The importance of team development and taking time out; our experience

Team building and training are two things which we all value and know are important, but rarely take time for. It is something that we at LoveLocalJobs.com and the LoveLocalJobs Foundation constantly promote with our clients as a benefit to getting involved in our community programmes, but something we ourselves are guilty of not taking advantage of. So when an opportunity came for us to take part in an UpBeat Performance workshop, we grabbed the opportunity.

UpBeat Performance was founded by Yaron Engler, an international drumming superstar who has taken his passion for music and developed courses which focus on team building and communication. The tagline “creating the right environment for your people to thrive through interactive team events based on drumming, rhythm and movement” perfectly summarises what UpBeat Performance embodies.

We had two morning sessions with Yaron, the first exploring our strengths, weaknesses and ideal “architypes” and the second using music and rhythm to push ourselves out of the comfort zone and build team harmony. Here is what we learnt:

• There is a lot of communication that happens without using words; we all managed to orchestrate a song using no words and body movements only. Surprisingly, it worked and was a powerful demonstration of how important body language is.

• Weaknesses can be an asset and the more we talk about them, the more we can support each other to grow. Understanding that a team member is uncomfortable in certain situations can allow you to support them when the situation arises and provide ongoing training. We acknowledge when something is good for growth and when something is a step too far, by understanding each others strengths and weaknesses.

• “Architypes” are a great metaphor to use amongst the team; these are people who you aspire to be, who embody strengths you want. So if you need to say to someone “be more Serena” they immediately understand what you’re saying, without the awkwardness!

• Training days encourage an open and honest team environment; through our sessions we spoke about our weaknesses, strengths, childhood – you name it, we discussed it! After this, we have felt much more comfortable talking openly with each other and it has fostered a much more positive environment.

• You can have fun and learn new skills; we used musical instruments and orchestrating a performance to enhance our leadership skills. Learning doesn’t have to be boring and textbooks! Get out and do something fun to stretch yourself and your team.

These are just a few of our takeaways, and whilst we are biased, we would wholeheartedly recommend working with Yaron at UpBeat Performance if you are looking for a fun, different, engaging team training day. We also know a great range of community programmes which can help with training and development… 

Want to get in touch with Yaron to explore a different team-building experience? Email himYaron Engler yaron@upbeatperformance.com or call 0759 614 3395.