How music is fostering collaboration and inclusion at ConocoPhillips
BY GUS MORGAN
QUICK READ
Three ConocoPhillips geoscientists formed a musical ensemble in the spring of 2017
This group is connecting colleagues and breaking down traditional workplace barriers
Fosters stronger connections and communications when conversation switches from music to business
HOUSTON — Inside a conference room at ConocoPhillips Center, Kat McFadden holds out her iPhone so the others can hear.
A catchy beat flows from its speaker.
Listen to band members’ thoughts and music.
Twenty-five years and my life is still Trying to get up that great big hill of hope For a destination
Heads nod. Eyes widen. Smiles emerge.
“Oh yeah,” says Kyle Krueger, saxophone in hand. “I do know this one.”
It’s the 1993 hit single “What’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes.
On this February day, seven members of Subsurface String Society have gathered for their first practice of the year. Topping the agenda: selecting new songs to master in 2019.
Rapidly evolving
The group’s three original members — John Templeton, Brackin Smith and Keith Winfree — are all geoscientists who play string instruments, hence the group’s name. Since its inception in early 2017, the group has welcomed many new members, and it’s been a catalyst for fostering collaboration and inclusion at ConocoPhillips.
“To make a sound people can tolerate, we have to agree on: tune selection, instrumentation, arrangement and who’s doing what,” said Winfree, Geologic Fellow, “so it parallels many typical team business activities.”
“Like all extracurricular activities at ConocoPhillips, these are the types of activities that bring people together and create community at our company.” —Kat McFadden
Connecting colleagues
Studies have shown that music brings people together, working as a social glue to promote bonding and coordination. The Subsurface String Society is doing just that, functioning as a bridge to unify colleagues.
Going over the group’s 2019 playlist during a lunchtime practice session are, from left, Bret Fossum, drums; Stephanie Erickson, violin; and Kat McFadden, vocals.
As a vocalist for the group, McFadden, director of Strategy & Portfolio, said music has a humanizing effect that builds rapport in the workplace.
“I think we get stuck into a rut of perceiving our colleagues as tools in our work environment rather than people,” she said. “The beauty of doing something creative like singing or playing an instrument is that we’re allowed to interact with each other as human beings and connect on a fundamental level. Once that happens, it changes the way we interact with each other, even at work, because we have bonded through a common passion.”
McFadden said she never imagined she would get to know the diverse array of people in her own organization through music.
“Like all extracurricular activities at ConocoPhillips,” she said, “these are the types of activities that bring people together and create community at our company. I want to see people thrive here and share the things they are passionate about with others.”
Smith, who plays guitar, said the group is always looking for others to join and bring something to share.
“We haven’t met a musician or a tune that we can’t find a way to fit into the group,” said Smith, Geoscience Advisor. “When we started, we did all of it acoustic. Then in summer 2018, we expanded voices and instruments, adding violin, basses, and electric guitars and the repertoire exploded. Most of us are ‘ear’ players and have a good time just making whatever anybody wants to lead with sound good.”
Practicing during their lunch hour at ConocoPhillips Center are, from left, Stephanie Erickson, violin; Brackin Smith, guitar; Guoxiang Zhang, trombone; John Templeton, banjo; Kyle Krueger, sax; and Kat McFadden, vocals.
A common thread
Geoscience Manager Stephanie Erickson, who plays the violin and viola, said even though the group’s members come from different backgrounds, they’ve found a common thread in music, which has been the catalyst for their friendships and has laid a foundation for stronger communication in the workplace.
“Having a positive relationship with the other band members brings transparency to our conversations,” she said, “and allows us to openly disagree and debate without hard feelings.”
Erickson said playing music also sharpens one’s business acumen.
“Music requires significant brain power,” she said, “but it’s a different kind of thinking than I do in my job.”
Bret Fossum, manager of Structure, Stratigraphy & Pressure, on drums during a practice session at his house.
