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catalysing your transformation

Qualia Quest
helps organisations build psychologicaly safe, resilient, high-performing teams through transformative experiences

Why are Teams Important?

“Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much"

- Helen Keller

WE ALL OPERATE WITHIN TEAMS.

THE TEAM WE'RE PART OF PROFOUNDLY SHAPES OUR WORK EXPERIENCE.

In modern business, the pace of change is incredibly rapid, and the challenges organisations face are often complex and multifaceted. In such an environment, traditional teams can struggle to adapt and respond effectively.

So what happens when you find yourself in a toxic team, grappling with conflicts, misalignment, lack of trust or dealing with the stress of an organisational restructuring? Working in such an environment can be emotionally and mentally exhausting, often leading to burn-outs and an eventual departure.

Conversely, the experience of working in a great team can be uplifting. A team that thrives on effective collaboration, has diverse skills and perspectives and fosters open and respectful communication builds a strong foundation of trust and psychological safety.

A great team harnesses the collective intelligence and skills of individuals from diverse backgrounds to tackle complex issues. This approach can lead to more innovative solutions and quicker responses to these changing circumstances.

Qualia

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in seeing with new eyes."

- Marcel Proust

In philosophy, Qualia are defined as individual instances of subjective, conscious experience. You may wonder, what exactly triggers a change? What activates such a profound shift? Can a transformation really be orchestrated through plans and actions? Anyone who has experienced an awakening knows that such deep tectonic shifts come in a moment, suddenly and unannounced. At one moment everything is exactly the same and yet in an instant, everything is completely different, everything is new and it all seems to make sense… and nothing will ever be the same again! Qualia is that quintessential moment that catalyses this metamorphosis.

Quest

“Those who know do not speak. Those who speak do not know.”​

- Dao De Jing

We have a natural proclivity to pursue knowledge and make sense of the world around us. Knowledge empowers us, provides us with a sense of security and gives us perspective, yet life is an enigma that can never be fully comprehended. We are destined to always be in search - for answers, for a purpose, for direction and yet we know that we can never fully know everything. So life is an unending Quest and its beauty lies not in the hidden answers that elude us, but in the mystery that is concealed in the pursuit of the right questions.

Offerings

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Individual Development

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Team Development

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Organisational Development

Workshops

About Me

Zulfi Malik

I consider myself a keen human observer, a provocateur and a catalyst for change. I am deeply fascinated by the inherent philosophy that drives the actions of people, organisations and communities and few things excite me more than the investigation of human psychology to understand how our subconscious patterns can dictate our actions, decisions and relationships in the world. 

Over the last 20 years I have been fortunate to work with some tremendous teams across a variety of countries, cultures, companies and industries on numerous strategic programs ranging from communication strategy and culture change initiatives to process and technology enablement projects. As a strategy, project and transition manager, I was responsible for delivering tangible technological and process implementations while fostering the necessary behavioural and organisational changes required for long-term success. 

Despite my accomplishments in these roles, the most gratifying part of my job has always remained the development of a safe, empowered and resilient workplace with my team. I thrived on promoting real communication through open dialogue and constructive debate that enabled the people around me to harness your natural potential. This pursuit naturally drew me into more human related initiatives and led me to recognize that the most intriguing yet mysterious issues within organisations resided within its culture, hidden in its patterns and the complex invisible dynamics between its people, for which there is yet no lucid language. 

As a team dynamics coach, I give particular focus on relationships and group dynamics with the primary goal of building resilient, creative and high-performing teams. By examining the team’s subconscious systemic psychology, understanding the individual personalities and promoting healthy dialogue using non-violent communication, I help lay a foundation of trust, safety and transparency. This foundation is essential for developing a culture of mutual support and collaboration. Complementing individual coaching with systemic exercises and tailored workshops using family and organisational constellations stimulates deep, accelerated transformations leading to a sustained positive change within the team.

I believe that creating a world where we can safely embrace and accept our whole selves, with courage and compassion, is critical for personal and collective growth. I am committed to supporting anyone who contributes to this cause and look forward to continuing to observe, provoke, and catalyse change wherever I can.

