Testimonials
“Finally something for adults!!!”
"Getting in the Groove brought an innovative program of jazz and dialogue to our professional development programs. The idea of using jazz to demonstrate to our consultants the skills for successful teamwork was an unusual concept. With music and facilitated discussion, Brian encouraged our audiences to observe and identify what was taking place among the musicians.
His many years as a jazz musician and combined with long experience in corporate and consulting environments allow him to get audiences and musicians in tune with each other. He understands and relates both the world of business and the world of music. Seeing the skills of a jazz performance in practice was extremely effective.
In the words of one participant, it brought together in two hours all the theories of teamwork he'd ever been taught. Through this unique offering of jazz and dialogue, we were able to show our consultants a brillian example of successful teamwork."
Karyn O'Neill, Chief Human Resource Officer, Mercer HR Consulting
"What a perfect way to end a five day meeting for health care providers! The final count for McGill University's 15th International Congress on Care of the Terminally Ill was approximately 1400 delegates and presenters, from 39 countries. What better final plenary session could there have been than a probing examination of teamwork? What better medium through which to learn about the determinants of teamwork than jazz? Insightful. Thought provoking. A stunning demonstration of the need to listen and the potential for magic when we do! The combination of live jazz, didactic and slide presentations was particularly effective in galvanizing audience attention and getting across the points you wished to convey. Congratulations Brian and heartfelt thanks. You left us on a high, whatever the key was?!"
Balfour M. Mount, CM, OQ, MD, FRCS(C)
Eric M. Flanders Professor of Palliative Medicine,
McGill University Conference Chairman
"Lots of things to process. Wow, that event works at multiple levels. At times the emotion in the room was almost touchable and then all the people madly taking notes and looking for the recipe of take-aways and wishing you had used the flip charts. Talk about people having multiple views all playing at the same time ... and all that with 150 people!"
Pat Bradshaw PhD
MBA Program Director, Schulich School of Business, York University
"Wonderful session - enjoyable - people were more into it than we thought they'd be - very demanding audience - want value added from everything they do - people liked it a lot - interested in how the band worked - could easily see parallels - these guys worry about working with difficult people - how do you deal with that - the band helped them see how they might - our people have to integrate new people all the time - prickly people; prickly personalities - there was a real understanding of how the music worked. I highly recommend it - already have to several people."
"Innovative and excellent idea to use jazz to demonstrate leadership."
Bruce McDonald
Co-President and CEO, Black and McDonald
"Thank you, Brian.
Aside from the reflection and learning, it was great to simply feel relaxed, positive, hopeful. I adored the music and all of your instruments and personalities. You are a delightful character with whom to work and play.
It was a real joy for me."
Colleen
"The jazz ensemble was an example of non-conventional learning and was thoroughly enjoyable and allowed for a lateral learning experience that I found very valuable in insight and application."
"I have participated in a Getting in the Groove presentation. What happens when musician/educators perform great music and then talk about the non-musical skills that have to be learned to achieve their excellence... well, it's nothing short of magic!"
"The jazz metaphor works for life in general and for communities such as ours. But, in order to make music together, we must learn to approach it like these guys do ... with mutual respect and with good humour!"
"Trust, confidence, make others fell welcome, take risks, be a good listener, shared values, be passionate, look up to someone, play a familiar tune, you need a balance, need a leader to create space ..."
"The program brought out a surprising range of comparisons with organization management."
"Terrifically interesting approach which stimulated lots of ideas."
"Excellent idea for team building and organizational development."
"Finally something for grown-ups!"
Fabulous! A perfect way to kick off the seminar! I must admit I was skeptical beforehand wondering if the jazz "angle" could work but the connection was easy to establish, an excellent teaching tool. Thank you!
"Excellent means of demonstrating leadership and communications . . . and it was the best jazz I ever heard! Well done in relating to teamwork and the same vision."
"We learned some important things about the creative functioning of groups, but most of all it was a memorable event that will stick in people’s minds."
"The musicians are a total joy and so talented and modeled fun, creativity, intelligence and listening and, and, and,...!"
