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Going Gaga–Leadership and Reinvention

September 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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One of the most enjoyable series of blog posts I have written was looking at the leadership styles of celebrities. I started with Britney Spears and Madonna, moved on to Angelina Jolie and eventually ended up with Conan and Leno – and in each of these celebrities I found some insight worth sharing. But these posts weren’t just fun to write, they forced me to look beyond the image – to dig deeper, below the surface – to discover a trait or an ability that wasn’t just more grist for the publishing mill.

This week I was reading the 12 Most … website and came across an article on Lady Gaga. Now, there must be hundreds of websites devoted to this talented and controversial artist (and dozens of articles, believe it or not, connecting Gaga with leadership) – but Shawn Murphy took a different approach. He wanted to find 12 nuggets of leadership insight that are often overlooked. This was something that greatly appealed to me.

Out of the 12 items identified, one in particular caught my attention. Reinvention.

Gaga takes down her platinum albums before recording a new album. Why? To start all over as though she’s won nothing. It’s a reminder for leaders that previous successes do not make us special. They do not make us better than others. We must always step back before moving forward when we take on a new project or lead a team.

This idea of stepping back before moving forward is important. Even as leaders we need to take stock and re-assess our position – and the start of a new project is the perfect opportunity. We need to treat each new challenge with the respect that that challenge deserves, otherwise we run the risk of replaying ourselves rather than reinventing. Just look at the way that the best musicians change and tweak the same songs they have been singing for years. They find something new or profound with every performance. Just look at this bare bones performance of the Gaga hit Pokerface. It’s one performer, one instrument. There are no dancers, no support singers. It’s intimate and immediate. As viewers – as an audience – we have the sense that the performance is only for us.

This is the impact that we, as leaders, strive for. It’s what Wally Bock calls giving the gift of attention. The gift of attention is something that should not only be reserved for our teams – it should also be given generously to ourselves. It is vital to our own reinvention and ultimate success.

Nina Nets It Out: Singing the same old tune can make us feel safe – but also stale. The leader’s challenge is to tread the line between the two. A bit like the modern day Madonna, Lady Gaga is truly an artist who shows us how reinvention can trump repetition while still delivering to her audience – and there is much we can learn from her discipline and practice.

Photo Credit: qthomasbower via Compfight

Filed Under: Celebrities As Leaders, Innovation, Leadership Tagged With: , ,

What Leaders Can Learn from Conan and Leno

January 27, 2010 By 1 Comment

52 Weeks :: Week 4Watching the way that NBC has been handling the Conan vs Leno debacle has me thinking … why do experienced leaders continue to make poor decisions when it comes to succession? Many organizations now have systems in place that help identify emerging leaders – the rock stars of our businesses – and opportunities and challenges are funnelled in their direction. With this comes responsibility, accountability – and hopefully mentoring and support. But all this is a two way street. If we expect accountability from our rising stars, we must also expect it of ourselves.

When we are thinking through succession plans – we need to consider not just who’s coming in, but what’s going out. That’s right – when a leader leaves, it marks the end of an era. She will take with her, her whole way of doing business – and the impact of this will be felt right through your business. Perhaps NBC weren’t ready to deal with this type of wholesale change – communicating the way in which this transition would be handled should have been clearer, unambiguous and ongoing. Communications around succession needs to be handled over several months, and in some cases, one to two years. After all, we all crave security.

Part of this stability comes from “doing what you say”. In NBC’s case, making an offer and then rescinding it has created confusion and uncertainty. Not only will this impact the financial performance of both shows (think of the advertisers and sponsors – or in your business, your various stakeholders), it also sends a morale breaking message to all your other up-and-coming leaders/stars. And when this happens, the talent that you have been nurturing for years looks not at your promises (which now seem empty) but at the rival offers which seem so unambiguous and full of opportunity.

Finally, remember that we are living much more public lives than ever before. You don’t need to be Conan O’Brien to publish your personal thoughts on your career. You don’t need to be NBC to create a news network. Facebook, blogs and even Twitter operate like 24 hour broadcast channels. So whenever you think “succession planning” also think “crisis management”. You may not need to activate your crisis plan – but you’ll be glad you have one if you need it.

Nina Nets It Out: The Conan vs Leno debacle has yielded some valuable lessons for leaders. As always, communication and clarity are imperative.