My Approach

Awareness and Acceptance

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Integration
and Choice

Direction and Manifestation

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My Philosophy

Paradigms & Paradoxes

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TRUTH, BELIEF AND THE NATURE OF REALITY

NONDUALITY AND THE PARADOX OF IDENTITY

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PURPOSE, FLOW AND THE ILLUSION OF CONTROL

“Working with Zulfi I have experienced an enormous power in his questions, they are always looking to reveal what really needs to be brought to the surface. That also includes the discomfort of truth, yet he holds the space in a way that it feels ok to look at the rough edges of life. We connect in our desire to include unconscious aspects of ourselves and relationships in group work and it’s empowering to experience that in order for that to work we have to look into the mirror deeply. And Zulfi has the ability to be a mirror and work with whatever comes up.”
Niels de Carvalho Koldewijn
Niels de Carvalho KoldewijnSocial Entrepreneur & Co-founder, SH!FT
"Zulfi was one of the most precious people I had the pleasure to meet on my healing journey. I participated in several of his Family Constellations where he is the facilitator and every time we went deeper, and I could discover patterns within me and where they came from. Some that I didn’t even know existed, always with Zulfi wise guidance and warm support. He works not only in a skillful and intelligent way but also has this unique combination of expertise aligned with a strong intuition and is not afraid of going beyond to really make sure he helps you in a deep life changing way. I honestly can’t recommend him enough, as to me it was mind blowing to work with him! Much gratitude!"
Daniela Pontes
Daniela PontesHypnotherapist & Founder, Turning Point Hypnotherapy
"Zulfi joined our team as a Sr. project manager and effectively guided our team through the delivery of training deliverables, following the agile methodology. Zulfi's expertise and leadership were instrumental in forming a cohesive team that capitalised on individual strengths while considering personal growth aspirations. In a remarkably short time, he skillfully motivated and inspired the team to bring forth their best work. Zulfi played a pivotal role in establishing a team structure, defining roles and responsibilities, establishing effective communication channels, and implementing an efficient planning method. Zulfi excelled as a coach, helping team members unlock their full potential and surpass their perceived boundaries. He created a supportive and collaborative environment where team members felt empowered to take ownership of their work and contribute meaningfully. Zulfi's exceptional ability to integrate seamlessly into our team from day one contributed to a positive work dynamic and fostered a sense of unity. "
Khaty Hirach
Khaty HirachSr. Project Manager
"I attended 2 days of family constellations. The first time I was only a representative and the second time I also had a constellation myself. I was quite nervous, but Zulfi managed to lower the tension with a warm welcome and the exercises prior to the constellation. It is nice how Zulfi phrases the open questions to help you put the constellation in context. He also encourages thinking about connections outside the current setup, which helped me further to give it a place. Zulfi listens carefully, is thoughtful and knows when to ask more difficult questions. He knows how to offer sufficient individual attention in a group setting, while also creating group cohesion."
Marloes Imming
Marloes ImmingNurse, Arkin Jeugd en Gezin
"I participated in 3 constellation group events facilitated by Zulfi. My experiences were pretty special. I had never done a constellation before, so I didn’t know what to expect. Zulfi took a decent amount of time to create a very safe group environment and openness for the process. The experiences mirrored some of my own behaviours and gave me helpful insights. I really enjoy being in sort of a meditative state during these days. I can safely recommend Zulfi to other people. He facilitates a safe environment, which not only helps the process but also makes you feel that you’ve made new friends for life with the other participants. His style is very intuitive and likeable, which has been helpful for the constellations I’ve participated in."
Wigger de Vries
Wigger de VriesTrainer, Public Speaking
"Zulfi is by far the best project lead & team manager I’ve ever worked with. From day one, his core values were obvious: TEAM! and TEAM EFFORT! Zulfi is focused, respectful and friendly. And with his unique qualities he keeps the team and the project right on track. I’ve learned a lot from him. So, thanks dude!"
Frans Deckers
Frans DeckersLearning & Development, Instructional Design, Storytelling, Creative Design
