The image above is from a real conference breakout session. Notice the leader is not stuck in front of the room. She’s asking a question, smiling and looking at the audience. These people are not bored. As an introverted creative type, I’m partial to breakout sessions because I stay focused better in smaller breakouts as compared to the large conference sessions that include everyone. In a conference breakout there’s opportunity…
Top Five Team Building Activities for Large Groups
Here’s the deal with team building activities for large groups; they’re really hard to find. In fact, successful team large group team building is almost an oxymoron. Almost an oxymoron but not quite; and that’s the good news. So if you do need to find great programs for larger groups they are out there. The best programs are specifically designed to work well with big groups. They’re fun, inclusive, productive and surprisingly, they really…
Why a Musical Keynote Speaker Brings Both Creativity and ROI
There are several great reasons to choose a musical keynote when you’re planning a conference. Musical keynotes are entertaining. They bring energy and positive emotion to a conference. A musical presentation also makes a great statement – that this won’t be the same old boring conference. Additionally, a successful musical speaker will bring value through a relevant message and takeaways. Here is a real-world example of why this is the case: A few years…
Successful Interactive Team Building Activities
Interactive team building activities are really the only type of team building you should consider. By design, any program for building or bringing your team together will be interactive. But of course, some are more successful than others. Are there common elements of good interactive team building activities? I’m glad I asked that question for you, ha ha. And yes there are. I’m going to provide you with guidance to help…
What is the Purpose of Team Building?
What is the Purpose of Team Building? This is a big question with varied answers and some debate about purpose and value. I’m going to outline the purpose of team building here. But remember, you’ll only get value from a team building experience if it’s well executed. So after you establish the purpose for your program, make sure to take time to find a great program that matches your goals. The…
Corporate Team Building Ideas Employees Will Love
It can be hard to find corporate team building ideas your employees will love. Before I began facilitating my own team programs I always tried to steer clear of those organized activities that can be quite uncomfortable. Too often, when you announce that you’ve planned a team building event your employees reactions may be akin to something like, “Hey, wish I could make it, but I think I’m gonna go to…
Expert Tips for Planning a Team Building Event
The way you go about planning a team building event is the most important factor in determining your event’s success. There are many team building options out there and finding a great fit for your organization is vital. There are several key elements that go into finding a fit. Good preparation is necessary to come away from a team building program with a feeling of satisfaction. When I get an inquiry from a potential…
The Importance Of Music For Work
As I got off the phone after a conversation with the CEO of a Fortune 100 company I was both surprised and pleased. Surprised that this busy executive would spend thirty minutes talking to me about songwriting, and pleased that he understood the importance of music in corporate life. Music is such an integral part of all of our lives. Most of us have favorite playlists or songs we turn to when we…
Finding a Conference Keynote Speaker Who Won’t Put You To Sleep
I snuck in the back of a ballroom to hear a conference keynote speaker yesterday and noticed that most of the people in the room were restless. Those who weren’t restless seemed to be focused on their smart phones, rather than the speaker. I was at the conference getting ready to lead an interactive song session and even my client, who had hired the speaker, was complaining about the yawns in the…
Music and Memory
I’m not great at memorizing a speech. In fact, it’s really hard for me. But I can sing the lyrics to hundreds of songs with ease. And if there’s a new song that I like, I’m usually able to sing the lyrics after hearing that song just a few times. I bet you can too. Music and memory have a powerful link that enables us to internalize information that would otherwise be…
Team Building Activities In Nashville
The first quarter of the year found us quite busy with team building activities in Nashville. While we continue to work throughout the US and the rest of the world, let’s face it; Nashville team building and songwriting are a natural fit. Selling a musical program in Music City isn’t too hard, but delivering a great program is an ongoing challenge that I love and embrace. Every client we’ve led…