Filed Under: Celebrities As Leaders, Communication, Succession

What Leaders Can Learn from Chesley Sullenberger

January 18, 2009 By 15 Comments

Wheaties Box US Airways flight 1549Well if we’ve ever needed an example of what it really is to lead during a crisis, this past week’s U.S. Airways flight 1549 water landing shows us loud and clear.  Just moments after takeoff, the 29-year U.S. Airways veteran captain of the plane and a pilot for 40 years, Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger, knew his plane was in serious trouble.  Barely off the ground, the plane flew right through a flock of geese causing some birds to be drawn into each of the plane’s engines knocking them both out.  Passenger and crew accounts indicate the “deadly silence” that followed the loud bang indicating the loss of the engines.  The silence was broken by a calm, authoritative voice stating, “This is the captain speaking. Brace for impact.”

From that very moment, passengers and crew knew they were in for the ride of a lifetime, if not the end of one.  Even those that might not normally be prone to do so, began praying.  And in answer to those prayers and to their collective good fortune, this particular captain was not only very experienced pilot in the Airbus he was flying, but also quite experienced in flying glider planes.  And, of course, one interesting thing to note about glider planes is that every landing is an engine-out landing! So here they were, 155 people on board an engine-less plane, with a pilot well-versed in landing glider planes.  After alerting the passengers and crew, Sullenberger went to work determining his best course of action.  Try to return to La Guardia Airport, attempt to reach Newark Airport across the river, maybe head toward Teterboro Airport or attempt what had never been successfully accomplished – “ditch” the plane in the Hudson River.  Making instantaneous calculations, he determined that the worst of the options was his only choice.

With a steady hand, Sullenberger guided the powerless plane over the Hudson slowing it down as necessary, descending toward the icy waters, lifted the nose just before dropping the tail into the water in a spectacular splash landing.  People onboard likened the landing to a hard landing on a runway with only one impact and gradual deceleration.  When the plane came to a stop in the water, the composed voice of Sullenberger came across the speakers with just one word – “Evacuate”.  But, as they say, the captain goes down with his ship.  Sullenberger’s work was only just beginning.  With a sense of tremendous composure, Sullenberger exited the cockpit and assisted the crew with evacuation procedures ensuring that all passengers made it out of the interior cabin and onto the wings of the plane.  He walked the aisle twice looking for and assisting passengers in reaching a safer place before exiting the plane himself – the last person to leave the plane.

Within just three minutes, rescue teams from ferries, other nearby boats, and Coast Guard reached the plane and began taking passengers onto their boats and to safety either on the New York side of the river or the New Jersey side.  In what seemed like a scene from a Hollywood movie, all 155 passengers and crew made it to safety with nearly no injuries.  Remarkable doesn’t even come close to describing this situation or Sullenberger’s poise under such difficult and perilous circumstances.  He truly is a leader whose lead all leaders should follow.

Nina Nets It Out: Captain Sullenberger demonstrated astounding leadership qualities during this mid-air crisis.  He showed how a leader can keep an otherwise turbulent [no pun intended] situation where chaos might be expected, calm and orderly.  His calm, authoritative poise under intense stress with 155 people’s lives in his hands, created an atmosphere in which he was able to accomplish something never done before.  We should all emulate his behavior to lead with steadiness and ensure the well-being of those we are responsible for.

Filed Under: Celebrities As Leaders, Crisis Management, Leadership, Nina Simosko, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , ,

What Leaders Can Learn from Britney Redux

November 23, 2008 By Leave a Comment
Hang in There Britney

Some time ago, I posted a series on the lessons that leaders can learn from celebrities – and in this post about Britney Spears I explained my STOP approach to crisis management:

  • Story – I believe that a crisis is best handled head on. In a crisis, it is imperative that the leader OWNS the story – gather your facts, position the crisis in the context of your “big picture” strategy, and put forward your story. Remember, the crisis is about you and you will be judged by how you deal with both its resolution and its telling.
  • Timeliness – In a crisis, timeliness is critical. Take a few moments to map out a couple of key milestones that will need to be passed before your crisis is resolved. If you don’t feel capable of discussing details, explain that details will be forthcoming, but in a timeframe of YOUR choosing. Then, make sure you deliver on each of your milestones. Remember, to over communicate. Own the story. Own up to your responsibilities.
  • Objectivity – If you don’t know the answer to a question, don’t speculate. Speak only to the facts. Be serious.
  • Professionals – Sometimes a crisis needs the help of a professional. Reach out to those you trust. Look at your story, think about the timelines and figure out if you have the capacity to be objective. Wherever there is a gap, consider hiring-in experienced help.
Hang in There Britney

Interestingly, Britney Spears has recently embarked on a social media strategy, with a blog and a Twitter account (while I am interested in Twitter, I simply don’t have the capacity to commit to it). However, Roo Reynolds pointed out that in doing so, Britney has unwittingly stumbled into a crisis – for rather writing her own blog and Twitter messages, Britney had a team appearing as “theRealBritney”. As I read through the situation, I was reminded of the STOP approach – because I could see it here in action.