When it’s time for the group to put away their instruments after their lunchtime practices, Erickson said it’s like hitting a reset button.
“My mind feels refreshed and my ability to focus after lunch has improved,” she said. “Plus, I’m just a happier person than I was before we started.”
The group’s drummer, Bret Fossum, manager of Structure, Stratigraphy & Pressure, said being able to work well with others is essential when playing with other musicians.
“Playing music together is the definition of inclusion and collaboration, and if you don’t listen to your fellow musician, the music reflects it,” said Fossum, who also plays percussion hand drum instruments. “I’ve played with so many different bands and on so many stages that I’m able to interpret what my fellow musicians are trying to do, which helps me to ensure they get to where they want to go.”
A universal language
Krueger, senior geophysicist, joined the group in December. He said the ensemble fosters collaboration and inclusion by breaking down experience, skill and cultural barriers in the workplace.
“We have high-level managers playing with new hire individual contributors and everyone in between,” said Krueger, the group’s saxophone player. “It’s a universal language that everyone understands regardless of your spoken language. This helps to find common ground with people at the company who you might not possibly interact with.”
Playing music has numerous benefits, Krueger said, noting that studies have linked playing music to enhanced math and problem-solving abilities. And, he said, playing music with others helps one learn how to find their role in a group.
“It shows them how to take pride in the success of the group,” he said, “as opposed to the success of an individual.”
And while everyone brings something unique to the group, Krueger said, they must understand how to fit within the greater group dynamic.
“It doesn’t matter how talented you are,” he said. “If you can’t blend, harmonize or play in tune with others, the group will sound horrible and no one will want to play with you. That is one of the most important abilities to have when working in a large collaborative environment.”
“Music as a discipline is all about listening and understanding how to play your part within the larger group. Each member has a job, a contribution to the larger sound and dynamic of the whole band.” —John Templeton
John Templeton, senior geologist, said music helps him form connections with his colleagues and sharpens his collaboration skills.
A forum for creative risks
Templeton, senior geologist, emphasized the group’s main purpose: fun.
“We’re all completely willing to make fools of ourselves, or flub every tune, but keep on playing and laughing, and constantly encourage and support each other in taking creative chances,” said Templeton, who plays the banjo.
Having a musical relationship with colleagues is beneficial, Templeton said, as it fosters stronger connections and communications when the conversation shifts from music to business.
And while the group’s growth has brought additional challenges, such as incorporating more personalities and instruments, Templeton said it has also expanded the group’s potential for greatness.
The group, Templeton said, is a safe, supportive space for individuals to try things, a musical haven that promotes innovative thinking.
“It’s a forum to take creative risks,” he said, “and laugh and keep playing when it doesn’t work the first time. ‘Let’s try it again!’ is a commonly heard request at the end of a challenging piece.”
Practicing during their lunch hour at ConocoPhillips Center are, from left, Kyle Krueger, sax; Brackin Smith, guitar; Keith Winfree, guitar; John Templeton, banjo; Stephanie Erickson, violin; and Guoxiang Zhang, trombone.
John Templeton, senior geologist, plays banjo for The Subsurface String Society. “Obviously, banjo is sort of a bluegrass-defining instrument,” he said. “But I tend to favor non-traditional types of banjo music; rock songs played on the banjo, or jazz tunes, or what Keith (Winfree) and I call ‘Newgrass’ tunes. I don’t like being pigeonholed into bluegrass as a strict genre just because I play the banjo. This group is about the most fun I could be having, musically. I get to delve into a wide variety of stuff.”
Geoscience Manager Stephanie Erickson said playing music improves her focus and concentration. “Music requires significant brain power, but it’s a different kind of thinking than I do in my job, so when it’s time to put away our instruments, my mind feels refreshed and my ability to focus after lunch has improved. Plus, I’m just a happier person than I was before we started.”
