How does listening to music make me better at delivering organisational change?

The other day I started a workshop with a funding institution by asking everyone to share something that they feel is relevant to their work that others might assume is irrelevant. Part of the reason for asking this is to remind everyone that we have unique experiences outside of work that inform the ways we approach our work, and part of it was to get people thinking more creatively about how they bring different stimulus to help them navigate complex issues.?

And it reminded me that my love of music is actually an incredibly central tool for my work which even I often undervalue. As a result of this question I’ve recognised that the things I do for pleasure, such as DJing, boxing and sex, can often be oversimplified for the role they play in my life and are more profoundly important in shaping my thinking than I might have realised.?

Here’s just some examples of how music might impact the way I approach my work (and a new playlist for you all to enjoy with my examples):

Lyrics that make complex things simple/obvious

When I do work that is politically charged or culturally complex it can be easy to be drawn down rabbit holes or get distracted by thinking you need to play the games of the system or the organisation in order to create change. And in those moments when I put my headphones so many artists speak to what I’m experiencing and give me the language I might need to take a simple next step.?

The amount of times Power by Bastille has arrived just in time on my headphones to remind me that whatever the scenario is, no matter how extreme or mild, all humans have the ability to take advantage of their power and manipulate people.? And when I hear Chris and the Queens singing “I hear them talking about it, it sounds like the same old song… do you wanna spend the day in the water?” it reminds me that humans get trapped in loops and that sometimes the answer is simply to make everyone feel safe again, or to just take some time out.

Keeping me grounded

When I first chose to leave my job in Tech I’d say it was partly thanks to George the Poet's 'Search Party' . "I believe in social enterprise, better education and decent wages” is a line that reminded me that sometimes straightforward solutions are important. And it’s part of what gave me the courage to start the work placement programmes I used to run via Collaborative Future because I felt there was some really practical things I could prioritise that would benefit society.?

When I listen to ‘Stick together' by Cistem Failure, I’m reminded that we need to pay attention to those around us and that change itself will be possible if we care for and centre our communities, rather than fuelling spirals of panic and paranoia. And when I listen to Rum.Gold singing “restricting but can feel so nice…. Scared to turn the page. It’s a cashmere cage” I’m reminded to get out of my comfort zone and pay attention to how I might be perpetuating oppressive norms just because they feel familiar.?

Seeing shapes

My autistic brain very much thinks in shapes. Words are shapes, and sounds are 3d shapes I could literally reach out and touch. Music reminds me of the magic of how my brain operates and makes me reconsider how I process and communicate what I’m experiencing and seeing in my work.?

Pretty much any Fred…again song has a wonderful amount of shape making layers and beats. As an example with? "Dermot" the way the piano moves in and out of focus with a simple swaying shape; the angular beats and how they stack and move the song forward; the repeated waves that crash at particular moments; the staccato shape that some of the shorter vocal samples make; creates a really simple picture for me around how change can feel and the many layers of movement and static and patterns that can occur.

Or with the likes of? “Movement" by Hozier I particularly love the shape the layered vocals of “When you move I move” creates because it reminds me of the twisting/turning shape that people gathering their voices can generate (and I’m always a sucker for when lyrics mirror the sound the artist creates).?

Finding rhythm and flow

On the theme of movement sometimes Music can play a very straightforward role of helping me access a sense of rhythm in my work. Listening to 'Move' by Beyonce builds my confidence and focus when trying to push through with tasks I’m finding challenging. And 'The Descent' by Bastille?has a constant heart beat in the verse, followed by a more flowing chorus, until it eventually concludes with a really slow outro which settles my brain. I'll often listen to this on repeat when I need to zoom in and out on an issue.

Forcing me to take a breath

Any music I listen to can also help me switch off my brain and take time to sit with my feelings and take a breath. But there’s a few songs that have explicit lyrics that get me to explicitly make more space for that too. 'Energy Budget' by Toni Jones reminds me of my capacity and the way people can drain your energy if you’re not careful and after listening to it I’ll often take an action around how I protect that energy.? And the slow and steady beat underneath the way Charlotte Day Wilson sings “It’s gonna take a bit of work” reminds me that change doesn’t occur instantly, that it can feel like an uphill battle and to go steady with that.?

Keeping me light

I could dance to "Worth it." by RAYE over and over again. And getting me into my body and moving around is the fastest way to unsticking my brain and lifting the weight I feel when I’m knee deep in trying to unravel toxic cultures. And listening to the likes of “Burning down the house” by Paramore (yes specifically this cover, not Talking Heads) helps me see the the funny side of burning stuff to the ground, turning reality on it’s head and experimenting with ideas just for the fun of it!

What things do you do / experience/ practice that might seem irrelevant but actually substantially inform and shape your work?