One of my favourite things to do in my music therapy practice is to lead musical teambuilding workshops. This is where I am hired to provide time and space for groups to have fun creating music together while simultaneously strengthening working relationships and highlighting the importance of each individual's unique contribution to the group. I love being the "fun" part of their day. I love the looks of excitement (and nervousness) as I unpack my various percussion instruments. I love having people try - and be successful at - new things. I love seeing the groups really work together throughout the session. I love spreading the message of truly and fully LISTENING to each other to have more successful relationships.
Musical teambuilding works because, I believe, music is an excellent metaphor for group dynamics. Think of any song you like listening to. Unless the song was written, recorded, performed, and produced by one individual, there was probably a great deal of teamwork involved in creating the final product. The interesting thing about music is that we get to HEAR the final product and the individual contributions coming together to create the sound that we enjoy. We get to feel the rhythm, be moved by the harmony, attach ourselves to the melody, and ride along as the song journeys from beginning to end. The music we enjoy is created by teams of indviduals with specific backgrounds and talents who come together with a common understanding of tempo, volume, pitch, and progression.
If any group is going to function successfully, there needs to be successful collaboration between individuals with unique backgrounds and talents, all of whom have a common understanding of the task at hand. Through musical teambuilding, group members get to physically experience the elements of sucessful group dynamics because the music either sounds good or it doesn't. They receive immediate feedback and can therefore work together (without speaking) to fix any problems and create an appealing sound. And they get to ENJOY the sound of playing together when it does work.
I'd like to offer a quick list of needs that groups have in order to function successfully, and how music is a metaphor for these needs:
1) To be on the same page: Music requires each group member to work together toward a common goal - starting in unison, stopping in unison, playing at the same tempo, and following a progression in the music.
2) To listen to each other's ideas: When playing music together, the only way to achieve an appealing sound is to listen to what each other is playing, and to adjust our playing accordingly.
3) To find individual roles where we each use our talents: Some people like being leaders and will choose the loudest and biggest drum. Others like to offer decorative accents and will choose smaller more unique sounding instruments. Some group members will create group cohesion with eye contact while others will be happy to follow along and be a valuable member of the ensemble.
4) To understand where each other is coming from: In verbal sharing throughout the session, group members often reveal pieces of information about themselves that offer insight into their behaviour and thought process. Because of the creative nature of the sessions, people are often willing to share more about themselves as they are using a different part of the brain than they normally use at work or in their role within the organization/group.
5) To trust and respect each other: The way people play music often reveals a great deal about their core personality, or about hidden parts of their personality. Someone who is normally shy and quiet may come alive when playing instruments. Conversely, someone who is seen as a strong leader may reveal some insecurities in the music session. These windows into a person's true self break down barriers and build trust, thereby strengthening relationships.
6) To know how to work together to overcome challenges: When the music starts getting off track, group members can hear the dissonance and can feel the lack of cohesion. Without a leader to direct the playing, each member must listen and adjust his or her playing to regain a pleasing sound.
I know from leading these sessions that music is not for everyone, but everyone in a group can benefit from musical teambuilding. Afterall, who doesn't enjoy banging on a drum or stomping their feet? Like it or not, our inate responsiveness to music has, and always will, bring us together.
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