Leadership Lessons Learned From Taylor Swift

This past Sunday evening, my twenty-two-year-old daughter chose to take me to see Taylor Swift’s sold-out Eras Tour at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA, where I had “the best day of my life.” Over the years, I’ve watched Swift transform from a young Country and Western singer to the most famous pop star of our time and a savvy business leader. She’s done so with dignity and grace, which we could use a little more of in the business world. Here are some of the many leadership lessons that can be learned by observing Swift.

Take a stand. For years, Swift did what she was told. She veered away from controversial topics because of backlash that might occur if she took a political stand or promoted a view that wasn’t especially popular. She now places her values over being valued. If she disagrees with a particular situation, she says so or writes a song that reflects her values.

At work, we’re often told to go with the flow and not to make waves. We do so for fear of what will happen if we swim against the tide. Don’t let fear stop you from doing what’s right. If you see a problem, say something. Take a stand.

Take your power back. When a man she accused of assaulting her sued her in 2015, she countersued for a dollar and won. It couldn’t have been easy for her to relive this moment in the public eye, but she didn’t let fear hold her back from doing what was right.

When she got into a dispute over her music ownership, she took control and vowed to record her albums over again. She mentioned at Sunday night’s show how people in the industry reacted to her announcement of rerecording these albums with skepticism by saying, “Well, let’s just see how this goes.” Many were waiting for her to fail miserably. However, they didn’t realize that over the years, Swift had cultivated a fan base who were committed to seeing her succeed. According to Billboard, from its release day through the most recent tracking week, Red (Taylor’s Version) has earned 1.56 million equivalent album units, according to Luminate. In comparison, the original Red has earned 351,000 equivalent album units over that same period.

The higher you go in the organization, the more people there are waiting for you to fail. It sounds cruel, but it’s true. That is unless you’ve taken the time to cultivate your relationships throughout the organization. Now’s the time to build your fanbase, so when you make a mistake (and you will), people will be rooting for you to recover.

Up your game. Sunday night was the fourth time I’ve seen Swift perform, and I’ve been amazed at her ability to outdo herself each time. Her stamina, creativity, attention to detail, and desire to give her fans an experience they’ll never forget are admirable!

How about you? Are you performing at the same level you were performing at several years ago, or are you taking steps to up your game? If you’re not moving forward, you’re falling behind. Approach each day with the mindset of continuous improvement.

Build your brand. Taylor Swift has established one of the most recognizable brands in the world. She’s true to her voice, an incredible marketer, and a savvy businesswoman. She’s one of the few people in the industry with deals to sell her merchandise right outside the stadiums where she plays, which allows fans who can’t get tickets to her show, to still engage in the Taylor Swift experience, which further builds her brand.

The most important asset you have in your career is your brand. Your brand is what people think about you when you’re not in the room. So, why do so many individuals fail to build a strong brand? People tell me all the time how they’re not comfortable self-promoting. I tell them that if they don’t toot their own horn, they won’t be heard in a sea of cubicles. You may be great at what you do, but no one will ever know if you’re a best-kept secret.

Be the man. This one’s for all the women trying to be “good girls” for fear of what others will say. One of my favorite Taylor Swift songs she played Sunday night is “If I Were a Man.” The song is about how Swift’s life is judged compared to men in similar positions. It’s a song that many women can relate to.

As much as we’d like to believe that women are treated equally in the workplace, this is not the case. According to the Department of Labor, on average, women working full time, year-round, are paid 83.7% of what men are paid, although women have more years of education than men. Women are most certainly judged differently in the workplace and life. Men are considered assertive, while women are called aggressive. Men are promoted on potential, while women are promoted based on performance.

Women fare better in some organizations than others. If you’re a woman and have to work twice as hard as your male colleagues, take action. Know your value and be prepared to take your show on the road if, like Swift, you’re sick of running as fast as you can. Wondering if you’d get there quicker if you were a man.