Using Music in Meetings

How and why do meeting professionals make sure the sounds of their meetings leave a lasting impression? How can music be incorporated into meetings?

I love this topic.  I’ve been to several business meetings that have used music. And I love it when meetings incorporate music. 

The most stirring experience I had at a business meeting involved music. I attended a 1 day conclave in New Delhi.  The organizer had a professional singer – open the meeting with a devotional song.  I have no idea what the lyrics were – but I found the music incredibly moving. It set the tone for the meeting and I was thinking – wow – it would be awesome if we did things like that in the USA.

I was recently in NYC for some meetings, and to give ourselves breaks – our host would play happy music and tell us all to dance with abandon.  This helped us to physically shake off any dullness that comes from being in an all day meeting, but it’s also fun and bonding. The idea you can just let yourself go completely with joyful abandon in front of a group  of business colleagues – is REALLY liberating.  And the music was good.

Philosophically speaking – I think the use of music can be bonding. It’s why religious meetings (Sunday services) include music.  Whether you go to a Catholic Church – or a Buddhist meditation – the format of the service is the same.  Introductions, announcements, orientation, communal singing, some sort of lecture or discussion on whatever the ethical concept to be explored is and then more communal singing and goodbyes.  The communal singing and the music chosen – always helps to set the stage for the ethical discussion to come.

If we were to transfer that to a business meeting, it would obviously have to be secular music and not sacred to accommodate the diversity of religious beliefs in the workplace, but it could help us all – think about whatever it is we are discussing – in more ethical terms. 

Ultimately – music and songs, help us think about the human experience and often – about love and our aspirations. It about inspiration.  If we framed our business meetings, with music – it could very well help us think about business – more effectively, ethically and humanistically.  

Here is my list of songs that I find particularly inspiring as a Humanist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKP17G_zwgeLJHzNgfp-HavRVKCevUrDL