Audience Witnesses Magic in Room music performance: A small group of musicians who rely on each other to perform harmonious music together without a conductor.some groups like Orpheus Chamber Orchestra Shuffle seating positions after every piece and dismiss traditional ideas of hierarchy and leadership. Some companies have tried to turn around by: Holacracy-But various successes— is based on the idea that self-organization can encourage a greater sense of participation and purpose. But chamber music offers a lesson in collaboration for workers of all kinds, wherever they are in the team structure.
Chamber groups rely on each member listening intently to each other as they perform, introspect, and make real-time adjustments to stay in sync. Music flows from there. And even if you don’t play an instrument yourself, there’s a lot you can learn from Chamber Group principles as a better team collaborator. You can try several exercises to develop the same skill.
try a team building activity
To practice effectively, each chamber musician must learn how to listen, trust and connect with each other. Games can be a good vehicle for building these skills.
One is that facing teams can play form an orderHave team members line up chronologically according to varying criteria such as height, birthday, and shoe size. I will not speak. Like chamber musicians, team members must observe each other, pay attention, and change to find ways to win.
You can also take your team to an in-person or virtual escape room. Chris Martin, CEO of Puzzle Break say The majority of corporate teams choose escape rooms for team bonding. “Successful teams always have something in common: listening to each other and sharing information,” he says. “Age, gender, life experience, none of it has anything to do with results.”
These activities may benefit collaboration. published research Harvard Business Review research shows that high-performing team members spend time making genuine connections. “High-performing team members are much more likely to spend time in the office discussing non-work topics with colleagues,” writes researcher Ron Friedman.
immerse yourself in learning
Like a chamber musician listening to his colleague, learning about his teammates and their work is essential to understanding the role his work plays in the larger team puzzle.Invite your colleagues to chat over coffee or you can try walk and talk to learn more about their work.distributed teams plan a virtual break with others. By doing so, you not only learn about your teammates, make space for deepen relationships.
“Too often, teams operate without adequate awareness of the larger context.” write a researcher On the need for mutual cooperation at work. To be most successful, it is important not to think or function in isolation. Getting to know each other is the first step to a deeper connection for collaboration.
Seek and reflect on feedback
Like a violinist who cools down after realizing he’s drowned out his cello, reflection isn’t just about how your skills fit into the team’s, but how you might better use your skills. It’s also important to understand how you can be a collaborator.
For example, many teams formalize this through 360-degree feedback. However, if your organization doesn’t have a process or requires more frequent feedback, set aside at least 10 minutes with your manager for each one-on-one meeting to ask for feedback. During this conversation, make sure that: know the purpose Review the feedback, whether it’s appreciation, coaching, or evaluation, and ask what you can do to help other team members. You can also ask team members for feedback.
Setting aside 15-30 minutes each weekend to think about your goals can also help boost your self-awareness. study show This allows for more effective teamwork and collaboration. Apart from traditional retrospective questions, you may ask questions such as: “Did my work get someone else to complete additional work? Did it help remove barriers for someone on the team?”
research-backed tactics
Some of these activities may seem a burden to complete in addition to their core role, but the skills they are developing are extremely important and backed by science.
Harvard Business School Professor Francesca Gino writes: in her research About decision-making and the team at work. “It allows them to work together more effectively and smoothly. Conflicts are less overheated and the group achieves better results.”
Self-awareness researcher Tasha Urich also find The importance of awareness in positive team outcomes. “People who know how others perceive them are better at showing empathy and taking other people’s perspectives,” she writes. Ultimately, you will communicate more effectively, build stronger relationships, and be a better collaborator.
Like team members, each instrument and player in a chamber music group has a different range, timbre, and personality. Regardless, each plays an important role in the group’s overall sound, dynamics, and harmonies. Great teams are built on collaboration and communication. It’s a collective where people learn from each other, bond with each other, seek feedback, and create a harmonious workplace melody.
