251 - Harmonizing Teams: Collective Song-Writing as a Workshop Tool with Sam McNeill
We all speak the language of music. It’s life’s medicine, a beautiful escape when we need one, and it feeds our soul in ways that feel, somehow, inexplicable.But there is of course method to the magic. Musician, vocalist, singer, and songwriter Sam McNeill has been singing all his life – from the Sydney Opera House, to the heavyweight headquarters of Spotify - he now works as a musical facilitator for SongDivision, bonding teams all over the world through the science of music.In their songwriting workshops, deep reflections take place, honesty emerges in the lyrics, and teams are given a new voice to creatively express values and reveal the unspoken.Press play and treat your ears to this fascinating episode with Sam as he shares his personal experiences as a performer, offering a unique platform for us to examine the intersection of music and facilitation. You’ll learn:Why songwriting is a powerful tool for teams to express themselves, encourage discussion and strengthen bondsHow music can remove hierarchy, putting employees on a level playing field in a workshop settingThe science behind music: how activating the prefrontal cortex can enhance creativity and set the scene for fruitful collaborationWhy failure is a better outcome than impartiality, offering us learnings for improvementThe parallels that lie between an artist’s performance and that of a facilitatorWhy a lack of clarity around what success looks like in a workshop can cause failureHow musical genres can help teams or organisations to better define themselvesDon’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.And download the free 1-page summary, so you can always have the key points of this episode to hand.Put the episode's best takeaways into practice with Skillding. Visit skillding.com/workshop to begin your journey from learning to doing. Track your progress as you hone your new skills. Start now!Links:Watch the video recording of this episode on YouTube.The episode with Rich Goidel we referred to on the show.Connect to Sam McNeill:LinkedInSongDivisionSupport the Show.**Click here to navigate through all episodes via this interactive podcast map.**If you're inspired by our podcast and crave similar conversations, consider joining Dr Myriam Hadnes' NeverDoneBefore Facilitation Community. **If you're keen to master the art of facilitation, discover our expert-led live, online Facilitation Courses at the NDB Academy. **If you enjoy the show, consider a one-off donation and contribute to the ongoing costs of running the podcast.