62
WARREN LIEBERMAN
The Drum Café Building Wholeness, One Beat at a Time
“Umuntu ngumuntu ngabanutu” meaning…
A person becomes whole through their interactions with other persons … I am because we are.
—A Zulu proverb
Who Is Going to Play All Those Drums?
We walk into the conference room, tired and unmotivated after a long, tough financial year. The underlying tension and rivalry between departments has dominated the company this year, and the communication between employees is poor. We expect the same annual conference and have few expectations of change.
This year is different. When we arrive at the venue to find a circular arrangement of hundreds of chairs and a drum placed in front of each one, we all ask the same question: “Who is going to play all those drums?” Before long, the answer becomes clear: We are—a group of 200 accountants with absolutely no musical skills.
As the drumming team starts to beat a simple, powerful rhythm, the music gradually takes hold of us and, tentatively, a few brave individuals start beating away on their drums. The music becomes infectious and soon everyone is tapping their drums. At one point, our marketing manager gets carried away with the energy in the room and leaps into the middle of the circle for a quick dance to the wild applause and cheers of his colleagues.
Then, without saying a word, the facilitator gets up, teaches the group simple drumming rhythms, and starts to orchestrate the group with a repertoire of body language signals, bringing the 200 entry-level musicians into perfect harmony.
For an hour, we are engaged in a cooperative activity that leaves us feeling energized, exhilarated, and unified. We feel surprisingly motivated and ready to share ideas and work as a team. Funny how after just an hour of drumming together, my company feels more like a community.
Frequently Asked Questions
WHAT IS THE DRUM CAFÉ?
The Drum Café brings interactive drumming to mergers, product launches, conferences, road shows, year-end functions, incentive breakaways, and other corporate events to bridge gaps and understanding among different groups (diversity, multiculturalism, etc.). Venues vary widely, from traditional conference centers or intimate settings in nature to massive sports and performance arenas.
WHAT INSPIRED THE DRUM CAFÉ?
The Drum Café was born not long after Nelson Mandela became president of South Africa in 1994. This was a time of ambivalence, a period of joy, fear, and hope, where many people anticipated bloodshed and war. With 11 official languages, cultural differences, and a history of a minority that had held power for decades, South Africa needed to undergo a radical change. Under the guidance of President Mandela, bloodshed and war were averted, and South Africa was transformed rapidly and profoundly into a “rainbow nation,” which brought together cultures, races, and communities under a unified banner.
The Drum Café took Madiba’s1 philosophy as the core of its approach and during South Africa’s time of transition, it brought the message of cohesion and unity to hundreds of companies across South Africa. The Drum Café facilitated communication and cooperation between black and white, male and female, old and young. It taught how to bridge the gap between the old and the new, and to foster understanding and friendship between employees from vastly different cultural backgrounds.
HOW DO WE WORK AND WHAT ARE THE OUTCOMES?
Prior to any event, client and consultant explore the factors affecting the organization and its key goals. This understanding is used to shape the process to address these issues.
On the day of the event, a team of facilitators and musicians collaborate to teach the group simple drumming rhythms. The group is taught to play the same bass rhythm and to listen to one another. As the session progresses, the music gradually becomes more harmonious and the team is transformed into a percussive orchestra. The analogy between an orchestra and wholeness provides perspective into the synergy between individual and team. Figure 1 is a visual representation of a Drum Café session.
Following a Drum Café experience, participants are often more open to taking in new information and concepts. This experience fundamentally alters participants’ perceptions of what can and cannot be achieved and lays the foundation for organizational change. Because the learning is hands-on rather than taught, participants can extrapolate their learnings and draw insightful analogies based on the principles of music and drumming.
Figure 1. Creating Unity Through Music
One manager talked of being allowed to “let her hair down” in front of her employees. She explained how at work she had struggled to create bonds with her employees because her managerial position had kept her distant. She reported that after the Drum Café experience, her relationships had significantly improved and there was a much more relaxed atmosphere in the office, which has been of great benefit to her team’s performance.
Table of Uses
Typical Setting |
Brief Description and Results |
Time and Participants |
Connecting Diversity Usually at client premises, conference centers, or under a tree. |
• Participating in an exercise of communication, effective listening skills, and the power of a truly synchronized organization promotes the power of nonverbal communication. • Feelings of isolation and dissent disappear, as the drumming experience bonds every participant into a motivated and unified whole. |
• 60–90 minutes • 10–500 people |
Conflict Resolution |
• With the proliferation of negative interaction between individuals and teams, the handling of conflict is often very difficult. • Drumming together helps break down barriers to create a more effective and harmonious environment. |
• 60–90 minutes • 2–200 people |
Road Shows, Conferences, and Workshops |
• A series of shows delivered around the country when unveiling new vision, mission, and values of company. • It can draw people together, celebrating success and ensuring that the delegates leave feeling invigorated and motivated. |
• 10–90 minutes • Up to 100,000 people |
About the Author
Warren Lieberman ([email protected]) graduated with a degree in physics and applied mathematics at the University of Cape Town and also attained a BSC with honors in electrical engineering. He started the Drum Café from his home in 1995. Warren recently produced and directed the Off-Broadway hit Drumstruck. He also published a book on traditional music in South Africa—The Drum Café’s Traditional Music of South Africa by Laurie Levine. Warren has also produced two CDs of African traditional music and fusion music. He is currently developing a traditional African orchestra that uses only traditional African instruments (such as Kudu horns, cow horns, and marimbas).
Where to Go for More Information
REFERENCES
“Bongos in the Boardroom: Companies Go to Extremes to Foster Teamwork.” The Detroit Business News, February 14, 2004. www.drumcafe.com/articles/Bongos%20in%20the%20boardroom%20Companies%20go%20to%20extremes%20to%20foster%20teamwork%20%2002-14-04.htm.
“Drum Sessions Protect Employees from Burnout.” Reuters, February 19, 2004. www.drumcafe.com/articles/Yahoo_drum_article.htm.
“Drumming Up a Happier Workplace.” BBC News World Edition, February 20, 2004. www.drumcafe.com/articles/BBC/BBC_News.stm.
Laurie, Levine. Traditional Music of South Africa. Johannesburg, South Africa: Jacana Publishing, 2005.
ORGANIZATION
Drum Café—www.drumcafe.co.za/www.drumcafe.com
1. In South Africa, “Madiba” is an affectionate nickname for President Nelson Mandela.