Since my previous post, Britney has clearly sorted out her story. “Her” timeliness has improved and by blogging and twittering, she is more in “control” of the story – it is more personal (and objective in the sense that it is not mediated or manipulated by the media that surrounds her every move). Britney has also hired in some professionals – who have now announced their involvement as part of “theRealBritney” team.

Will this change the way that Britney is perceived in the media? Will this produce a different kind of communication outcome? All indications are, so far, positive.

Nina Nets It Out: The STOP approach to managing a crisis is a simple, but effective way to focus on your communications during a crisis. Observing Britney Spears’ recent online efforts, one can see the STOP approach in action.

Filed Under: Celebrities As Leaders, Communication, Uncategorized Tagged With: ,

Ushering In an Era of Change

November 6, 2008 By 5 Comments

51 / 52: ChangeFinally after a nearly two-year campaign [although it seemed even longer], the U.S. voters have spoken – loudly and clearly!  In an historic election, Barack Obama won not only a popular vote by many percentage points, but he trounced his opponent in an Electoral landslide.  Regardless of your political stripes, the respect due Barack Obama and his campaign staff is both enormous and unquestionable.  Together they overcame tremendous odds on so many fronts – the first African American candidate with any true prospects of winning the presidency, defeating a seemingly unstoppable Hillary Clinton [and the entire Clinton political machine] in the Democratic primaries, creating a ticket with two senators on it when no senator had won the presidency in decades, and many others.

And now, on this morning after Election Day, our country wakes up in a new era – one that we can all be extremely proud of.  We, the American voting public, have demonstrated to the world that America wants to regain its position as a respected leader of nations.  We seek redemption for policies that have left even some of our staunchest allies looking askew at our decisions and actions abroad.  We have shown that the American public has, at times, a voice of its own – distinct from that of our government and our policies.  We should all stand proud at the progress achieved with the mere casting of our individual votes – according to Real Clear Politics, over 136 million people voted, the highest turnout rate since 1908.

We have also moved the dial on racial issues that have plagued our country for nearly our entire existence.  Surely, that dial moved greatly nearly 150 years ago at the behest of another political icon from the state of Illinois – Abraham Lincoln – who rallied public opinion through his rhetoric and speeches.  It moved in the right direction yet again during the civil rights movement of the 1960s led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. whose inspirational words brought about change in the face of significant opposition.  These two seminal moments in our country’s history set the stage for the events of the 2008 Presidential election.  Since Dr. King’s assassination, despite his incalculable achievements, our country has still lived without true equality for all, without boundless hopes and dreams for every child, and with a caustic racism languishing in the shadows of our society.

Some 40 years after Dr. King inspired a nation and 145 years after President Lincoln issued his Emancipation Proclamation, we have reached another milestone.  We can now proudly say that the United States is a place where race doesn’t limit one’s potential, where children of every ethnicity, color, societal class, etc. can dream of unbounded possibilities, and where all Americans and citizens around the world can look at the leader of our nation and see someone who by his mere physical characteristics signals that our country can change with the needs of the world.

As a business leader, I am inspired by the achievements of our country.  What President-elect Obama will accomplish waits to be seen.  But the very fact of his election by a majority of American voters, is proof enough that change is in the air.  We must all embrace this moment and look within to see how we can act upon the positive change that this election embodies. As Erika Andersen says:

Whether you’re Democrat or Republican, Green, Socialist, or Independent, I hope you’re pausing to celebrate the fact that an African-American has been elected president of the United States for the first time in our nation’s history.  This one event is having and will continue to have an unimaginable impact all over the world.

I am inspired to look at my own situation and determine how I can effect positive change within my world. I am thinking of Seth Godin’s Tribes “Leadership … is about creating change that you believe in”.  I encourage everyone to do the very same.  For as we have now demonstrated, when we as a collective determine that change is desired, we can make it real.  Now we must take the momentum created by this and show that we are serious about making positive change happen within our own realms.

Nina Nets It Out: Don’t let this amazing moment be fleeting.  I urge all of you to ask those that work with you, for you and above you to capture this moment, reflect upon its meaning, and identify and act upon positive changes you can make.  Rising tides do raise all ships and if we each do just one thing to make positive change, we will all benefit greatly and show that 2008 was a crucial turning point in our country’s history, our own lives and in each nation across the globe.  I’m not planning on waiting until January 20, 2009 to begin my own journey of change and I hope you don’t either!

