What we (business leaders)can learn from Taylor Swift
Tim Erblich
Senior Advisor & board member Ethisphere. Former Chief Executive Officer, Ethisphere, Board Chair, BeLeaf Medical, Strategic Advisor, Ethena, Former Board Member at American Diabetes Association Research Foundation
One reads and experiences much about the mental health crisis in America.?And it's particularly acute in teenagers.?Whether it is—at times—the cruelty?of social media, loneliness, the trauma of the pandemic, or too much time with one's phone; connection feels like it is at an all-time low.?
All of the data we see proves the correlation of connectedness to happiness.??
Over to Taylor Swift.?Admittedly I’m not knowledgeable enough about her music to be a Swiftie, but I sure am learning from her.??
A bit of background, a family friend who has selflessly helped us out so many many times during some really challenging situations has always refused any sort of thank you.?She did it for love she said.?OK, then.?I respected that.??
Eventually, I suggested Taylor Swift tickets for her and her teenage daughter.?Alright then, she said.?Bought some decent tickets on StubHub, not great not cheap.??A few weeks later I received an apologetic email from StubHub, the tickets I bought were no longer available, but I could swap them from a choice of seats-which near as I could tell were amazing seats.?How about that???
The show was this last week in L.A.?and wow the seats were great.?I saw the pictures and I saw a whole lot more outfits, singing, and tears.?As I went pretty deep following various sites and reading about Ms. Swift’s story and her music.?And learned about truly profound and needed things like?friendship bracelets;?why my friend had spent the entire month of July with her teenage daughter making over 100 bracelets to give out.?Think of that connection that was created, spending a month together making things simply to connect with others and bring joy into their lives.??
We all saw Ms. Swift giving those behind-the-scenes players bonuses worth more than $50M.??
I learned about how she dealt with public cruelty (Kanye), body image comments, her Mom having cancer, battling record companies, bad personal decisions, depression, and so much more.???
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I also read many inspiring reviews from often jaundiced entertainment sites ranging from Variety (“Empathetic” was in their headline) to CNN, NYT and so many more?“inclusive, empowering, vulnerable, affirming” were all prominent descriptors used.?I saw how fathers, mothers, daughters, sons, grandparents, friends, and strangers gathered unafraid and unabashedly around a common purpose.?Yes, purpose.??
That purpose to me was—being a part of something bigger and being heard.???
Isn’t that the core of what we do as leaders???Creating something bigger and making sure customers, employees, stakeholders, and investors all feel a part of that common purpose and are heard???
So here’s what I learned, that I think all of us who lead people and businesses can benefit from:??
As leaders, we are all faced with pressures every day.?And we have the privilege and responsibility of being watched and impacting lives.??
Hopefully, some of the things I’ve learned watching this incredible and beautiful phenomenon at a time when we all need it most are helpful in some way.??
Consider it our friendship bracelet.??
Realtor, NC Residential at RETSY, Forbes Global Properties
1 年Beautiful insight, Tim. Thank you for sharing.
Corporate and Compliance Lawyer
1 年Beautiful essay, Tim -- Values we all need reminding of.
Director & Acting Asst. Professor, UW Law | x-Microsoft | x-Meta
1 年Like you, I can't profess to be a true Swiftie. But she had my heart - and attention - when I spent the time to really watch Miss Americana. In a sea of people who seem anything but genuine, she stands out as quite the opposite. I love this piece - and hope we all grasp just a moment of the energy, message, and purpose the Eras Tour (and TS) put into the world right now.
Time Traveler. AUTISM ADVOCATE AMBASSADOR Polymath Public Speaker Spokesman for People on The Spectrum. Former NATO SHAPE HQ ?? Joint Military Operations Subject Matter Expert.
1 年Sincere servant leadership is both a prestigious privilege and real responsibility taught by Mentor Mastermind Magical ?? ?? QUEEN Taylor Swift to make her the most popular Music Maestro Made Majestic America born in the USA 12/13/1989. ?? https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/taylor-swift-all-hot-100-top-10-anti-hero-1235163664/amp/
Great post! Taylor Swift is a notable example of “authentic leadership.” Her self-awareness and transparency help her build a genuine connection with her fans. Taylor Swift’s ability to explore her own emotions and experiences in her songs connects her to the audience on a deep level. The music is important but when someone mentions a Taylor Swift concert, I think of the “community” and sense of belonging that they create. I agree that “community, community, community matters.”?Beyond the music and community, I also appreciate her leadership in being transparent about her struggles in the music industry, including issues related to creative control and ownership of her music catalog. She has been an advocate for artists' rights and has used her platform to shed light on industry practices that might not be fair to musicians. This transparency highlights her willingness to speak out about important matters and be upfront about her own experiences. It’s amazing to see how many lives – both fans and industry peers – she has impacted with her “authentic leadership.”?There are lots of leadership lessons that can be learned from Taylor Swift.