Push… execute the handover, or keep planning it?

execute the handover, or keep planning it?"It is...

Unwell… wonder what is out there for you?

wonder what is out there for you?"Are you trying...

3 AM… observe what 30 years actually built?

observe what 30 years actually built?"You are...

If You’re Gone… partner before the seat opens?

partner before the seat opens?"DAD!!! I am...

Real World… manage the seat before it empties?

manage the seat before it empties?"The cancer is...

Smooth… engage who comes next?

engage with what is actually said..."Wow,...

Heart-Shaped Box… renew by letting the Compression out?

renew by letting the Compression out?... working...

About Leading with Music

Brought to you by empoweringLEADERS; authored by Mark K. House.

While there are many blog sites on both Leadership and Music, our site aims to deepen the understanding of both – and do it in the length of a song.

  • Select a post (like the one above),
  • Hit play on YouTube, Apple Music, or Spotify for the music selection
  • Read a short article about Leadership 

In less than 5 minutes, get an artist to explore further with a bite-sized leadership point as you dive into your day. Buttons below take you to the previous or more recent post to keep reading. Join us on LinkedIn to leave a comment, and subscribe below for Daily or Weekly email updates. Share your own findings about #leadingWithMusic on LinkedIn, FaceBook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

Each week we select a Band of the week to emphasize a Leadership theme. Daily we emphasize one of the empower leadership competencies (to the left here). For example, Monday will always be about engage, and Sunday will always be about renew. All include real-world best practices learned from many years of global leadership and many mistakes that you can avoid.

You can Browse or Search for music or topics of interest to you. We are always looking for new Leadership Topics or Bands to cover and welcome your contributions to those lists.  Workshops using the power of music either virtually or in person are also available.

About the Author, Mark House

Mark has been immersed in music and singing since his youth, including singing in a Boys Choir at the 1968 Methodist Church Global meeting. He also watched as his Dad returned from meetings at IBM with his “songbook”, charged up by singing at offsite meetings regularly.  He helped lead music for his high school and college Youth Groups, and was part of a Bluegrass Gospel group as the bass player for over 15 years. As he noticed the absence of music and creativity in the workplace, he wrote “musical skits” in his corporate roles at IBM, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and VeriSign.

As he transitioned from corporate roles, he co-led singing for every session of his coaching cohort at Georgetown University.  It was there he saw the power of music to get strangers and teammates to bond quickly.  Backed up by the science in Daniel Levitin’s great book This is Your Brain on Music, he began a 15-year focus on bringing music back into the workplace.

This led to offering multiple Music Makes Me workshops at Georgetown and other commercial and government organizations. He is now structuring offsite and meetings around music, and as an anthym certified consultant, can work with virtual teams around the globe. More details are here. He is recognized for his ability to find a song or build a playlist for just about any occasion and looks forward to your tune.

Our Most Recent Articles

Sep 26 2026

Push… execute the handover, or keep planning it?

execute the handover, or keep planning it?"It is VERY important that you call..."... it was the late 80's, and "cell phones" were the size of a suitcase. My boss had...
Sep 25 2026

Unwell… wonder what is out there for you?

wonder what is out there for you?"Are you trying to get rid of me? Why should I interview outside ... now... and every year?"If you read these often, you know that I...
Sep 24 2026

3 AM… observe what 30 years actually built?

observe what 30 years actually built?"You are never going to be a good guitar player." He was right, and I knew it, but it really hurt. I was a college Freshman,...
Sep 23 2026

If You’re Gone… partner before the seat opens?

partner before the seat opens?"DAD!!! I am keeping the time ... NOT you!!!"Kyle... for the second time this week, taught me about Succession the hard way. I was playing...
Sep 22 2026

Real World… manage the seat before it empties?

manage the seat before it empties?"The cancer is back" ... said by a good friend, in the season where we were working 140 hours a week. Welcome to the Real World......
Sep 21 2026

Smooth… engage who comes next?

engage with what is actually said..."Wow, Santana has a new song out." My son Kyle said, "No, Dad... THAT is Rob Thomas from Matchbox Twenty!!" ... leading to the...
Sep 20 2026

Heart-Shaped Box… renew by letting the Compression out?

renew by letting the Compression out?... working 140 hours a week... there are 168 total... In one season I worked 140 hours a week for nearly 2 years. There are 168...
Sep 19 2026

Serve the Servants… can you execute a plan you were never given the reason for?

can you execute a plan you were never given the reason for?26 VPs, an NDA, and a spreadsheet with 1,765 names on itFive hours in Mountain View, a red eye home, and then...
Sep 18 2026

About a Girl… wonder whether the limit was ever the problem?

wonder whether the limit was ever the problem?20 minutes. 5 paragraphs. 13 unique sentences.Tenth grade English, deep East Texas, a classroom with no air conditioning,...
Sep 17 2026

Smells Like Teen Spirit… observe what arrived, not what you sent?

observe what arrived, not what you sent?12 people in the room, 13 versions of the orderIn a meeting I was facilitating, the CFO of a large bureaucracy came in to...