People. Development. Lasting Impact.
We partner with organizations to connect people, strategy & culture. Unlocking potential & creating impact since 1994.
TBi (Team Building Institute) has been consulting since 1994. What started as a small team-building practice in Pretoria has grown into a fully-fledged organisational development consultancy, working with individuals, teams and entire organisations locally and internationally.
AEL represents TBi’s methodology. This proprietary methodology is endorsed by several academic institutions and researched and developed at doctoral level. The AEL methodology consists of four disciplines: psychology, philosophy, human movement science and business science. The methodology is supplemented with a broad toolkit of internationally recognised diagnostic instruments, selected on a project by project basis to fit the objective at hand.
Clients range from JSE-listed corporates, mining and energy giants to universities, government entities and international organisations — including Exxaro, Sasol, BCX, Air Products, the CSIR, Deloitte, MTN, Fraser Alexander, the University of Pretoria, and NEOM. Our facilitators are equipped to consult at every level of an organisation, from junior learners to Captains of Industry.
FEEL
SELF-AWARENESS
THINK
INSIGHT
BEHAVE
LASTING CHANGES
Lasting change starts with self-awareness - feeling. Change then requires insight - thinking. Change happens only once it manifests in day-to-day behaviour - behaving. Everything TBi designs works through this sequence to make change stick.
Our Methodology
The TBi Method
TBi’s approach is experiential and supported by theory (scientific research). Participants engage in tailored experiences that address their unique learning challenges. These experiences translate into metaphors that are transferred to the work environment and institutionalised in the anticipated organisational culture.
Diagnose
Understanding real dynamics at play, utilising psychometric and behavioural assessments where relevant.
Design
Sessions are customised designed by objectives, industry and team composition — never off-the-shelf.
Facilitate
Experienced facilitators guide participants through tailored experiences, creating a safe and purposeful environment .
Institutionalise
Change is embedded through structured follow-up sessions, reinforcing new behaviours and ensuring the learning translates into sustained change.
AEL is TBi’s proprietary methodology and the scientific backbone of this unique value proposition. Developed in South Africa through doctoral research and refined continuously since 1994.
AEL draws on four academic disciplines — psychology, philosophy, human movement science and business science — this creates experiences that establish principled values. TBi facilitators are accredited, progressing through competency training before leading sessions.
TBi is recognised within the Southern African Adventure-based Learning Industry through its association with the Sector’s professional body.
AEL is an intentional, evidence-based methodology and produces measurable psychological and behavioural change. The experiential methodology is simply a delivery mechanism to optimise learning and change.
Our People
TBi Facilitators
The facilitator team collectively offers 40 years of hands-on experience across corporate sports teams and government – with a proud track record of turning underperforming teams around this team includes the services of Lize Hynes register industrial organisational psychologist supported by Chris Heunis for more complex engagements.
Robbie Verkuyl
Senior Business Consultant Specialist · Co-Founder & Director, TBi
Robbie is the co-founder and a Director of TBi. He started his career in 1994 while studying Human Movement Science at the University of Pretoria, and has been facilitating ever since.
Robbie is equally at home facilitating at graduate level or in the boardroom, and specialises in turning dysfunctional teams around — clients range from international corporations to sports teams and schools.
Recent work includes leading the organisational development process for a newly established petrochemical joint venture, and acting as lead facilitator for an underperforming multinational team, taking them from individual coaching through to institutionalised team fundamentals.
Qualifications
BA Degree, University of Pretoria
Advanced AEL Facilitator
HBDI® Practitioner
LEGO® Serious Play™ Practitioner
Team Business Simulation™ Facilitator
RELEVANT SKILLS & EXPERIENCE
- Individual, team and organisational development
- Coaching and strategic sessions
- Team effectiveness and team development strategy
- Leadership development
- High performance culture
- Tech, AI and system adoption
- Change management process
Simon Legodi
Senior Business Consultant · Advanced AEL Facilitator
Simon has been part of TBi for 15 years, giving him extensive experience across our full service offering and a highly diverse client base.
He holds a Diploma in Management specialising in Human Resources Management and an LLB degree, and is currently completing a Master’s degree in Law specialising in Alternative Dispute Resolution at the University of Pretoria.
Simon’s legal and dispute-resolution grounding gives him a distinctive edge in conflict management and change work, alongside the full TBi toolkit of coaching, strategic facilitation and leadership development.
Qualifications
Diploma in Human Resource Management
LLB
LLM – Candidate (Alternative Dispute Resolution, UP)
Advanced AEL Facilitator
HBDI® Practitioner
Team Business Simulation™ Facilitator
RELEVANT SKILLS & EXPERIENCE
- Individual, team and organisational development
- Coaching and strategic sessions
- Team effectiveness and team development strategy
- Leadership development
- High performance culture
- Change management process
- Conflict management
Lize Heyns
Industrial Organisational Psychologist (PS 0149713)
Lize is a registered Industrial Organisational Psychologist specialising in Organisation Transformation, with 10 years of Human Capital Consulting experience across Deloitte Consulting and TBi.
Her consulting portfolio includes the design, management and delivery of major internal and client-facing cross-functional transformation programmes, spanning Finance Strategy and Transformation, HR Target Operating Model design, and workforce transition and enablement.
Industry experience spans telecommunications, technology and media; professional services including audit and finance; energy, resources and industrials (including mining and public-private collaboration); and retail.
Qualifications
Registered Industrial Psychologist (HPCSA)
BCom Industrial Psychology (UP)
BCom Honours Industrial Psychology (UNISA)
BCom Human Resources Management (UP)
HBDI Certified Practitioner
Saville WAVE accredited
RELEVANT SKILLS & EXPERIENCE
- Talent optimisation, selection & development
- Operating model & workforce transition strategy
- Organisational design, development and effectiveness
- Leadership and executive coaching
- Team behavioural optimisation
- Diversity, inclusion, equity and belonging
- HR technology implementation
Dr Chris Heunis
Co-Founder & Director, TBi · Developer of the AEL Methodology
Chris co-founded TBi in 1997 and is the architect of AEL, TBi’s proprietary methodology. His doctoral research examined the role adventure experiences play in corporate team building, and directly led to the Institute’s formation.
His career began in 1985 leading South Africa’s first national adventure training centre, before joining the University of Pretoria as a lecturer in 1990. He designed and built the university’s first freestanding Island of Healing ropes course in 1995 — a design the TBi team has since replicated at 25 more sites countrywide.
Chris co-authored Improving Teamwork with Adventure and the University of Pretoria-endorsed AEL facilitator training manual, and continues to serve the university as external examiner, postgraduate study leader and guest lecturer — having supervised 20 Master’s students and one doctoral candidate to completion.
Qualifications
PhD, Adventure-based Learning,
University of Pretoria
MEd,Adventure Education,
University of Pretoria
Co-Founder & Developer,
AEL Methodology
External Examiner & Study Leader,
University of Pretoria
Published Author & Researcher
RELEVANT SKILLS & EXPERIENCE
- AEL methodology design & development
- Executive mentoring & coaching
- Organisational development strategy
- Control & facilitator accreditation
- Academic supervision & external examination
- Keynote speaking & thought leadership