Filed Under: Celebrities As Leaders, Leadership, Nina Simosko, Women

What Leaders Can Learn from Marion

April 25, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Without question, we all strive to do the very best that we can. And, it probably goes without saying, that, to a large extent, we are limited only by our own capabilities. Be it singers, actors, athletes or even students, from a very early age, prodigies often make themselves known to those around them. The challenge often faced by those that show such tremendous early success is to maintain exceptional levels of performance. This is very often easier said than done.

Born October 12, 1975, Marion Jones showed great talent even as a very young athlete. At age 8, living near Los Angeles, her family traveled to watch the torch relay leading up to the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. In fact, that very night, she went to her bedroom and wrote on a chalkboard, ”I want to be an Olympic champion.” Her destiny was made at that very young moment. She set her dreams in motion with a dogged pursuit.

By the time she reached high school, she broke several records in track and field including winning the California state championship in the 100 meter sprint for four straight years. Before her senior year, she was offered a spot on the American 4 x 100-meter relay in the 1992 Summer Games in Barcelona, Spain. For reasons that are not entirely clear, she declined to participate. In fact, in 2000, Jere Longman wrote in The New York Times: “Depending on who is telling the story, Jones either wanted her first gold to come in an individual event or her mother would not let her participate because her grades were insufficient.’’

After winning further statewide sprint titles in high school, Jones accepted a full scholarship to attend the University of North Carolina in basketball, where she helped her team win the NCAA championship in her freshman year. However, despite her success on the basketball court, Jones later made the decision to concentrate on track and field and to pursue her Olympic dreams from childhood. From that point forward, she became a dominant figure in women’s track and field, winning several consecutive 100 meter championships on a world stage.

Then came Jones’ shining moment. In the 2000 Summer Olympics, she became the first female athlete to take five medals – three gold and two bronze. Despite striving for five gold medals, this was an unrivaled accomplishment and she was without question the media darling of those Olympic Games. For the next several years, she continued to show success, but not quite at the same level, until 2006 when she came roaring back to top form, clocking her fastest times in nearly four years.

From her childhood prophecy to the top spot on the Olympic medal podium, Marion Jones was a true icon within track and field and a role model to young girls all across the world. But what came next was nothing short of devastating – to Jones, her teammates and aspiring athletes the world over. Despite taking years to admit to her wrongdoings, finally in October 2007 Jones tearfully admitted to using banned, performance enhancing steroids prior to the 2000 Summer Olympics. She publically stated, “…with a great amount of shame…I stand before you and tell you that I have betrayed your trust…and you have the right to be angry with me… I have let my country down and I have let myself down.” And just a couple of weeks ago, on April 10, 2008, Jones’ former relay teammates paid the harshest price for her doping offenses, losing their gold and bronze medals from the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

The lessons to be learned from Marion’s experiences are many. While striving to be the very best is a commendable pursuit, we must always remember to do so without veering from one’s moral compass – by breaking rules or laws. To do so in order to achieve a higher standing is not only inexcusable, but can bring immense pain to many innocent bystanders. For me, being 2nd, 3rd or 4th best in the world of track and field, as Marion would very likely have been had she not taken performance enhancing substances, is a far greater achievement than the path she chose.

Furthermore, what is amazing to realize from Marion’s story is the fact that this truly world-class athlete suffered from insecurities. You may be asking yourself how such an incredibly capable competitor could lack confidence in herself. But how many of us fail to attempt things in our lives simply because we don’t believe we can do them. I have been fortunate in my life to have people around me who encouraged, even pushed me [reluctantly at times], to reach beyond my comfort zone. What they instilled in me was the understanding that failure is acceptable and, in many ways, desirable for it rewards us with lessons that could not otherwise be learned.

Marion could have remained a true superstar within track and field if she simply understood the valuable insights that her story offers to all of us. As hard as it may be at times to reject myriad shortcuts that may seem harmless at the time, I have gotten comfortable over the years taking challenging, but more honorable, paths to achievement. I might have gotten where I am today faster had I taken “other” paths, but I so enjoy sleeping well at night knowing that I practice authentic leadership, as Heidi Forbes Öste talks about in her Women Sharing Wisdom blog.

Nina nets it out: Striving to achieve the very best is something we all should do each and every day. But never forget that honesty will always win out over false achievement. Also, don’t let personal insecurities wreak havoc on your decision-making. Rather, have confidence in your abilities and strive for your personal best. While we may each be our own worst critics, we are also our own best competition. Please share your own stories of times you chose the more difficult “high road” versus taking a seemingly easier, but less-than-honorable path.

