Musical Intelligence in Coaching
What is Musical Intelligence?
Coined by Howard Gardner in his Theory of Multiple Intelligences, Musical Intelligence involves the ability to perceive, appreciate, and create rhythm, pitch, and melody and to learn, compose, perform, and appreciate musical patterns.
What are some of the other characteristics of Musical Intelligence?
Musical Intelligence is also..
- sensitive to pitch, rhythm and timbre
- good at recognising musical patterns, keeping rhythm, at clapping in time
- easily able to use use music to express or evoke emotions, changes in mood
- able to remember melodies and repeat slogans and lyrics easily
- good at selecting background music
- sometimes deeply spiritual
It likes listening to the radio, record collecting, going to concerts, making music and singing, writing songs or music, working out to music, relaxing to music etc.
Incorporating Musical Intelligence in Coaching
1. Have Music to Set the Emotional Tone
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Invite your client to start sessions with instrumental or ambient music to create a calm, focused atmosphere. Ask your client for suggestions!
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Use upbeat music for energizing sessions, or soothing tracks during reflection or deep work.
2. Use Music to Develop Greater Reflection & Self-Awareness
Invite clients to build playlists of ‘songs for the unconscious mind’ for things such as motivation (e.g. to prepare for a meeting or presentation), confidence boosting, reflection or journalling etc.
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Ask clients to choose a song that represents:
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How they currently feel
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How they want to feel
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Their “theme song” for a goal or challenge
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- Music can help clients access emotions they struggle to articulate verbally.
- Use songs to explore other emotional states or narratives — e.g., “What song best describes your leadership style?”
- Use it to start deeper conversations about identity, vision, and values.
3. Encourage Musical Expression
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Invite musically-inclined clients to:
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Write a song or short jingle about their goals
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Express a personal story or transformation through music
- Select different songs/pieces of music to represent different areas of their lives or different stages of their career.
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It can be powerful for creative breakthroughs and emotional processing.
4. Use Rhythm or Repetition to Reinforce Learning
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Create rhythmic affirmations or mantras for clients to repeat.
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Example: “Breathe in strength, breathe out doubt.”, “Dance like a butterfly, sting like a bee.”
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Turn coaching insights or learnings into catchy phrases or mnemonics. It helps with recall and internalization.
- Use body percussion or clapping rhythms during group or team coaching.
- For group coaching sessions: try rhythmic ice-breakers or sound-based energizers.
What do you think?
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Do coaches who tune into their musical intelligence more often have heightened listening skills, picking up tone, pauses, or energy shifts in speech?
- Might coaches who strengthen their musical intelligence be more effective in active listening, which is central to coaching?
Séamus