What can business leaders learn about experience from Taylor Swift?

Taylor Swift is an icon—as a musician, songwriter, performer, and business leader.? There is so much to unpack in all that simple four-letter word represents.

And many have tried—did you know there are entire college courses taught about her opus and her impact on intellectual property law? But given how much we all talk about Taylor, I don’t think we talk enough about how she is a mastermind in creating elevated human experiences.?

Quite simply, she consistently delivers experiences that are delightful and deeply personal across channels, geographies, and stages of the fan’s journey.? My 14-year-old daughter and I were among the very lucky who pilgrimaged to Milan this summer to experience Taylor perform in San Siro stadium to an adoring crowd of 80,000 cheering, dancing—and sometimes crying—Swifties.?

Here are three ways that Taylor excels in creating elevated human experiences:

1. Delivering on her consistent brand. We’ve all been to concerts that start almost two and a half hours after the opening act concludes. I’ve been to concerts where fans waited in between elaborate wardrobe and set changes.? Taylor is no diva.? She shows up on time and even features a countdown clock behind the stage so that you know when she will be there.? It seems like a small detail, but it makes fans feel like she understands their excitement and anticipation. And she is open about the fact that she cares as much for her fans as they care about her.? When Taylor’s team started passing out free water bottles to fans in the pit who were hot and thirsty from being in the sun all afternoon, I thought, yup this is consistent with Taylor’s brand: she is thoughtful, generous, and cares as much for her fans as they care about her.
2. Creating surprise and delight moments.? Why were we willing to fly to a different continent to participate in a concert that we had already watched in a movie theater??While we knew what we were getting with the Eras tour, Taylor has built in an element of surprise that makes every concert unique. We did not know that our ‘surprise songs’ would be “Wonderland" and "The One." We were curious about the new costumes she might unveil, and we had not seen her perform the set from her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department.?Taylor knows that while expecting an exceptional experience is important, little elements that deliver “surprise and delight” are just as important.
3. Creating personalized experiences. Each fan dressed in their favorite ‘era,’ giving them a personal connection to the singer and her music. They came with arms full of friendship bracelets to exchange with perfect strangers who were fellow Swifties. Many fans knew all the words to every song, and Taylor encouraged audience participation throughout the concert. ?In this way, each attendee could participate in the experience so much more than simply ‘watching’ a concert. ?Taylor understands that her job is to make each person at her concert feel like she is singing directly to him or her.? And if you watch the video in the post, my daughter swears that she made eye contact with Taylor during her song, ‘Antihero.” Iconic.

What can you learn from Taylor about elevating the human experience?