Using Music to Activate and Develop Leader Character
In 2019, Mary Crossan, Cassandra Ellis and Corey Crossan wrote a compelling paper exploring how to develop “leader character” with music. Using research on music, well-being, and peak performance, they present how music can activate and develop character through a music-based learning method. Here are six key insights as presented in their article:
Music triggers emotions and memories associated with character— Music acts as a trigger to remind and connect us to emotions and memories. Thus, music can be used to activate dimensions of charac- ter that may be latent.
Music is deeply personal and exercises Humility—The personal con- nection to music is both unique to each individual and complex. For an individual to explore what music means to them requires activat- ing behavior associated with humility—being self-aware, reflective, curious, and a continuous learner.
Sharing music activates Humanity and Collaboration—Sharing musical insights with others starts to activate vulnerability, which then starts to support key behaviors associated with Integrity— notably being authentic, transparent, and candid. Sharing musi- cal insights also starts to activate behaviors associated with both Humanity—being empathetic and compassionate, and Collaboration—being interconnected, flexible, and open-minded.
Music transcends cultures and language—That music transcends cultures and languages provides a means for experiencing what it means to be interconnected—a critical behavior associated with Collaboration.
Emotions linked to Character—There are important emotions asso- ciated with various dimensions of character that have yet to be fully explored. Arguably, emotions around Transcendence will be dif- ferent than emotions associated with Temperance, for example. As well, the lyrics associated with various songs can be associated with different dimensions of character from those that foster optimism (Transcendence) and those that foster calm (Temperance), for example.
Music interrupts and transforms—Music may serve to transform emotions and experiences. We have a favourite quote from Frankl (1946)—“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In that response lies our growth and our freedom.” Unfortunately, there is a modicum of agency required to make that choice and arguably many people do not have the strength of character required to exert that agency (Sadler-Smith and Crossan 2017). Connecting to music may provide a means to disconnect from the toxic influence of either the context, or one’s prior history/story that robs individuals of their agency to access the transformative experience Frankl imagines.
To read full article, visit: https://www.springerprofessional.de/en/using-music-to-activate-and-develop-leader-character/16166076