Corporate Sharestart | A Hands-On Cake Baking Workshop and the Practice of a Learning Organization
- 淩雲科技 Holo solution Inc.
- 18 hours ago
- 5 min read
About Corporate Sharestart and the Learning Organization
At Holo Solution, we believe that people are the most important asset of a company.
We hold a Corporate Sharestart activity every month. The purpose is not simply to organize an employee event, but to create an environment where team members can learn independently, think actively, and find a sense of achievement through work and interaction.
When each person is able to learn independently, make thoughtful judgments, and express ideas through sharing and communication, the organization also begins to develop the ability to grow on its own. In response to changes in the external environment, the company no longer relies only on the decisions of a few strong leaders. Instead, it evolves through the learning, adjustment, and interaction of the entire organization.
We believe that an organization is alive, just like a living being. It gradually heals when it is unwell, calms down after moments of excitement, and finds its way forward through repeated learning and interaction. This is why Holo Solution continues to promote Corporate Sharestart and the development of a Learning Organization.
Further reading:Practicing Corporate Sharestart: How Holo Solution’s The Gestalt Project Builds a Learning Organization
This Corporate Sharestart Theme: A Hands-On Cake Baking Workshop
The theme of this Corporate Sharestart session was a hands-on cake baking workshop.
At the beginning of the activity, each group drew lots to decide which dessert they would make. The items included chiffon cake, donut cookies, Taiwanese macarons, scones, German-style egg tarts, and more. After receiving their assigned topic, each group followed the prepared SOP, read the steps on their own, understood the process, found the ingredients, weighed them, mixed them, shaped them, and baked the final product.
This activity closely reflected the spirit of Sharestart: first self-directed learning, then thinking and judgment, and finally completing the task through teamwork.
Self-Directed Learning Begins with Reading the SOP
The host prepared SOPs for each dessert in advance. After the activity began, participants did not simply wait for an instructor to guide them step by step. Instead, they first read the instructions by themselves, understood the production process, searched for the required ingredients, confirmed the quantities, and began making the desserts.
From weighing and mixing to whipping and pouring the batter into molds, every step required participants to judge, confirm, and act on their own. What looked like a cake baking activity was also a process of learning, understanding, and practicing through standard operating procedures.
Black Tea Chiffon Cake: From Batter to Fragrant Freshly Baked Cake
One group made a black tea chiffon cake. After preparing the chiffon cake batter, they poured it into a rectangular mold and waited for it to bake.
The black tea chiffon cake needed about 55 minutes in the oven. During the baking process, the fragrance of Earl Grey tea gradually filled the room. After it came out of the oven, the cake was fluffy and full, with a gentle tea aroma that made everyone want to take another breath.
Taiwanese Macarons: A Traditional Pastry with New Charm
Another group made Taiwanese macarons. The participants piped the batter into small round portions, with each round forming one half of a Taiwanese macaron. After baking, the pieces were assembled into small, lovely pastries.
Taiwanese macarons were once commonly seen in traditional cake shops, and in recent years they have gradually become recognized as a distinctive Taiwanese pastry. During the activity, participants also dusted powdered sugar over the finished macarons, giving them a more refined pastry-shop appearance.
Scones and German-Style Egg Tarts: Seeing the Differences in the Details
The scone group brushed egg wash onto the surface after shaping the dough. The egg wash helped create color during baking while also adding aroma and texture. The finished cranberry scones were golden, fragrant, and dotted with dried cranberries, giving them a sweet but balanced flavor.
The German-style egg tarts were different from the Portuguese egg tarts that many people are more familiar with. Compared with the layered puff pastry of Portuguese egg tarts, German-style egg tarts have a firmer crust, presenting a more solid and rich pastry style.
Donut Cookies: A Hands-On Process from Chaos to Improvement
The donut cookie group decorated their cookies with chocolate sauce and strawberry sauce, then added marshmallows and chocolate sprinkles. At first, the decoration looked a little like a chocolate sauce disaster scene. But on closer inspection, each cookie was better than the previous one, and the results became more refined with every attempt.
This is one of the most interesting parts of hands-on learning. The result does not have to be perfect from the beginning. Through repeated attempts, participants naturally adjust their technique, observe differences, and find ways to improve.
Experiencing Sharestart in a Baking Studio
There are many baking studios across Taiwan where participants do not need to prepare any ingredients in advance. They can simply arrive at the venue, receive the instructions and materials, and start making desserts. This is very convenient for people who enjoy learning how to make pastries by themselves.
This activity was held at Bakery Lab Changhua. Compared with the author’s previous experiences at other baking studios, the finished products this time felt more professional. Although the author is not a baking expert and cannot describe the difference in flavor with precise technical terms, the finished desserts really made people joke, “We could open a shop now!”
Another happy detail was that participants did not need to wash the dishes at Bakery Lab. In some other baking studios, participants have to clean up by themselves after the activity. Not having to wash dishes this time felt like a small moment of happiness. Still, from the perspective of Sharestart, perhaps washing the dishes ourselves would have made the learning experience even more complete.
Corporate Sharestart Is Not Just an Activity, but a Practice of Organizational Learning
This hands-on cake baking workshop may have seemed like a relaxing activity, but it also reflected the core spirit of Corporate Sharestart.
Participants had to read the SOPs on their own, understand the steps, divide the work, solve small problems on site, and complete a team project together. This process is very similar to everyday work. When facing a new task, we also need to learn first, think carefully, and then complete the work through communication and collaboration.
Holo Solution promotes Corporate Sharestart not as a one-time event, but as a way to make learning part of the organization’s everyday culture. When every team member can develop self-directed learning and expression skills in different situations, the organization gradually builds greater resilience in the face of change.
This is also an important practice in our continued effort to build a Learning Organization, promote The Gestalt Project, and allow our corporate culture to keep growing.
Activity Location
Bakery Lab Changhua
For those interested in experiencing hands-on dessert making, this is a place worth trying.
FAQ
What is Corporate Sharestart?
Corporate Sharestart applies the spirit of Sharestart—self-directed learning, thinking, and expression—to corporate training. Through activities, hands-on practice, discussion, and sharing, employees develop the ability to learn independently and communicate as a team in different situations.
Why does Holo Solution promote Corporate Sharestart?
Holo Solution believes that people are the company’s most important asset. Corporate Sharestart is promoted to build a Learning Organization, helping employees develop self-directed learning, thoughtful judgment, expression, and communication skills so that the organization can continue to grow and respond to changes in the external environment.
How is Corporate Sharestart related to a Learning Organization?
Corporate Sharestart is one way to practice the concept of a Learning Organization. When every member can actively learn, think, communicate, and share experiences, the organization gains the ability to evolve through the interaction and adjustment of all its members.
Why was cake baking chosen for this Corporate Sharestart session?
Cake baking requires reading SOPs, understanding procedures, dividing tasks, and making judgments on site. These processes are very similar to learning and collaboration in a company. Through a baking workshop, employees can experience learning, thinking, and expression in a relaxed and hands-on setting.
