Chris Abington joins our Head Facilitator team after working as a Support Facilitator for over four years. Chris is a fantastic drummer and percussionist and is an integral part of our rhythm events team. His unique people skills and ‘can do’ attitude make him a perfect example of someone being able to step up and join our Head Facilitator team.
Any team building event is only as effective and successful as the Head Facilitator that runs it. Head Facilitators create a flowing and exciting experience for everyone involved. At the same time, they have to:
- effectively manage their own surrounding support staff
- work closely with the venue
- be attentive to clients to ensure they deliver to their expectations
- be mindful of the time allocated.
I thought it might be insightful to hear from Chris Abington himself about what goes on in the mind of a new Head Facilitator of team building events.
Q. Chris, what did you enjoy most about the first time you were heading up your own event?
“The real difference between being a Head Facilitator and a Support Facilitator is the level of interaction and input you have with the group. Being able to use rhythm as a way to bring people together, and see their unbelievable progression in such a short time, is fantastic. Seeing people’s expressions and excitement as they hear themselves and their colleagues create some incredible sounds is highly rewarding for me.”
Q. Do you enjoy the responsibility of engaging with and winning each group’s trust?
“This is what is really important to me. I want every single individual to find something to reflect on after an event. This only happens if people trust and buy into in what we do.”
Q. Why do you think drumming and rhythm events in general are so effective in team building?
“When we combine various sections of sound together to create a group rhythm, all those individuals work together for that single goal and you instantly hear their success. There is a strong analogy between using multi-layered rhythms to create music and the way effective business teams work together in markets and industries.”
Q. There is such a fine line between being the driving force in a team building activity and then understanding when to step back to let the individuals flourish. How do you learn this?
“I’m lucky to have had the chance to watch this for the last four years. Every group is different and has its own feel and flow. When I walk into a room now and start an event, I’m immediately taking in different signals from the group. My experience allows me to get the right balance between driving the group to somewhere new and stepping back and letting others shine.
Our event formats offer so many options for me to allow members of the group to experience my position or face their peers in a completely different way than normal. I think good team building facilitation is a mix of leading teams towards new experiences but also leaving them feeling that they shared something completely valid and personal in that journey.”
Q. I know from my own experience of leading teams in creating rhythm and music together, you uncover many insights into your own values and abilities. What have you learnt about yourself leading various groups?
“I love the energy that can be created in a room and I’ve learnt to feel proud to be the one leading that experience. All I want for the group in front of me is for participants to enjoy every second of the event, to try something new and to trust in me. The reaction I see in these events speaks for itself and, from the bottom of my heart, it’s an honour to share these moments with every single person I meet.”
Thanks Chris. As you can gather, we treat the art of creating fun and exciting events very seriously. With people like Chris and all our other Head Facilitators at the helm, we are able to guarantee that your next event will be a complete success.
For more information about any of our events, please Contact Us.
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