Drumatic Innovation

Drumatic Innovation, Sandpoint's Drum Circle Provider!     

Team Building With A Drum Circle?

Team building through the interactive process of a drum circle is a relatively new approach to employee productivity that is becoming increasingly popular throughout the United States.

Successful corporations know that good team building improves the success rate, not only of the team, but of the corporation.

But, knowing how to create truly effective teams is a distinct set of skills that is rarely taught to the employees who would be in a position to implement them.

There are two obstacles to team building in the corporate environment.

Unlike sports, where it is known that the team has to work together, corporations are often highly competitive environments. People who view their co-workers primarily as competitors, are unlikely to interact in a constructive team setting.

In addition, employees are accustomed to passively accept the work assigned to them by their bosses and work primarily towards doing only those specific tasks that they believe will please their boss. Building a successful team requires a significant shift in these two patterns of interaction.

A good team's members will help one another overcome obstacles and improvise new and better ways of accomplishing all of the goals that the team faces, rather than individual tasks. This makes the entire team more productive.

Plus, as humans are social by nature, this interaction makes the work place more enjoyable. People who enjoy their work place are more productive!

Drum circles are a highly effective way of introducing the revised shift in attitudes necessary for building teams.

While an individual can beat on a drum and produce a rhythm, it only becomes true music when a group of people play together.

A drum circle facilitator teaches the basics of drumming, then guides the group into creating a musical experience.

The type of facilitation used can be a major factor. A too highly structured drum circle can emphasize the mindset of only just following instructions. The ideal type of facilitation to kick start or improve team building is one in which the participants are encouraged to improvise within the rhythm structure provided by the facilitator.

It is a direct parallel to the team improvising solutions to the group of tasks that the team needs to accomplish. Drumming immediately reduces stress and breaks down barriers between the participants.

The process then brings the group back together in a nonverbal form of team interaction. The group learns how to listen to what is going on and respond to it in a way that adds to the total product.

Once people do this in a setting that is fun, they can then carry it back to their regular work tasks, resulting in better communications and increased effectiveness.

For many years, companies have strived to implement the concepts of empowering employees to find and implement better ways of accomplishing work processes.

Deming, one of the world’s foremost authorities on Quality Assurance and employee productivity, was also one of the first to recognize the fact that it is the employee working at the lowest level who knows the most about how to improve the flow of work.

The stumbling block has always been how to convince workers to speak up and propose the changes and then find ways to make those changes happen to achieve optimal results.

Drum circles provide a unique and highly effective solution to this quandary.

Drumming has been around for thousands of years.

Virtually every culture on earth has a history of community drumming being used to unify the group. Different cultures produced different instruments and rhythms.

Your company is a microcosm culture that can use the same approach to unify the group and improve their interactions, resulting in improved productivity.

As the facilitator, my job is to provide the instruments and guide the participants through the process. I do not tell them what to do, but give them the tools to figure out what their group song is.

This is a surprisingly powerful tool. I start by letting them just beat on the drums to get a feel for the physical motion involved and to release any tensions.

Then, I start showing them a series of basic rhythms and, once they get those, show them how to feel the rhythm and add their individual flavor to it.

The sound moves around as different people will dominate a pattern and affect it.

Then, I introduce a new beat and someone else ends up taking the lead, and away we go team building, while having a good time.

Trying to encourage employees to think outside the box and find better ways of working is a highly worthwhile goal.

Drum circles show them how to do this in a context that removes their normal ideas of constraints.

It gives a simple joint goal to the group, then fosters a creative and spontaneous accomplishment of that goal.

It enhances the ability of the members to function together at their best by providing a path that is relaxing, invigorating, and just plain fun.

People who enjoy working together are consistently more productive.

The stress reduction of the drum circle can also significantly reduce absenteeism.

Many large corporations are now using drum circles on a regular basis.

My Job is being constantly tuned in to the group and the individuals, so they can have a good time.

Helping people to find their own inner sense of rhythm takes very little guidance and can be done spontaneously in the middle of an ongoing rhythmic drum beat.

Natural rhythm flows within all of us.

Our hearts beat to a rhythm, we walk to a rhythm, many aspects of our daily lives are done to a rhythm.

Whenever we hear drumming, we begin to move to the universal rhythm inside us all.

The drum connects your heart to your hands.

We start out a beat, we just follow the beat, and all of a sudden we are improvising, experiencing and talking with our drums.

You are the instrument, the drum becomes your voice.

Drumming conversations begin to emerge as people become connected beyond the music being played.

They are finding their inner natural rhythm.

Email Michael (at) DrumaticInnovation (dot) com

or Call Michael 208 627 8011

www.DrumaticInnovation.com

Drum Classes are now available in Sandpoint

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Drum Tuning is now available in Sandpoint

Drumming Reduces Stress

Drumming is Fantastic for Seniors

How Hand Drumming Reduces Stress and Connects People

It has been proven that hand drumming can alter a person's response to stress at a genomic level.

Based on a study by the Medical Science Monitor, it was proven that people who play music in their free time have genetic reversals to stress.

Many health organizations have followed this logic by integrating drumming into their curriculum and have reported that it is a healthy way to relax in multiple ways.

The more intense a person is while playing, the more aerobic the activity becomes whereby the player reduces stress and burns calories at the same time.

Playing a drumbeat engages the right side of your brain, shifting the pressure from the critical thinking left-brain.

So, after an intense day at the office, the drum can physiologically relax your mind and refuel for the next day.

Beginners having a great, stress-free time playing djembe at community drum circle.

What makes a drum circle and hand drumming so inviting is that it is quite easy for inexperienced players to pick up without the frustration of learning technical skills.

When you join a drum circle, your only task is to contribute what you feel comfortable doing and the circle finds a way to embrace it in the melody.

This in itself provides stress relief and positive energy for your psyche.

A drum circle creates a sense of acceptance and community.

Drum circles are recognized as effective team building exercises for companies in the corporate sector.

They are also used in health care facilities for rehabilitation, senior care, senior activities, family therapy as well as recreational and school programs for children.

These days, companies and corporate executives are looking into professionally facilitated drum circles for stress relief and team building.

In fact, Toyota has added a drum room to their building fully equipped with all types of hand drums and percussion instruments.

Drum circles are also used in therapeutic sessions.

The music produces a sense of synergy and focus, quieting the noise of chaos that can be troubling for people.

For family therapy, making music together has had great results in getting teens to open up and discuss difficult issues.

Many college campuses are hosting drum circles in their public areas.

Faculty encourage the activity as a healthy way to reduce stress from demanding schedules, tight finances and testing anxiety.

The drumbeat also brings all types of people together opening doors for new friendship and a support group.

No matter what your age, gender or background, drumming is an open door for all to try.

When you plan your next family gathering or retreat, consider planning a drum circle as part of the event to bring the group together and open up a new form of communication.

Email Michael (at) DrumaticInnovation (dot) com

or Call Michael 360 485 7501

www.DrumaticInnovation.com