When we saw the space earmarked for the corporate drumming circle with BMC Software, there were concerns about it being too tight an area. As true as that may have been, it eventually served as a great way for everyone to experience an intimate and compact groove that was really cooking. This setting naturally enhanced the energy of the corporate team building drumming session, allowing participants to connect more closely, enjoy themselves fully, and observe each other’s expressions and emotional high points up close.

What is a drum circle activity for employees?

A drum circle activity for employees is an interactive team experience where participants play percussion instruments together to create a shared rhythm. The participants would get to enjoy themselves and also observe each other’s expressions and emotional highpoints up close, making it a powerful shared moment. This is a great ice breaker and a way to experience drumming team building, as it encourages communication, listening, collaboration, and helps employees connect beyond their formal workplace roles.

Have a look at this quick video of the transition from the ‘calm before the storm’ to  sheer euphoria of this corporate drum circle.

Let’s get into the example of a town hall… It’s a good place to get to know about, say, a major change that’s just been applied across the company, a place to get to know a new boss/ team leader. Sure there’s one important part of getting to know the factual information of the change and then there’s the secondary aspect of the implications of or consequences thereof. This is where drum circle team building can play a powerful role, helping people move beyond just information and into shared experience, connection, and understanding. This is the human element; the variable (and many times) more important part of the deal. How do we take this opportunity and make this process more human? What immediately comes to mind is: by understanding the impact of the subject at hand. And I mean, by truly understanding it. Not by claiming to understand it and actually pushing a skewed/ pre-planned agenda; one that you favour… 

This is where drumming team building can help create a space for genuine expression, listening, and shared understanding among participants.

A corporate drumming team bonding activity can surely help to bring every participant on the same page to move in the same direction, but if you’d like this to feel like more than just lip service, then it needs to come from a space of a deep-seeded commitment towards valuing the opinion of the people whose lives are impacted by the subject or change.

How do you facilitate a drum circle?

Facilitating a drum circle begins with creating a safe and inclusive space where every participant feels comfortable expressing themselves. This means you’ll need to listen intently and act upon the points and feedback that come up, allowing the rhythm to reflect the collective voice of the group rather than imposing a fixed agenda. In many cases, formats such as African drumming team building naturally encourage this level of listening, presence, and mutual respect, as every rhythm depends on the awareness and contribution of the whole group.

What can one session of a corporate drum circle actually offer you in this regard? To be honest, not much not unless you give the activity the space and value of a corporate training team building session. By thinking of this as merely ‘edutainment,’ you are undervaluing the activity and facilitators are misrepresenting it. This is especially important when considering drum circle corporate events, as their true impact comes from intention, openness, and the willingness to engage beyond surface-level entertainment. So we all have a bit of the responsibility to take on for the way these corporate team building activities are looked at today.

Having said this, I had a wonderful time working with the team at BMC Software. Why? Because it was not the first time we worked with them. (Commitment!).Sessions like these truly show the depth that corporate team building drumming can offer when teams are willing to engage openly. We used djembes, frame drums (daflis), tambourines, shakers, and wood blocks (some of the best drums for drum circles in my opinion). Each instrument had a unique voice that added to the group rhythm in a particular way and also elicited a certain feeling from the person playing that instrument. Exchanging instruments midway helped each of the participants get to try a new drum and in that way, understand the perspective of another person in a very practical and hands-on way. This is one of the most powerful aspects of drum circle team building, where learning happens through direct experience rather than instruction. Hence, a lot of the takeaways of these drumming team bonding activities were experienced naturally without having to try too hard or sound condescending which is a risk many corporate training coaches run. Anyways in today’s AI rich information flooded world, seniority doesn’t mean simply someone with an advanced age. Experience, openness and keenness to learn at every stage counts for far more. 

Come on, let’s get on this rhythmic journey and explore our own potential and that of our teams as well. Come, let’s drum together… 

Come. Drum. Be One. 
Varun Venkit 
Taal Inc.