What does it sound like

Awkward silence. 
Deserted office. 
Difficult to focus. 

Each of these quiet situations can potentially benefit from the beauty that is music. And so can we. 

No, not just the radio or those poppy head banging louder tunes. 

Think more like ambient music … it’s music you may not recognize and barely notice. 

But it’s there. And it’s been shown to help with distraction and focus management, productivity, creativity … and community. 

Could your space do with some music? Might your headspace benefit? Do you know the impacts it could have on you? 

I’m writing this post listening to an Apple music station, ‘Spa’. It’s like I’m waiting for the massage therapist to come in for my relaxation massage. 😃 It’s a great way to start the day. 

During the workday when I need to focus, I’ll play the ‘Chill’ station. 

I write more about the benefits of music, white noise and ambient noise in my book ‘Argh! Too much information, not enough brain’. It’s a practical guide to outsmarting overwhelm.

And this great article talks about how music might help us work better in this new and changing hybrid world. 

I think I’d edit the title to say ‘your LIFE probably needs more ambient music’. 

Press ‘play’ more often. 

They're playing your song

Some further research from the Kellogg School talks about the power of music and how it's a mood shifter and energy maker and enables us to be more open and productive.

I think if you're not using music to your advantage, you're at a disadvantage.

Sports performers listen to tunes to pump themselves up or calm themselves down. Cafes and restaurants know the power of music to create a mood and ambience.

I've previously posted on creativity and using 'boarding music' and the role it can play in setting a scene. Further, on a recent flight with Emirates, as a few hundred people were boarding a massive A380 aircraft, I Shazamed their boarding music and found it was 'Browns' by British DJ and Producer Trus'Me - a pleasant and upbeat, chilled out track. On repeat throughout the entire boarding process, it set a sweet scene and it matched the brand and the modern flight environment of Emirates. 

What's your song? Hey, let's put the 'Theme from Rocky', Queen's 'We are the Champions' and Survivor's 'Eye of the Tiger' aside for a moment... I'm not talking about that type of music! (Although if those sort of tracks get you going, great.) 

Rather I'm talking about some music for your team or workplace, workspace or event that sets the scene, changes the mood and ... may not have been heard by the team before! If it's new music to their ears, there's the potential to create new memories, new states and new ways of working. 

2014 has been the Year of Rufus for me; Rufus (or in the US they're known as Rufus Du Sol) is a great independent Australian dance group and they have produced some music that may not be known by many of the people in my sessions and workshops. I find it's inspiring and uplifting music, and there are plenty of tracks of different moods to choose from. People always ask me in my public workshops and sessions 'hey, what's the music you're playing?'

I like to create a new 'mental stamp' in people's minds; so they're doing great work and the accompanying soundtrack is likely new to them. It becomes a 'production' of sorts - they're working on stuff and I'm providing a framework, a process... and a very cool sound track for it. 

I never rely on the music that the venue, meeting room or function centre has on hand. I'll choose and create a playlist on my iPad or iPhone and use that for the team, session or workshop. That's because Pachelbel's Canon may be one of the most recognisable pieces of music in the world (and oh-so many venues have it), but it's also most chosen for funerals and that's not the work I do with teams and leaders! Classical music may not always be best. 

Well known pieces of music dig up memories. Music helps people recall break ups, meet ups, parties, partings, holidays, people, feelings, weather, food, favourites and failings. Choose carefully. 

Westpac Bank ran a business women's conference and workshop over ten years ago and I can still remember the music - it was 'Suddenly I See' by KT Tunstall. It was such a new piece of music ... back then in 2004!

That tune was played at the start of the day, in the breaks, and as we walked out of the event. It was a fitting tune for entrepreneurial women of the day! 'The power to give, the power to be, the power to see, yeah yeah!' When I hear it now, that song has embedded memories for me of that place, those messages, that theme. But to play it now for an event... well you'll dredge up everyone's individual memories of that song. 

I'm always on the look out (or rather listen out) for music that is new, has broad appeal, doesn't have offensive lyrics and will match the mood I'm aiming to create.

The organisers of an innovation event I presented at recently missed a musical opportunity. Here was a full day of people learning, participating, speaking, contributing and innovating .... and it was quiet in the spaces in-between. It felt dull. Like something was missing. There were missed opportunities to shift the mood from speaker to speaker, from space to space at the event and given the times of day when people can be a little drowsy, moods could have easily been shifted and the energy lifted. The music could have reinforced the theme, the message, the energy and the state you want people to be in. 

So what's your song? What music would be playing that would get you up on a mental dance floor? What music positively changes your mood and shifts your energy? The earlier research from the Kellogg School I mentioned has some great hints about bass, beat and treble!

How would I know when they're playing your song?

Looking for creativity? What's your boarding music?

Next time you're about to fly in a plane, listen. No, not to the engines... listen as you're getting on board.

Over the past week I've flown Melbourne to Sydney, Brisbane, Singapore and I'm now Bangalore, India ... at the Agile and Lean Software Development Conference.

With some airlines, when you step on board, find your seat and settle in, there will be some music playing over the speakers.

These tunes helps set the mood, calm anxious or busy travellers and create an environment in the cabin.

I love Qantas' music selections so much that I've contacted them over the years to find out the names of the artists and songs.  

In their reply to me, they named these tunes 'boarding music' and sent me a list of the artists and songs.

Boarding music.

Here's what's special about boarding music:

• It's not the music that plays on the radio channels on the aircraft 
• The tunes are specially selected by the airline 
• It's not instrumental zzzzzzz 'muzak' like in a lift or elevator
• They're contemporary sounds from a range of genres, which people may not have heard before.

So it's often this music I choose to play in workshops, meetings, at team and board (Ha! No pun) events and whenever I'm facilitating in a group environment. Music gives people thinking time, breathing time, shifts the focus, fills the silence and helps make for a creative environment. I think it's even better if it's not instantly recognisable!

• How could you use music to make your - and your team's -environment productive, collaborative and creative?
• What sort of 'boarding music' could you use at the start of an event, conference or meeting?

Way too many events start to the sounds of silence! (Yawn!)

Think about what will inspire you and the people you work with to do your best work and choose tunes wisely. 

Even better... how's this: you can create your very own cafe sound effects (because that's one of the most creative and productive environments) using a mix of these great sounds from Coffitivityplus your own playlist.

It will drive creativity and build an awesome environment to get good work done, in a conference or event, in the office or in your headphones.

Now... press play.