Kat McFadden, director of Strategy & Portfolio, said music has a way of bringing people together. “I never imagined I would get to know the diverse array of people in my own organization in the manner that I have through music,” she said. “I think we get stuck into a rut of perceiving our colleagues as tools in our work environment rather than people. The beauty of doing something creative like singing or playing an instrument is that we are allowed to interact with each other as human beings and connect on a fundamental level. Once that happens, it changes the way we interact with each other even at work because we have bonded through a common passion.”
Geoscience Advisor Brackin Smith said the Subsurface String Society fosters inclusion and collaboration: “We haven’t met a musician or a tune that we can’t find a way to fit into the group. We’re always looking for others to join and bring something to share.” Smith plays guitar, both acoustic and electric. “I started when I was 12, learning from a book and then bought a better guitar a couple of years later so I could play ‘unplugged’ versions of what I liked on the radio, and learned a lot from playing with others. I got into electric guitar in my 30s.”
Practicing “Africa” during a February jam session at Bret Fossum’s house are, from left, Bret Fossum, drums; Alejandro Perozo, bass; Stephanie Erickson, violin; Brackin Smith, guitar; Paul Johnson, vocals; and John Templeton, banjo.
Geoscience Advisor Brackin Smith grew up listening to musical artists such as Eric Clapton, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Toto, Earth Wind and Fire, ELO, Rush and Stevie Ray Vaughan. “Blues comes natural to me,” he said.
Geologic Fellow Keith Winfree said playing music together requires collaboration. “To make a sound people can tolerate,” he said, “we have to agree on: tune selection, instrumentation, arrangement and who’s doing what, so it parallels many typical team business activities.”
John Templeton, senior geologist, started playing banjo nearly 20 years ago. “I chose it because it could be a good campfire instrument that was not the guitar,” he said. “I knew too many other guitar players and knew I’d never be able to offer something unique from that instrument. Plus, I was in Chapel Hill, N.C., at the time, in college, and had a number of friends who were learning and playing a lot of bluegrass, so I had a context and community to be part of.”
Practicing during their lunch hour at ConocoPhillips Center are, from left, Keith Winfree, guitar; Stephanie Erickson, violin; Brackin Smith, guitar; Guoxiang Zhang, trombone; John Templeton, banjo; Kyle Krueger, sax; and Kat McFadden, vocals.
Kyle Krueger, senior geophysicist, said classic and progressive rock are his favorite to listen to but rap, jazz, blues, pop all have their place in the rotation. When it comes to playing music, Krueger likes classical, which, he said, is a bit odd since there aren’t a lot of saxophones in classical music. “But it’s how I was trained growing up.” He started playing saxophone in the fourth grade because his grandfather plays it. “Most of my family is musical,” he said. “I played in the school band with both of my brothers and have played in several horn sections in classic rock/blues cover bands with my dad.”
Vocalist Kat McFadden, director of Strategy & Portfolio, grew up listening to Nine Inch Nails and Sarah MacLauchlan. “Like all extracurricular activities at ConocoPhillips,” she said, “these are the types of activities that bring people together and create community at our company. We spend more time at work than we do at home. I want to see people thrive here and share the things they are passionate about with others.”
Bret Fossum, manager of Structure, Stratigraphy & Pressure, said playing music with others is the definition of inclusion and collaboration. “If you don’t listen to your fellow musician, the music reflects it. Music is a connection to the creative side of myself, and it’s manifested in playing and expressing myself. I’ve played with so many different bands and on so many stages that I’m able to interpret what my fellow musicians are trying to do, which helps me to ensure they get where they want to go.”
Geologic Fellow Keith Winfree primarily plays guitar, mostly acoustic. But he also plays mandolin and banjo. “I started playing guitar in 1969; that’s just what you did. Through friends I got into bluegrass so that lead to the others. The single biggest influence on my repertoire and approach is the late Doc Watson. I spend a lot of time listening to jazz guitars such as Ralph Towner and John Abercrombie.”
