Natalie Spiro

A cajon, or wooden box, is rooted in ancient Afro-Peruvian culture. Sonically suitable to be repurposed into an instrument, the “box” offered a means of instrumentation where there was none. In this program offering, we join together with attendees to craft individual cajon instruments. This DIY activity is meaningful and purposeful and engages the program participants in a much more personal way.

The Program:

These cajons made of a very sturdy cardboard and having various elements inside to create the drum sound, will be shipped to one location and can be shipped to each participant in the program.  Each cardboard cajon can take the weight of a 200 pound person.  They will be sent paint pens as well to decorate their cajons.  Our expert facilitator(s) and professional musicians start the program by drumming your group into their virtual rooms and then engage in a pulse-pounding 5- to 10-minute performance. Individuals are shown how to construct their cajons and decorate them in small break-out groups, around a specific theme or powerful question. Once the cajons are designed and ready, the 45-60 minute facilitated interactive session begins.

This session is filled with high-impact messaging and knowledge transfer.  Our facilitators engage your team by bringing in movement, individual voices through call and response techniques, and a group jam.  This helps participants focus on their common goals and facilitates alignment towards a more unified whole.

We can accommodate any group size based on the platform you are using.

This program can be customised based on length from 60 minutes to 90 minutes for more engagement using break-out rooms

This program includes session design, development and facilitation with a professional world percussion ensemble & specialized facilitator to lead our powerful drumming programs.

We begin with a drum call performance, which segues into an energizing and inspiring interactive program to set the tone for the gathering! We will instruct every attendee to find household implements in their homes (e.g., kitchen utensils, jars of popcorn, metal and glass  bowls etc.) to use as drums for play.  We will facilitate a process where participants can connect and collaborate through the universal language of rhythm. The practice of drumming allows everyone to relate easily to one another, transcending the spoken word; bridging professional, cultural and personal gaps that may exist between individuals; and focusing on the mission or purpose of the group as a whole. We will weave high-level messaging (supplied by you through a bespoke intake form) throughout the program to make the experience not only powerful and compelling, but relevant to all those in attendance.  There is also an option to include a drum for each person to play and keep after the event.

In this harmony-rhythm interactive session, participants play boomwhackers (tuned percussion tubes). The boomwhackers cover the pentatonic scale (5 different colors), letting players hear their individual voices contributing to a greater, organizational whole. Each color can represent core values, working principles, leadership concepts, etc., and when all are working together in harmony, the power is palpable.  For this one, participants will need to be sent boomwhackers.

-Main group is divided into smaller sub-groups (around 8-10 people per group) – In small groups, each person brings all the items they can think of to make a specific musical instrument  – For example a guitar – could have string; shoehorn; the lid of a large jar; magnetic packet clips, etc. – In their small group they decide which person has the most common items that all have and then some unique ones. – The person with the most common items plus unique items does the build while the team instructs on the how-to.  The team has to find a way to work together to make this incredible instrument.  Using our facilitators to manage the process – Photographs and video’s are taken –       Team comes together in a full jam –  All the videos can be mashed up into a final video they get to keep on the Google intranet/LMS

Takeaways include:

-How to communicate effectively in a team – Empathic Listening – Setting goals – Problem-Solving -Creative/Innovative thinking – Facilitation and Leading – Team Dynamics

Treat your team to a no-risk, no-mistakes sandbox of fun that is relaxing, creative, and transformative. Our experienced facilitators will guide your group through the surprisingly simple steps of the Zentangle® method. Here, every pattern, pen, and pencil stroke plays a prescriptive and valuable role. Concepts such as trust, boundaries, decision-making, follow-through, patience, and intention are explored through the tangible drawing experience. The journey ends with the satisfaction of completing a single beautifully drawn tile and, for just a moment, gathering all the tiles together for a striking glimpse of the mosaic that celebrates your group’s diverse talents.

Working intentionally with no eraser to exercise self- confidence and resilience, a specific set of patterns, called “tangles,” are constructed step-by-step by drawing basic lines, dots, curves, and circles on a 3 1?2 inch paper “tile.”

Through the repetitive use of simple shapes and lines, the tangler fills a small space with repeated pattern; the rhythmic process creating access to a “flow” state of mind

As playfully simple as the Zentangle® method may appear, the applications for work and life are limitless.  Through the combination of the creative arts, mindfulness and our most primitive impulses to create, participants can master self-regulation, anxiety reduction, personal discovery, community engagement and so much more.

Natalie’ talk is geared toward achieving leadership excellence through collaboration, teamwork, and the concept of Ubuntu – “I am who I am because of those around me.”  It establishes a universal dialogue. Every participant in the audience is given a drum to transcend the spoken word to quickly and effectively bring everyone ‘onto the same page.’ Natalie uses the drumming to marshal her audience around a common purpose/beat, allowing them to relate easily to one another and bridge the professional, functional, and personal gaps that may exist.

Natalie’s keynote helps all to understand what is possible when we come together in one voice and purpose, setting aside our individual issues. She helps us ascertain what gets in the way of us as individuals coming together in one voice and for one objective. It begs the question – how do I show up in a group? What actions do I take and how does that serve the collective?

Statements that people are thinking about when considering FEEDBACK:• I regularly ask for ways I could improve from my colleagues (peers, one up leader, and
direct reports)
• My direct reports frequently provide their opinions and ideas on my strengths as well as
how I can improve, both positive and constructive.
• I would say that feedback is a gift.
• I take action on the feedback I receive.
• I give feedback that focuses on what people need to improve or changes
• I talk to the person directly, remain calm, explain how I feel, and say what needs to
change.

Overview :
To improve our performance, how we are being perceived on the job and ultimately grow
and develop, we need to be skilled at giving and receiving feedback. However, this can trigger
our own sense of worth, of value, and make us feel vulnerable…all of which may shut us
down rather than help us grow. Many people dread giving feedback. Just about all of us
dread getting it.

Learning Outcomes – Participants will walk away with:
• A fundamental understanding of feedforward versus feedback
• Activities to test their skillsets in feedforward and the
reasons why its vitally important
• An understanding of the key skills involved in giving
upward feedback and the nuances involved
• Experience in practicing these skills with each other

Items covered in the 2.5 hour workshop:
• A Growth mindset
• How it affects feedback
• Emotional Intelligence
• Personal and social competence
• Feedforward – The rules and tools
• Upward Feedback – The Challenges, Key Reasons, Tools to apply