Course Outcomes

This team-building workshop challenge will:

  • Provide a forum for informal and formal interactions.
  • Challenge participants to complete several collaborative music-based projects.
  • Offer an overview of the team-building process.
  • Explore the importance of leveraging strengths.
  • Examine the value of clear messaging and descriptive language.
  • Suggest ideas for adjourning teams when projects end.

Course Overview

In the workplace, sometimes teams fall flat. Whether it’s a lack of trust, communication deficiencies, or some other problem, a team that isn’t working to its full capacity isn’t as efficient and effective as it could be. This dynamic workshop uses music to lower barriers and bridge communication gaps. Through a variety of exercises and activities, participants will examine such concepts as collaboration, communication, problem solving, and team dynamics. Participants need no special musical talent or prior knowledge of an instrument to successfully complete this challenge.

Program Objectives

At this program’s conclusion, participants should be able to:

  • Explain the team-development process.
  • Describe the components of basic project planning.
  • Work through a process to succinctly describe a team’s mission, vision, and values.
  • Explain the importance of leveraging strengths when assigning roles and responsibilities.
  • Follow rules of basic time management.
  • Discuss the importance of planning for a project’s end.

The following outline highlights some of the course’s key learning points. As part of your training program, we will modify content as needed to meet your business objectives. Upon request, we will provide you with a copy of the participant materials prior to the session(s).

Workshop Outline 

Hey, Mr. DJ: Music Makes People Come Together

This workshop opens with a song challenge. Working in teams, participants will compete in a game that tests their general knowledge of song lyrics. Following that activity, we’ll talk about how teams form, and the formal and informal roles people assume in groups. This module also offers an opportunity to briefly discuss working across generations and the value members of different generations bring to a team. 

The Rhythm Sections: Patterns, Plans, and Projects

In this part of the program, participants will stretch their creativity and build a basic rhythm instrument from scratch. Next, working in teams group members will form bands. They will decide on a name, and they will perform a basic piece of music. This activity will provide an opportunity for us to talk about scheduling, planning, troubleshooting, and methods for keeping track of a project’s progress. 

Song Recipes: The Mechanics of Lyric Writing

This workshop segment explores the craft of songwriting and choosing words that communicate feelings as well as ideas. Through a series of activities, in this part of the course, we will practice a variety of techniques for writing compelling lyrics. This module will also give us an opportunity to discuss the importance of having a team mission, vision, and values, along with the ability to succinctly communicate those ideas.

A Village of People: Building a Band

Team members often fail to explore each other’s strengths and weaknesses before jumping into a project. In this part of the program, we will look at individual strengths and the importance of understanding people styles before embarking on a project. In this part of the program, participants will explore that idea and complete a self-evaluation of their musical knowledge, performance ability, design ability, writing aptitude, and project-management skills. Next, they will form new bands (teams) and prepare to tackle the final challenge.

One-Hit-Wonders: Crafting a Hit

A lot goes into making a hit record. In this portion of the workshop, the newly-formed bands will write, perform, promote, and record a short song. Using what they learned in the previous challenge, they will decide roles and a hook based on the skills each person brings to the group.

The Final Concert: Celebrations and Breaking Up the Band

To end this workshop, we will recap the course’s lessons and award a prize to each group. This activity will also offer an opportunity to discuss the importance of team celebrations and the process of adjourning when a project ends.

By the conclusion of this interactive design challenge, participants should understand more about each other, be able to explain the team-development process, and know the importance of leveraging strengths.