Pilot Coaching Program
How walnut.coach helped Jindal Stainless — one of India's leading stainless steel manufacturers — unlock creative problem-solving, sharpen team communication, and demonstrate the power of gamified coaching in a focused 2.5-hour pilot session.
- 2.5Hour Pilot
- CEOAbduction Game
- Thinking &Communication
- CoachDeepak ICF
A Manufacturing Leader That Needed Fresh Thinking
Problem-Solving Was Too Linear — In a high-output manufacturing environment, teams had developed strong execution habits — but creative, out-of-the-box thinking and adaptive communication were being underused. Complex challenges needed new mental approaches.
Communication Was Task-Focused
Teams communicated effectively about processes and tasks, but broader collaborative communication — sharing perspectives, listening laterally, thinking out loud — was less developed.
Solutions Were Always Predictable
Employees gravitated toward the same types of solutions. There was an opportunity to develop more divergent thinking and creative confidence.
A Pilot Needed to Prove the Concept
Jindal Stainless wanted to see real impact in a short window before committing to a larger program. The bar was: make it felt, not just explained.
2.5-Hour Coaching Pilot
An intensive, focused session combining an immersive game challenge with skilled coaching debrief — designed to prove that creative thinking and communication can shift in a single session.
- CEOAbduction Game
- CoachingDebrief Session
- ImmediateImpact Proof
- Can your team rescue the kidnapped CEO?
- Teams work together to decipher codes and solve clues
- Unravel a mystery combining thrill with intellectual challenge
- Highlights the significance of effective leadership and team presence
- Develops listening to diverse perspectives
- Builds pattern recognition and attention to detail
- Challenges teams to think out of the box under pressure
What made this work
Three core principles shaped how we designed the pilot — ensuring that one focused session created proof and momentum for deeper transformation.
- 1
Prove It in 2.5 Hours
Every minute of the pilot was designed to create a felt experience of learning — not a sampler. By the end of the session, the quality of thinking and conversation in the room had visibly changed.
- 2
Challenge Creates the Opening
The pressure and fun of the CEO Abduction game created exactly the mental state in which coaching insights land deepest — minds were activated, defences were down, and participants were genuinely curious.
- 3
Bridge from Game to Work
Deepak's debrief was deliberately designed to make the connection between game behaviour and workplace behaviour undeniable. Participants didn't just reflect — they left with specific changes to make.
“In 90 minutes of a game, I watched my team communicate in ways I hadn't seen in 3 years of working together. Deepak then showed us exactly why — and how to make it permanent.”
What changed after the programme
In just 2.5 hours, the pilot delivered measurable shifts in how the team thought, communicated, and connected — creating immediate proof that a larger program could be transformative.
Creative Thinking Got a Jumpstart
Participants who had previously defaulted to familiar solutions began actively challenging their own assumptions. The game gave them a felt sense of what creative thinking actually feels like — and confidence that they could do it.
Cross-Team Communication Improved
The game surfaced how different people process and share information. Teams left with specific insights about how to communicate more effectively with each other.
A New Appetite for Learning
The pilot was explicitly designed to demonstrate value — and it did. Participants left energised and curious about what a fuller program could unlock for them.
Stronger Team Bonds in Short Time
Despite the short format, the intensity of the shared game experience created genuine connection. Teams who played together that day reported feeling more at ease with each other long after.
From first call to follow-through
Every Walnut engagement follows the same five steps, run by ICF-credentialed coaches.
- 1
Discovery
Understanding the organisation's culture, challenges and people
- 2
Custom design
Tailoring content, examples and exercises to the team
- 3
Delivery
An interactive, gamified session with real-time engagement
- 4
Commitment
Each participant leaves with one action to try straight away
- 5
Follow-through
Ongoing coaching for deeper individual growth
What HR sees in the app
Ready to build a thriving team?
Your programme starts with a conversation. Book a 30-minute call, or try the 7-minute game first.