Kat McFadden, director of Strategy & Portfolio, has played a major role in organizing and expanding The Subsurface String Society. She established the group’s communications network and worked with management to get approval for the group’s performances. “Organizing a band is hard,” she said. “We’re like a herd of excited kittens ready to take on the giant cat tree. We all have different musical styles and backgrounds and experiences, and so getting aligned on what we want to do and how we want to do it requires good communication. More than anything, it require passion from those involved to step up and work together to see an event to fruition. The way we went about this process is no different than organizing a team for a project and executing it — it’s all teamwork.”
Geoscience Manager Stephanie Erickson during a practice session. Some of her favorite musical artists include Dixie Chicks, Allison Kraus and Union Station, U2 and Aaron Copland.
Paul Johnson, principal reserves engineer, takes the lead on “Africa” during a recent practice session at Bret Fossum’s house. At right is John Templeton on banjo.
Bret Fossum, manager of Structure, Stratigraphy & Pressure, is the group’s drummer, but he also plays percussion hand instruments including congas, bongos, djembe and cajon. “The drummer,” he said, “along with the bass player are responsible for the rhythm and foundation of the music.” After high school, he was offered a four-year free ride at a college in North Dakota (Mayville), which is one of the better music schools in the region. “I turned it down and went to study geology and engineering instead, but I’ve kept my passion for playing always.”
Geoscience Manager Stephanie Erickson plays her violin during a lunchtime practice session at ConocoPhillips Center. “Songs with opportunities for both vocal harmony as well as violin are my favorite,” she said.
Kat McFadden, director of Strategy & Portfolio at ConocoPhillips, said singing helps her relieve stress and unwind. “My background is Irish folk music, but I’ve found with this group, I lend really well to 40s jazz style. My favorite song last year was “I Will Survive” with an acapella opening that I really felt I could settle into.”
Sax player Kyle Krueger, senior geophysicist, said playing music is a great way to improve business acumen. “Lots of studies have been used to correlate music playing to mathematical and problem-solving abilities,” he said. “It also helps you learn how to find your role in a group and to take pride in the success of the group as opposed to the success of an individual. You bring something unique, but you must understand how you fit within the greater group dynamic. It doesn’t matter how talented you are, if you can’t blend, harmonize, or play in tune with others, the group will sound horrible and no one will want to play with you. That is one of the most important abilities to have when working in a large collaborative environment.”
Matt Gerard, who recently retired from ConocoPhillips, remains an active member of the band. Stephanie Erickson had played with Gerard, who plays bass and guitar, in a church band in Bartlesville, Okla., so she invited him to join the group.
Geoscience Manager Stephanie Erickson said she plays violin because when she was in fourth grade it was the only instrument you could learn to play. “If you wanted to play trumpet or French horn,” she said, “then you had to wait until fifth grade to start.”
Subsurface String Society members during a recent practice at Bret Fossum’s home studio.
At a glance
WHAT: Subsurface String Society, a musical ensemble at ConocoPhillips
FORMATION: Spring 2017
ORIGINAL MEMBERS: John Templeton, Brackin Smith and Keith Winfree
ADDITIONAL MEMBERS: Kat McFadden, vocals; Stephanie Erickson, violin; Alejandro Perozo, bass; Brenton Chentnik, guitar; Matt Gerard, bass, guitar; Kyle Krueger, saxophone; Paul Johnson, guitar; Guoxiang Zhang, trombone; Bret Fossum, drums, percussion hand instruments; Dave Mabee, vocals; Judy Roper, vocals; and Will Smith, vocals
FAST FACT: In the beginning, the group was purely acoustic, focusing on bluegrass, folk and blues
QUICK QUOTE: “Our purpose is to get together and have fun, and we do that by collaborating. Collaborating musically is extremely personal and dynamic. If you don’t do it well, it sounds bad. If you don’t take turns sharing the spotlight, it’s not much fun. So, when we get together, we’re building our collaborative muscles that we use for more serious business.” — Keith Winfree
TUNES IN PROGRESS: “Africa,” “What’s Up,” and “Moondance”