Zulfi played a pivotal role in our team's first in-person meeting during a reorganisation. He supported us in recognising and really seeing each other, understanding where a person is coming from (not only reduced to nationality but also get a deeper level of understanding what the drivers and values of the different team members are). For me that created a better understanding and even more respect of the challenges each individual team member is facing. Meeting each other in such a setting was much more valuable than I would have expected. Zulfi has a natural way of understanding what a team needs (at each step of the process). It looks so easy what he does but it’s clear that team building is not an easy process. He is approachable and makes everybody feel welcome and appreciated. The most valuable for me was to get a deeper understanding of the team's values and what each person formed throughout their lives. Zulfi easily creates rapport with each individual: I think everybody felt seen and understood and valued. I would definitely recommend working with Zulfi especially when a team is newly created or has a lot of new members or faces changes (like a reorganisation). With Zulfi’s help the focus shifts on the important things in your (work)life and it adds a lot of value to how a team works together.
Sun Jenzen
Sun JenzenSr. Training Officer, Rainforest Alliance
"Building a startup is a treacherous mountain to climb and when you’re lucky, you encounter sherpas along the way that you can say "we wouldn't have made it without him/her." Zulfi has been one such guide, friend and beacon of light in the madness that is building a business from scratch. He has the exceptional ability to level with you and use an open mind, empathy, challenging questions and effective methods and exercises to help individuals recognize their strengths and weaknesses and illustrate how that plays out in the founder/team dynamic. I highly recommend all founding teams to work with Zulfi - I guarantee you'll look back one day and be glad you decided to bring an expert sherpa like him along for this part of the journey."
Mike van Wijhe
Mike van WijheCOO and Co-Founder, Treety
"Zulfi joined our team as a Sr. project manager and effectively guided our team through the delivery of training deliverables, following the agile methodology. Zulfi's expertise and leadership were instrumental in forming a cohesive team that capitalised on individual strengths while considering personal growth aspirations. In a remarkably short time, he skillfully motivated and inspired the team to bring forth their best work. Zulfi played a pivotal role in establishing a team structure, defining roles and responsibilities, establishing effective communication channels, and implementing an efficient planning method. Under Zulfi's guidance, our project achieved remarkable success. Even after his departure, 6 months later, the team continues to operate efficiently and effectively, managing their responsibilities without the need for a dedicated project manager. Zulfi's lasting impact and the legacy of excellence he instilled in the team are a testament to his remarkable skills and dedication. "
Khaty Hirach
Khaty HirachSr. Project Manager at DHL
"Zulfi worked with my cofounder and I as a team coach. We felt that the dynamic between us was not always healthy. Zulfi worked with us consistently to help us understand each other - as well as ourselves. Together, we investigated our underlying motivations and behavioural patterns, confronted sensitive topics, as well as learnt to articulate our expectations from each other in a safe environment. The outcome was a much stronger working relationship with my cofounder, which has now enabled us to have these challenging conversations with each other effectively and constructively, and without the need of a third party mediator."
Hatim Baheranwala
Hatim BaheranwalaCEO and Co-Founder, Treety
"Zulfi's dedication to understanding each individual, the team dynamic, and fostering collaboration truly set him apart. We had the privilege of experiencing workshops and sessions facilitated by Zulfi, and the results were impressive. Through these sessions, we gained valuable insights about ourselves and the team, both in retrospect and in planning for the future. Zulfi's exceptional ability to read situations, from factual aspects to emotions, is truly amazing. I wholeheartedly endorse Zulfi for any future opportunities. His professionalism, expertise in coaching, change management project management and systemic constellation, and innate ability to drive teams towards success are truly exceptional. "
Khaty Hirach
Khaty HirachSr. Project Manager at DHL
Zulfi served as our team retreat facilitator while the team was ‘forming’ during a period of significant uncertainty caused by organisational restructuring. He guided us to a deeper level of interpersonal connection, addressing team dynamics issues within the organisation. As a result, we now better understand each other's perspectives and can empathise more effectively with team members and stakeholders. Zulfi's personality and working style are a perfect blend of profound leadership knowledge and the ability to enable slowing down and reflecting. Our experience was a game changer, leading to conversations at a completely different level. Zulfi's unique mix of coaching and leadership development methodologies was invaluable. I highly recommend him for teams in their forming phase or those aiming to elevate their team dynamics.
Hector Payo Meiriño
Hector Payo MeiriñoSr. Knowledge Management and Data Officer, Rainforest Alliance

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