APOD Music

Why is creativity important?

• We live in a less structured and ordered business world.
• Solutions don’t come from the same tried and tested places.
• We need new models and ways of working for getting things done in this environment.
• Leaders must be able to improvise and rely less on a plan.

…improvising with the band long into the night, I learned once again about the joys of stealing good ideas, of jumping all over some entirely serendipitous passage, hearing intriguing possibilities in someone’s mistake…

- Jerry Hirshberg, President, Nissan Design International

What is APOD Music?

Music and psychology meet in this exciting new medium for personal and team development 

This pioneering programme provides a means for people to be freely and safely creative.  We challenge participants to escape the confines of the office environment and make music in a state-of-the-art recording studio.  The APOD team handhold them through the creative process to write, play and record original tracks regardless of their level of musicianship or previous musical experience.  

“Working with APOD is proving to be rewarding on so many levels. We set out to develop our teamwork ethics, but are finding that the programme also delivers huge benefits in areas such as empowerment, creative thinking, morale and motivation.

For most people, the prospect of spending a day in a recording studio, making music, fills them with dread. But guided by the skilful hands and minds of the team at APOD, a transformation from dread to wholehearted participation to the heady excitement of achievement is a fantastic experience in itself. Then, with the follow-up coaching sessions, the benefits to the business become palpable.

So far, 150 Sky employees, from both operational and sales backgrounds, have been on the programme and we are delighted with the results we're seeing. Thank you APOD.”

- Jeremy Tester, Director of Insight, Sky Media.  

How did APOD Music come into being?

This process was developed by business psychologist Jake Farr in collaboration with record producer Jon Hall.

It was born through observations of leaders and organisations and the realisation that the business environment does not always provide the climate or space for free thinking and improvisation.  The repetitive and fast pace of modern living means that many of us have lost touch with an essential element of being human.  Our ability to play and be free can be easily compromised by the demands of our careers and responsibilities.

Noticing the parallels between coaching executives and producing artists, both endeavouring to access an authentic self, a conversation was begun between Jake and Jon.  They are delighted, through APOD Music, to give executives the experience of being in a band and keen that real transformation for individuals and the teams and organisations they work within can spring from this. 

“I’ve never done an activity where I had such a natural high.  Euphoric”

“I ran an event two days later feeling much more confident and with less anxiety than I usually would have… I was more in tune with what was going well and how people were feeling -It all came naturally.  I now have more confidence and know something about how to achieve that confident state before big events”

- Simon Day, Organisational Development Manager, AAH Pharmaceuticals Ltd

The power of APOD Music

Being somewhere completely unfamiliar doing something completely unfamiliar forces individuals to think and act differently and learn something new about how they can operate in any situation. Learn from the world of music and musicians to improvise, create harmony and disharmony and distil the benefits of both.” 

“It was so good to let my hair down, not worry about directing things and going with the flow”

- Kirstin Irving, Chartered Psychologist

Can participants be tone deaf?

Participants do not need to be able to sing in tune, play an instrument or have had any musical training or experience. Conventional ‘rhythm’ is also not essential or required. This is not about making a hit single or about identifying the next Robbie Williams. The APOD creative team will find the music in you and it’s likely it won’t be what you expect.

What are the benefits?

• Develop a clearer understanding of how creativity can be tapped and developed
• Break down self-imposed boundaries
• Increase individual levels of resourcefulness
• Develop a culture where innovation is business as usual
• Develop more human and real relationships with people at work
• Provide insights into motivation and leadership
• Move beyond compliance to commitment and high-voltage performance
• Individuals find out something new about themselves and others
• Individuals recognise and respect their colleagues – at every level
• Unifying and developing teamwork and individual responsibility
• Re-charge flagging batteries and expand the box
• Have enormous fun

How does it work?

Through the course of the event the team, or group of individual leaders, becomes a band. Then, using a combination of electronic composition, drumming, lyrical and musical coaching (not to mention the resources of a modern high tech studio) the band create a track and leave with a professionally produced and mastered CD. Every team member owns the music they create. Every team member owns the band they have become.

Working throughout the event with a business psychologist, participants are encouraged to reflect on the process and its application to their work and lives. Partnering with our other offerings, such as team coaching, helps to ensure that the day in the studio is not just showmanship, this process has real bite.

Just a few ideas of where the APOD Music process might be used

• Classic team development partnered with team or leadership coaching
• A leadership or executive challenge. How would a team in your organisation rise to the challenge of making a company or conference anthem?
• A call centre team may be given the challenge of writing and recording their own ‘hold’ music
• A team start-up or team-merger
• An extraordinary part of a company reward and recognition process.

We also offer open programs throughout the year to enable leaders from different organisations to work with us. Not only will they realise the personal benefits from this, they will also witness first hand the benefits this process will have for individuals and teams in their organisation.

This process can be offered in a number of formats (for example 1 day or residential 2 day, and in conjunction with our other offerings.

“It’s taught me a lot about stepping back and letting things happen…experimenting.  The importance of creating space for stuff to happen”

- Laura Price, Senior Commissioning Editor, Cassell Illustrated, Octopus Publishing Group Ltd  

Peter Cook in his book Sex, Leadership and Rock ‘n’ Roll, Leadership lessons from the Academy of Rock, draws a useful analogy between music and business.  The musical analogies of leadership range form the highly formal and structured through to informal and more chaotic.  Rock ‘n’ Roll sits in the middle, which is where most businesses are, both tight and loose…

 Reproduced with kind permission of Peter Cook, Academy of Rock 

“The feeling of personal mastery is amazing.”   “It’s reminded me how important it is to play and keep creative.”  “Feels like this was a reference point in my life that I want to remind myself of.”