: Repairing What’s Broken, Connecting What’s Isolated
To see or not to see - Problem is an opportunity - if we chose to see it and act.
A. INTRODUCTION
This is a complex, messy, and deeply revealing story—one shaped by a team, alongside D - short for DAV79, who dared to launch an experimental bootcamp. It was gamified, high-intensity, and intentionally designed to spark tension, stack objectives, and stir high-stakes drama.
Tears weren’t a surprise—they were a guaranteed part of the process.
At its core, the experience was built around a series of strategic “what ifs”, each triggering a shift when the previous failed.
Stay with us as the story unfolds—and feel free to share your reflections along the way.
Every objective came with a contingency: if one failed, another would activate. And if all else collapsed, one core mission remained non-negotiable—to ensure that the ambassadors who joined the journey walked away with meaningful learning - should they chose to.
The team packed with D, Cloudy, COZY and Phuong Anh arrived in Moc Chau not just at a destination, but into a space that felt strangely familiar. The welcome they received from the community wasn’t just polite—it was deeply warm, as if they were returning to a place they'd once called home. This unexpected familiarity softened their edges, making it easier to open up to what lay ahead.
Mộc Châu was a land of quiet promise—alive with coffee shops, homestays, and fertile farms. Yet beneath its charm, something felt off. Was the town silently disconnected? Had its potential truly been unlocked?
This wasn’t the team’s first visit, and it wouldn’t be their last. But this time, they arrived with a singular mission: What exactly is the core problem in Mộc Châu?
Because in this town, they didn’t just see a destination. They saw a living system brimming with possibilities. They saw gaps between what was and what could be. And through the eyes of the travelers, residents (FIG 2) and locals—humble, proud, quietly hopeful—they sensed something magical.
But the real question lingered: What is the real opportunity here—and what’s holding it back?
D opened the preparatory session with a philosophical note:
“We can’t predict how this will unfold. Registration hasn’t broken our way—no blame, no finger-pointing. It simply means we pivot to Plan B… and, if necessary, Plan C. Brace for the unexpected.
The core team prepared for chaos from the start, but they’re players in the same game—and just as ready to tackle whatever randomness the situation throws their way. They had already arranged every player on the board - but without a script and ready to connect every single bit of the 5 days”
With that tone set, he transitioned into what this journey would truly require.
"I used to watch my dad fix things," he shared. "Just like the women here—quietly mending what’s broken. What looked like a mild case of OCD was actually something deeper."
He recalled asking his father, “Why do you bother?”
And his father would reply:
"Most people give up the moment something seems too far gone. They’re afraid it’s not worth saving."
That fear, he believed, was what eroded our values over time.
He taught me something else entirely:
Pause. Face it. Fix it.
Not just for the sake of repair, but to restore the deeper value of anything—be it a thing, a moment, or a relationship.
He told me, “If something breaks, don’t just restore it—make the extra effort to bring it back stronger than it ever was. That’s how you build resilience. That’s how you claw back.”
That’s the heart of Kintsugi (金継ぎ)—the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold. But it’s more than technique. It’s a quiet philosophy:
1. “What’s been broken can become even more beautiful—if you choose to honor the effort it takes to rebuild.”
Over time, that mindset becomes a habit—one where giving up isn’t the instinct. Instead, your mind learns to lean in. To ask deeper questions. To hold the broken pieces… and begin again.
2. “The longer we wait - the deeper it grows”
The moment we spot a problem, we must act. The longer we wait, the deeper it takes root—shifting from a fixable issue into a cultural norm. Left unchecked, it breeds a quiet form of helplessness, where people stop trying… because they’ve stopped believing change is possible.
3. "It’s not about reaching a destination—it’s about the discipline of progress.”
Like the Fibonacci sequence, growth unfolds in spirals—never perfect, never complete, but always evolving.
Perfection isn’t the goal. The loop is infinite. What truly matters is momentum with intention.
In the end, it’s not about the destination—it’s about the commitment to progress.
When we embrace this, the mind doesn’t settle. It stays alert—constantly sensing, adapting, and expanding its ability to improve, again and again.
B. THE PURPOSE
In today’s world, spotting the problem is no longer enough—we must commit to solving it. But real solutions don’t emerge in isolation. They require collaboration, diverse perspectives, and a foundation of trust.
That’s why the team introduced two core modules: The Silo Cracker and The Squeaky Wheel. Together, they move us from passive diagnosis to active repair—breaking down silos, amplifying overlooked signals, and igniting action where it matters most.
But this shift demands more than technical skill. It calls for focus, patience, and a mindset ready to turn insight into impact.
