LEADERSHIP FROM THE CULTURAL POWERHOUSE TAYLOR SWIFT: WHAT CAN PEO LEADERS LEARN?

It would be a challenge to live in the US in the last few years and not have heard about the cultural phenomenon that is Taylor Swift. Whether you read TIME magazine’s ‘2023 Person of the Year’ article, heard her name during a Superbowl recap on ESPN, or had a dinner table discussion about her concert ticket demand breaking Ticketmaster, you’d be hard pressed not to have had a story or two about the pop icon enter your airwaves. In 2023 the musician launched ‘The Era’s Tour’, (a worldwide concert series that has so far grossed over a billion dollars), to perform a decade’s worth of her music to millions of fans, breaking stadium records across the globe. It’s obvious from her business acumen and project execution that she is a natural born leader and role model to both youngsters and adults alike. Luckily, we as PEO professionals don’t have to be certified ‘Swifties’ or even fans to absorb leadership traits that will increase engagement with our clients and colleagues and drive strategic value within our own organizations. Below are a few pointers on leadership that we can adopt from Taylor Swift to strengthen our collective brands and inspire others.

EVALUATING MISSTEPS

While it’s often cathartic to discuss the outcomes of our endeavors, when it comes to business it’s far more common to review project successes rather than failures. As an ongoing lyrical theme, Swift commonly writes songs about failed romances and the challenges of personal relationships. Though this may seem monotonous at times, the ritual allows listeners to relate her stories to their own experiences providing them with a sense connection and courage. As teammates within our own organizations, we can learn as much from each other through discussion of why a project didn’t work and how best to approach similar situations in the future, as we can from celebrating the wins. A strong leader understands that missteps happen and by creating space to discuss inevitable failures, we set the tone for learning, and build workplaces where people feel confident to share creative strategies for growth.

CREATING COMMUNITY

When it comes to embracing genuine connection with others, Taylor Swift sets the bar high. We as humans have a natural desire to be understood and thus cultivate groups based on shared interests, and Swift’s fandom is a clear example of how people from around the world unify in their collective love of her music and art. Make no mistake though, the path her fans take to unite is a well-planned road paved by Taylor Swift and her team. From the very start of her career, ‘Swifties’ have been embraced and encouraged to come together in fanhood; from hidden Easter eggs in music videos, and secret codes in the text of album pamphlets, to friendship bracelets wrapped with lyrics to be swapped with other fans at her shows. Taylor Swift has intentionally built a brand that’s communicative and playful in a way that embraces fanhood and encourages connection. Did you know that Taylor Swift has hosted hundreds of fans in her own homes in anticipation of new album drops so superfans can come together to listen and celebrate prior to the record release? She literally bakes cookies for these parties. The emotional connection she cultivates by showing her genuine appreciation and love for her fans is uncommon and reinforces their dedication to her.

While it may not be convenient to host every employee or client in your home for an annual dinner party, leaders can foster a sense of community within their client and employee populations by finding new ways to reinforce connection and brand loyalty. By developing consistent practices (client spotlights, newsletters, idea-fests, annual team building) that help your teams feel inspired and appreciated, you can increase client referrals and watch employee retention stats become a measurement of success.

CREATIVE STRATEGIES

It’s not often possible to see every curve ball coming your way in the PEO business and it can be frustrating when outcomes don’t meet your expectations, but identifying new strategies that align our values with new opportunities for growth is why we love this work. Taylor Swift has seen her fair share of challenges, from missing the opportunity to purchase her musical catalog, and dealing with public slander, but she finds strategic loopholes to create silver linings. Take for example her years long efforts to re-record previous albums that were sold to another entity so that she can own and control her work, an effort that has further inspired additional albums. She also circumnavigated the movie studios in Hollywood during a SAG-AFTRA strike in 2023 by hiring cinema professionals and meeting the union’s standards to produce ‘The Era’s Tour’ movie. By releasing the film directly to theatres, she reinvigorated America’s ‘let’s go to the movies’ vibe and delivered the show to fans who couldn’t secure a concert ticket. How can we as PEO professionals look at challenges differently and reimagine strategies that are profitable and inspiring? Whether it’s core system improvements through automation or adding new offerings through partnerships, it is challenging yet rewarding to approach a problem from a new angle and to think outside of the box.

Finally, our purpose as leaders centers on our ability to help others find achievement. Taylor Swift does an incredible job incorporating her friends and peers to collaborate, thereby sharing in the music’s popularity and financial success. The undeniable phenomenon of this star has inspired many people around the world and even courses at prestigious universities, so let’s embrace some lessons from Taylor Swift’s playbook to further develop a unique and authentic leadership style that focuses on gratitude. Stay humble and remember how lucky you are to have the opportunity to lead.