METHODS
If you and your co-workers lack team spirit, try forming a drum circle: Recent research shows that group drumming can improve mood and create unity.
While hiking in Hawaii in 1995, Charles Kaplan, a young Ph.D. candidate in psychology, joined a group of locals in an evening drum circle. As he found a seat--and the beat--within the group, he felt his mood Improving rapidly, and watched the primal act of drumming draw the group together.
Back at the University of Connecticut, Kaplan's dissertation focused on the effects of small group hand drumming on mood, energy level and group dynamics. "When I discovered the tremendous power of group drumming, I felt that it would be an excellent way to influence people in a positive and participatory way," he explains.
Kaplan divided 304 participants into six drumming groups, then compared changes in their mood and levels of social interaction to those of groups engaged in other tasks. He found that the drummers were significantly more elated, less depressed, and talked about deeper issues during the shared activity. Drummers also reported feeling more energetic, composed and confident than those participating in other exercises.