The story adapted from true events contains further details
Beyond the Bootcamp: Traces of Transformation in Every Participant
D and the Silos of Mộc Châu: Business Insights & Collaborative Designs
To guide this transformation, the team identified a set of key traits. It’s the interplay between these traits—not just their presence—that shapes how individuals respond, adapt, and grow. And through them, we don’t just evaluate the person—we evaluate the evolving journey they’re on.
Cognitive Traits
Goes beyond symptoms to uncover what’s really driving the issue.
Recognizes how different parts of a system connect and influence one another.
Spots trends, recurring dynamics, or contradictions that others overlook.
Can imagine multiple paths forward, including best-case and worst-case possibilities.
Challenges assumptions, including their own, to test robustness of ideas.
Mindset Traits
Keeps working through ambiguity and frustration without giving up easily.
Doesn’t deflect blame; instead, owns the role they play and asks, "What can I do about it?"
Actively seeks to identify and counter their own blind spots and cognitive biases.
Views problems not as roadblocks but as chances to learn and evolve.
Interpersonal Traits
Seeks to deeply understand the perspectives and needs of others involved.
Invites others into the solution process and co-creates rather than imposes
Explains complexity in simple, actionable ways.
Earns trust through transparency and consistent follow-through.
Action Traits
Doesn’t wait for permission—moves forward with thoughtful first steps.
Actively asks for input to refine ideas and avoid blind alleys.
Tries small experiments before scaling a solution.
Moves forward even when there isn’t full information.
At the heart of every journey lies one question: Who are you? and the journey begins……
C. THE PROBLEM WE SAW - ECOSYSTEM IMAGINED
The ground team developed 13 Broken Maps, each capturing a distinct business challenge. A review team—joined by three new participants, Lin91, Mason, and An—assessed all 13 cases and shortlisted four cases for deeper solutioning.
It wasn’t an easy journey. The sessions were intense, marked by sharp reviews, demanding challenges, and a fair share of internal distractions. For many, it tested not just their analytical abilities, but their emotional resilience.
Due to time constraints, the team prioritized crafting four targeted solutions, each tailored to a specific company for presentation during the final Focused Group Sessions.
Following the gala dinner and into the next day’s lunch, one group member took a significant step—choosing to reflect more personally. After revisiting the session summaries, they began connecting the insights directly to their own business context. Rather than viewing the bootcamp as a standalone experience, they started applying the tools and frameworks in real time—testing ideas and initiating collaborative plans with local businesses in Mộc Châu.
Day 3 introduced a hallmark Team FD challenge: a high-intensity simulation designed to pressure-test not only decision-making under uncertainty but also emotional resilience. This wasn't just a task for the participants—it became a mirror for the core team as well, surfacing blind spots, testing alignment, and offering a moment to recalibrate the collective path forward.
Across the three days, participants were pushed beyond observation and into solutioning. They brainstormed actively, collaborated with local entrepreneurs and travelers, and engaged in a dynamic, often competitive, co-creation process with opposing teams. Out of this tension emerged more than isolated ideas—they shaped a full ecosystem proposal.
It wasn’t just about understanding Mộc Châu’s business landscape—it was about reimagining what could be built from within it.
Read more here: [Imagining the Ecosystem, D and the Silos of Mộc Châu – Business Insights & Collaborative Designs from the Camp]
D. REFLECTION
The first two days for preparation of the Mộc Châu bootcamp made one thing unmistakably clear: curiosity, discipline, and presence can’t be taught on demand—they must be activated through pressure, reflection, and real consequence. What began as task-setting quickly evolved into something deeper: the urgent work of mindset shaping.
These early behaviors were not failures—they were signals, each revealing where growth must begin.
The experience exposed critical patterns among the participants, particularly Cozy and Phuong Anh. Cozy arrived with high energy and sociability. Her enthusiasm was infectious, but often lacked direction. She frequently deferred decisions, sidestepped responsibility, and blurred the lines between casualness and professionalism. Despite repeated guidance, she ignored budget limits and asked questions that had already been answered—pointing to poor listening and situational awareness. Beneath her charm was a reluctance to fully own the structure she was asked to operate within.
Phuong Anh, in contrast, withdrew. She remained quiet and passive, hesitant to lead and slow to engage in conversations. While observant, she avoided discomfort and rarely initiated. Her silence wasn’t disinterest—it was hesitation, a fear of getting it wrong.
Together, they revealed two ends of a behavioral spectrum: overexpression without grounding, and under-engagement despite capability. The challenge ahead wasn’t to offer more instructions, but to create the pressure and structure that would help them break through these internal barriers.
What emerged in these first 48 hours was the real curriculum: learning to choose presence over comfort, and action over avoidance.
Read more details on the impact of the bootcamp training for the participants: Beyond the Bootcamp: Traces of Transformation in Every Participant
