Ep73 How music can unite teams in unexpected ways with SongDivision's Andy Sharpe

Upon Arrival | Events & Incentives with Adelaine Ng

Music has often played a fan-favourite role in team-building exercises that take participants from unfamiliar territory into a new space of connectedness. But it's become even more important now with many companies going through mergers and acquisitions, leaving staff unsure about their future. How can enrolling members who are even slightly suspicious of each other into a lyric-writing exercise change that?
Andy Sharpe is the CEO and founder of global sensation SongDivision, which has hosted more than 2,000 team bonding events globally since 2020, making them one of the most successful corporate event companies of the COVID era. His musicians have worked with top artists like Cher and Justin Bieber. Andy has been named one of Eventex’s Top 100 Most Influential People in the Event Industry.
This interview was recorded at AIME, The Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event 2022, where SongDivision brought the vibes and turned word suggestions into songs, on demand.
Quotes from this episode:
"I can't tell you how many conversations I've had with CEOs of companies who have just gone through a big merger and acquisition...We get them to create music together, flood their brains with oxytocin, and then they relax and can have conversations about the future rather than being paranoid about what the future is going to be."
"The joy that we see from our audiences and the people that we're working with online is the same joy that we have in person. It's a different design for a different need."
"I've had conversations with people over the years where the idea of team building is just a waste of time and cheesy. They've never thought about corporate values and purpose. I don't try and win those people over."
-Andy Sharpe
Don't Miss:
-How an opportunity to work with indigenous kids started Andy's SongDivision journey
-The science and art of why music is so effective in team building
-Taking participants from feeling intimidated to confident
-Leading the company through the pandemic
-Why soft skills matter in leadership
-SongDivision's new direction in Leadership and Human Resources

Connect with Andy:
LinkedIn: AndySharpe
SongDivision: songdivision.com
Connect with Adelaine:
Email: [email protected]