- Get into a happier rhythm at work –
Group drumming is a great way to motivate staff and improve camaraderie and engagement
Drumming has been used for centuries to send messages, create bonds and promote unity within groups.
It has also been found to reduce stress and to “tune” human biology in positive, life-affirming ways.
Now its therapeutic benefits are being channelled in a new direction – to improve motivation and communication in the workplace, to wow delegates at conferences and company gatherings and as unusual way of encouraging employees to let off steam after a gruelling meeting or an intensely busy period at work.
Drum Cafe is the oldest and biggrst provider of corporate drumming in the world.
It was formed in South Africa almost 30 years ago and has since evolved into an international business that has run more than 50,000 events in 65 countries.
“We’ve worked with every kind of company and with numbers from 10 to 10.000,”
Drumming can be a terrific ice breaker, a great energiser and an easy way of connecting people. No skills are needed and I think what surprises people is just how quickly a group can get into a rhythm together and make a really big impact.
Drumming creates a real buzz among jaded audiences that have heard one too many motivational speakers and eaten one too many canapés at big corporate events over the years.
It’s really interesting to see people’s reactions when they come into the room and see the drums on their seats.
It takes them out of their comfort zone and they are a bit apprehensive at first.
But they are also attracted by the novelty and the fun element.
And when you get them going, the feeling in the room can be absolutely electric. I can tell you, when that happens, it’s an event or a conference they won’t forget in a hurry.
“Serious Fun”
While the drumming is fun, it can have a serious purpose allied to corporate objectives such as improving relationships within teams, closing the gap between management and employees, breaking down barriers and helping employees to embrace change or to understand how a new skill or process is learned.
Companies have become more concerned about making people feel part of the organisation and part of the team and making that meaningful. They want people to feel better about working there,” , “They use us to help get that message across, whether that’s in a quick session that lasts 20 minutes or one that goes on for a few hours.
The energy levels it generates are high, very similar to something like paintball, in fact.
When someone is drumming, they can’t be doing anything else – an unusual experience for many these days with always-on technology.
The number one enemy of a conference or corporate event is the mobile phone, people are constantly looking down, and getting their full attention is really difficult.
But you need two hands for drumming so for that period they are in a technology-free zone, which is surprisingly positive.
Oorspronkelijk gepubliceerd op LinkedIn.