A google search of the term “songs about teamwork” yields some familiar and time honored anthems. “We are the Champions” and “We Will Rock You” by Queen tops the list. When I remember hearing these songs at a high school soccer game or track meet, I once again feel that sense of being alive, of feeling that energetic crackle that helps us all perform well in high pressure situations.
So I’ve been wondering. How can we harness the energy of the anthemic, motivational song and apply that energy to encourage teamwork on the job?
Most of the songs I found in search referenced the idea of winning or persevering in the face of challenges, but did not overtly fit the bill as “songs about teamwork.” It occurred to me that perhaps motivational team songs are less about the literal, nitty gritty aspects of collaboration, and more about a mutual experience of inspiration and motivation.
Finding a song, or a group of songs, to fuel team spirit can help you approach a new challenge and increase engagement. Every group can benefit from a designated pump up team anthem to get the motivational juices flowing.
How Could a Motivational Anthem Help My Team?
If you’ve never incorporated music into your culture before, you might be unsure of how a team anthem could work. Let’s review some current science around the benefits of music to help you see the importance of song.
There is a large body of research that details the benefits of music to ease stress, boost productivity and heal the nervous system from the effects of burnout. Additionally, behavioral research suggests that pairing auditory cues with certain behaviors can create a positive association between the cue and the behavior. In this case that positive association could be between a song and feelings of motivation or belonging.
Here’s some of what science has to say about benefits of finding some theme songs for your group.
- Motivation – Various studies have shown that listening to music affects the brain positively. This causes an increase in a neurotransmitter associated with reward and motivation called dopamine.
- Brain Function – Interacting with music, either as a listener or performer, has been shown to increase neurogenesis (the regeneration and repair of cerebral nerves).
- Mental Health – Studies have shown that music has a special power to sooth the Amygdala (the head honcho of the stress response system) resulting in a calming of the fight or flight response. This can result in lower level of stress chemicals such as cortisol, which can reduce the intensity of some health conditions such as anxiety.
- Productivity – A study by sports psychologists showed that music creates higher performance levels in two distinct ways; delay of fatigue response and increase in work capacity.
- Behavioral Patterning – Research shows that in the brain, what fires together wires together. If your group gets pumped up when you play a team song, over time the brain will associate the song with positive feelings. The sound of the anthemic song could cue the brain to drop into “teamwork mode”!
How Can I Incorporate Songs About Teamwork?
If the idea of boosting motivation, supporting wellness and increasing camaraderie seems like a great idea for you and your team, then coming up with a playlist can really help.
Let’s talk about some ways to harness the power of music to benefit your team.
- Get Everyone’s Input – You most likely have different age groups, musical tastes and backgrounds represented within your team. Give your group a chance to share their ideas for a team anthem or a playlist of songs.
- Make The Songs Part Of Your Routine – Play your team songs at the beginning of important meetings or at the end of the day. Be intentional about when and where you play the songs to create positive experiences with your playlist. You could even plan a group outing to a concert.
- Encourage People To Sing Along – Whether everyone can carry a tune or not doesn’t matter. This is about group fun and not being judged for performance. Keep it light and upbeat and be willing to put yourself out there to set an example.
Getting Creative With Team Songs
With a mix of songs people relate to, your team will build a sense of camaraderie over time. You’ll create shared memories, just like you have with favorite songs in your perusal life.
And…If you want to take the power of song a step further, you might consider giving your team the opportunity to write their own anthem. Imagine if you weren’t just belting out “We Are The Champions”, but instead you were singing original lyrics reflecting pride in what your group does.
The music team building programs at our company, Kidbilly Music, bring together elements of collaboration, creativity, and songwriting to allow your group to write their very own anthem in a high energy, interactive session. Check us out for more ideas.
Music Your Way into Success
Songs about teamwork can help bring people together in a way that’s backed by science, with a wide variety of evidenced based research. The anthem embodies the resilient, powerful spirit of striving for something more. Everyone on your team deserves to feel that optimism and energy on a regular basis. Go forth and rock!