Aargh…what’s in a name? Team Building, that tarnished term – that much-maligned activity. When it doesn’t work, it’s hard, it’s boring, it’s embarrassing. But, when team building works it’s really fun. It’s worth doing and it can really help pull your team together.
If you’re reading this, you most likely need to find a team building activity that is enjoyable in a genuine way. That’s not easy. But like all great things in life, when team building works, the effort you put into finding it pays off. I’m not much on team building in general.
I used to be the kid hiding out during annual family picnics, trying to avoid group interaction. And like a lot of professional performers, I’m quite the introvert when I’m not on stage. So I understood the downsides as I developed my own musical team building program.
When Team Building Works…it’s fun!
Any really successful program will be built on you, the participants.
When I work with teams to help them create songs about the work they do, I don’t start by embarrassing you.
You won’t have to put on a purple wig and sing a solo in front of a group. I engage people in conversation as I invite them to tell their own stories.
As we gather your individual stories, your team story emerges and that becomes the foundation of a song. But this isn’t just any song. – it’s your song.
Everyone relates to music and by the time your own ideas have become part of a song lyric, you’ll forget that you didn’t want to participate…because you’re in it!
Clients tell me that our musical team building events are transformational. That sounds like hyperbole, but it’s what I hear. To me it’s simple. You’ll be transformed simply because you’ll move from doubt and distrust to engagement, communication and unity.
The group in the picture above were scared to death at the beginning of our program. And as you can see, by the end they were singing their song. This is what is sounds like when team building works!