Are you looking for more connectivity amongst your team? Incorporate newcomers into the team effectively? Level up teams collaboration and enrich communication?
Then do it in a creative way!
Experience in live or online sessions that the discussion about an artwork is a tool itself for leaning to think and communicate through connection and cooperation. The method increases self-knowledge, esteem and a sense of belonging in your team. These elements are fundamental for the way your team collaborates and eventually will lead to a happier and better performing team. We use the methods Visual Thinking Strategies and Visible Thinking to do so.
These methods are fantastic tools to create awareness and raise empathy among your team, it will:
"Michal did a great job helping us get out-of-our-box, very professionally leading the VTS sessions. Through her conscientious, neutral and convincing guidance, she helped us realize the power of slowing down, truly listening and paying attention to one another. In this way, the creative powers of individuals and the team came alive and thrived.”
Bibilotte Duyvesteyn, Business Unit Manager, Abbott Nutrition
Visual Thinking Strategies and Visible Thinking are research-based methodologies (founded by MoMA and Harvard, New York) that improves critical and creative thinking skills through a carefully facilitated dialogue while looking at art. It challenges assumptions and examines alternatives in a safe, respectful way. It allows thinkers to constantly shift and revise with no loss of integrity or ownership. All points of view are valid.
These teambuilding sessions are online or live in a museum or at any other location by choice. Please get in contact for more details and info.
"The VTS sessions opened our eyes for how to perceive other people’s views in more depth and helped us to pause and re-think before speaking. We listened and understood each other in a different way. It bonded the team and taught us all how to truly see and listen again."
Jennifer Vink, Head of Digital Native Enterprise & Corporate sales, Google
Use art to create the opportunity for dialogue. Come with your team to a museum (of choice) and in a session of 2,5 hours you will experience that the discussion about an artwork is a tool itself for leaning to think and communicate through connection and cooperation.
In various exercises around artworks you’ll increase self-knowledge, esteem and a sense of belonging in your team. These elements are fundamental for the way your team collaborates and eventually will lead to a happier and better performing team.
In these times art once again appears to be a very suitable means for connecting with each other. Looking at art, work together and have fun!
Are you looking for an inspiring, relaxing and meaningful online session with your team? In this session you can slow down and take time for observation and careful listening. Experience that looking at and talking about art is a fantastic tool to increase connection, awareness and empathy within your team.
We use Visual Thinking Strategies, which improves critical and creative thinking skills through a carefully facilitated dialogue while looking at art. It challenges assumptions and examines alternatives in a safe, respectful way. It allows thinkers to constantly shift and revise with no loss of integrity or ownership. All points of view are valid. All these factors together maximize the setting for innovative thought.
In these times art once again appears to be very suitable means for connecting with each other.
Start the day with an 'energizer' or end the Friday afternoon with an inspiring session. Looking at art together is inspiring, exciting and motivating! Book a session of 1 / 1.5 hours, contact us for more information and/or prices.
What do our clients say?
"We invited Michal from Beeldmakers to help us with a training session on Visual Thinking Strategies. Due to the work from home constraints and impact on teams during Covid, we were looking for a team-building activity that could be done remotely and would help build trust, engagement and sense of belonging in the team.We have found the session that Michal hosted very engaging and inspiring. We spent 3.5 hours together on a very different topics than what we usually talk about. We listened and understood each other in a different way. It opened my eyes for how to perceive other people's views in more depth and helped me to pause and re-think before speaking. I received only positive feedback from both my teams who got to know each other through a new lens and with a new perspective. It bonded the team and taught us all how to truly see and listen again.”
Jennifer Vink, Head of Digital Native Enterprise & Corporate sales, Google
"To get in the creative mood for good new ideas, we started our corporate retreats of Stichting de Vrolijkheid with a Visual Thinking Strategies workshop by Michal Butink. We made use of art present at the location. Michal's questions led to remarkable observations and insights and to beautiful conversations. What a pity that we actually do so little, take the time and opportunity to discuss works of art in peace. Everyone sees and feels something different. Discussing this on the basis of the VTS method stimulates and ensures connections between the participants. It's no surprise that we came up with great new plans that afternoon. Recommended.”
Taco Ruighaver, Director, Stichting de Vrolijkheid
"I highly recommend the “How To Look At Art" workshop with Michal Butink. She is clearly super knowledgeable and passionate about art, but also great at facilitating and encouraging discussion within the group. Personally, I found it to be a truly eye-opening experience and learnt so much from her in such a short space of time. Thank you Michal!”
Victoria Lemstra-Connell, Administrative Business Partner, Google The Netherlands
“Michal was super patient with us and guided us as a true specialist during our 2 sessions. The naturally radiated a calmness during the discussions and questions.”
Fahd Ekadioin, Team member, Google Cloud
“VTS Sessions led by Michal were very well facilitated and allowed us to come together as a team and experience togetherness in these trying (Covid-19) WFH times. A job well done Michal!”
Abishay Rao, Team member, Google Cloud
“This session opened my eyes on Art in general and the specific paintings in particular. Similarly, it opened my eyes on our team and more particularly each of the team members I work with on a day to day basis. Thanks for opening my eyes!”
Thierry Cloetens, Team member, Google Cloud
“The VTS sessions were above my expectations. It help edour team to collaborate more effectively by applying its insights in day to day work. - Understand before trying to be understood. - Different views on the same topic/challenge help to come to a better outcome/solution. - Taking more time to observe instead of rushing can help a lot.”
Nino de Rijk, Partner Development Manager, Google Cloud Netherlands
Let me finish: how to stop interrupting… and change the world
Imagine it. Imagine the relief, the possibilities, the dignity. You now have ground that is yours. Unassailably. This is for you. Time to think. To feel. To figure out what you really want to say. To say it, to consider it. To change it. To finish your sentences, to choose your own words. To become – because you can trust the promise – a bit bold, even eloquent. To become you.
In this session we use Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) to increase creative and critical thinking skills.
The intersection of creative and critical thinking lies at the heart of VTS. Creativity involves exploring patterns, shapes, textures and colors through visual means. Critical thinking involves examining clues, considering alternatives while holding opposing ideas and exploring possibilities. These two processes are closely related. When they come together through VTS, the synergy produces a sweet spot for powerful learning and aesthetic development to occur.
Thinking creatively includes brainstorming, creating new and worthwhile ideas, elaborating, refining, analyzing and evaluating. In addition, creativity includes working with others in:
For more info contact us. The session can be held at any location of choice, in a museum or at the office. Think about what a great impact it will have to start every month with a session with your team!