Alexis Dean - The Heart Behind High-Functioning Teams

Alexis had me at hello when she explained that a great leadership retreat balances distinct voices blending them just enough so each one still shines, never watered down. That graceful mix is exactly how Two Roads works its magic.

Alexis Dean is the force behind Two Roads Team Building and Training, the proudly Canadian, family-run company she cofounded in 2013 with husband Scott. Forget trust-fall cringes, their high-impact, no-fluff workshops use psychology and behavioural science to tighten team bonds for groups of five to five hundred across Canada and the US.  When she is not transforming Fortune 100 execs into high-five machines, Alexis curates The Dovetail Community, an invite-only mastermind for women entrepreneurs who like their strategy served with soul. Life between Muskoka lake dips and big-city gigs keeps her, Scott and their mischievous dog Albi grinning.

Why we adore Alexis

• Corporate cool minus corporate blah // Alexis has swapped trust falls for trust builds. Picture a room buzzing with creative challenges that reveal real leadership superpowers, all before lunch is served.

• Experience over buzzwords // Collaboration gets measured in high fives not PowerPoint slides. Teams leave knowing how to speak up, listen well and cheer louder for each other than a Friday lunch rush in Press. 

• Soul of a camp counsellor with a mind of a strategist // She can coax a breakthrough out of the shyest intern and still hold a CEO’s attention, no sticky name tags required.

• Community champion // Through The Dovetail Community, Alexis gathers accomplished women founders in lakeside lodges to swap wisdom, hike trails and spark ideas that glow brighter than our golden milks.

I had a few quetions I coudln't wait to ask. So here we go.

Q Can you recall the exact second you decided the world needed your style of team building?

I can't recall the exact second, but I started the business because I was a consultant and professional facilitator leading workshops all over the world, and when I came home to Canada I knew the workshops and team building events I had created and facilitated overseas would be really impactful here! 

Q Before launching Two Roads what did career life look like for you?

I started my career as a primary school teacher, then trained teachers and worked for a group of British International Schools, and then I finally went back to school for a post grad in Adult Training and Development and built a career in corporate training, facilitation, and consulting. After university I live all over the world and worked with a number of organizations. I spent a couple of years in Beijing and Hong Kong, a year based in Bangkok (but travelling and working all over Asia and Europe), a year and a half in Tivat, Montenegro, with stints leading workshops and trainings all over Europe and South East Asia. I miss my adventurous life on the road, but I always knew I wanted to come home to Canada and build a life in cottage country (and I did!)

Q Two Roads is a family company, how do you and your husband Scott divide roles and keep the fun alive?

Co-owning a business with your spouse is not always easy, but great marriage therapy, systems, and lots of conscious conversations have helped us a lot! I founded this company almost 12 years ago, and bringing my husband into it was a big choice - but I'm so glad I did! 

Scott's a former Teacher and Camp Director and he's a perfect fit for his role as our Director Of Team Building, while I lead our Training division. He has his team and clients, and I have mine, we meet at least once a week and we support each other's programs and collaborate as often as possible. We live up north and spend a lot of time outdoors, so evenings and weekends are often phone-free time on the ski hill, hiking trails, or out on our lake in a boat or in the water. 

Q When you are on the road how do you stay grounded and energized?

I hate to sound like a cliche, but my consistent morning routine (a special song, meditation, journalling, and the Productivity Planner, followed by moving my body - usually outside but sometimes in the hotel gym) really helps me stay grounded, focused, and feeling my best. 

Drinking a gallon of water every day really helps (it sounds wild, but I'm tall and I have a giant steel jug that I fill up every morning and when I don't drink as much I don't feel as good!). Eating well on the road isn't always easy, but it's essential! That's why I love Press Market when we're in Collingwood to run workshops and team building events!

Q Which activity always breaks the ice even with the most skeptical executive team?

We have a customized deck of questions for our workshops and events, and we use them to run a seemingly simple (but highly impactful) game called "question card pass". It's not "cringy" so it works with even the most skeptical or judgemental folks! We hand out the cards, ask them to find a partner, answer each other's questions, swap cards, then raise their hand to find a new partner. It gets everyone talking, improves the quality of their conversations, and builds trust and authentic relationships faster.

Q How do you measure success after a session ends and teams head back to real life?

Our post-program follow ups, surveys, and assessments are designed to ensure that our programs are impactful and generate lasting change for our clients. 

Q What trend in workplace culture excites you the most right now?

I hope it's not just a trend, but the best leaders are really focused on Tactical Empathy and Trust Building with their teams right now. With intergenerational workplaces and seemingly unending change to manage, it's more important than ever to focus on Tactical Empathetic Leadership and Building Trust with your team. (learn more about our hands-on customized workshops designed to harness the power of Tactical Empathy and Trust at www.tworoadsteambuilding.com/workshops )

Q Favourite way to unwind when the flip charts are packed away and the laptop is closed?

I love a good trail run, hot yoga class, SAOR class (if I'm in Toronto), quiet canoe or SUP with my dog Albi (and sometimes Scotty ;), or curling up on our screen porch with a good book.

Learn more about Alexis and connect here

💻 https://tworoadsteambuilding.com/workshops