Filed Under: Celebrities As Leaders, Nina Simosko, Women

What Leaders Can Learn from “This” Woman

April 11, 2008 By 6 Comments

Allow me to describe the early beginnings of a particular woman:

  • She was born to unwed, teenage parents in the 1950s
  • At birth, with her father away in the military, her mom moved away leaving her to live with her grandmother
  • She was so poor that she often wore dresses made of potato sacks, leading to local children ceaselessly poking fun of her
  • If she failed to perform her chores or misbehaved, she was hit with a switch
  • Moved in with her mom at age six, living on welfare in an inner city ghetto
  • Starting at nine years old, she was molested by a cousin, an uncle and a family friend
  • She repeatedly ran away and got into trouble
  • She became pregnant at age 14, but the baby was stillborn
  • At age 14, her mom, unable to enroll her in a detention home, sent her to live with her father several states away

Surely, by anyone’s definition, this early childhood was no picnic to say the very least. Fortunately, most of us don’t experience and cannot even imagine such an upbringing. Now let me share a few other facts about this same woman:

  • She became Nashville’s first female and first black TV news anchor in 1971, at age 17
  • She won the Miss Black Tennessee competition at age 18
  • She got her own TV show in a major market and won 31 Emmy Awards after just a couple of years
  • She is the first black woman to host a nationally-syndicated television show
  • A couple of years later, she won Broadcaster of the Year, the youngest recipient ever to receive this award
  • Nominated for both Oscar and Golden Globe awards
  • She has won countless awards within the broadcasting industry
  • She became the first black woman to own a production company
  • She launched a magazine that was dubbed “the most successful startup ever in the industry”
  • She was the first black woman billionaire in world history
  • She was the world’s only black billionaire in 2004, 2005, and 2006
  • She has been named the world’s most recognized person, being watched by over 35 million people each week in the U.S. alone and is broadcast to over 110 other countries
  • Finally, she has been called both the most influential woman and the most influential black person of her generation

By now, it may be apparent that “this” woman is Oprah Winfrey. Determined not to have her life dictated to her by such a heartbreaking childhood, Oprah’s story teaches us an invaluable lesson about how to overcome great adversity. And to be sure, the answer is a bit simplistic in its words, but phenomenally powerful when put into practice within our lives. Take a look at her website to see the end point of this transformational story – “Oprah.com is your destination site for expert advice on love, life, and relationships”.

One lesson that I learned from Oprah’s story has become a pseudo mantra of mine – “while we cannot choose what happens to us, we can choose how we react to what happens to us.” This is an important lesson and one which I repeat to myself on nearly a daily basis when dealing with everyday occurrences – traffic or bad drivers, mistakes in a restaurant order, work challenges, and the like. We all experience life as it comes at us and must decide, whether consciously or unconsciously, how we will respond. This may seem obvious, but I’ll bet we can all recall times in our lives where we can Monday-morning quarterback our reactions to certain situations and envision a better response which would likely have resulted in a better outcome.

Oprah, for all that she suffered in her childhood, chose – this being the operative word – to respond with drive, ambition and a relentless will to succeed. She could have simply buckled under the stresses that she experienced as many others in similar circumstances do. But this was not her reaction and the success that she has achieved by leveraging her power of choice is truly extraordinary. Oprah’s tale clearly demonstrates the ultimate power – the power to control our reactions.

Oprah is also clearly in possession of what Umair Haque would call “strategic imagination”. That is, Oprah has the ability to imagine fundamentally new possibilities despite the inertia of a current situation or crisis. In this post at Harvard Business Online, Umair looks at two steps of strategic imagination – taking a naive approach to your own situation (ie taking a certain course of action which may appear foolish to others) and making a leap of faith which is “being able to see and then believe in a vastly different, radically better future – and not being limited to seeing and believing in a grainy, washed-out future that seems depressingly inevitable.”

By pursuing the tenets of strategic imagination, Oprah demonstrates (and reminds us) that it is not our current situation, but the outcomes, the results and the impact that is important to the leader.

For in our careers, as in our relationships, we all must start somewhere; but the interesting thing is not necessarily the starting point, but rather the paths we choose to pursue, and ultimately the ending point that we reach. To be sure, we don’t always know where life will take us, but we can rest assured that we are not merely pieces of driftwood in the river of life. We have the ability to control the direction we go by making choices as circumstances arise. It is this power of choice that separates leaders from followers. Leaders choose to strive higher while followers choose to follow a leader.

Nina nets it out: Don’t let your starting point dictate your ending. Leverage your ultimate power to control your life’s direction. After all, we all start somewhere, and that somewhere is often out of our control. However, where we end up is, in large part, determined by our actions. I’d love to learn of some of the choices you made which have helped you arrive where you are today.

Filed Under: Celebrities As Leaders, Leadership, Nina Simosko, Women

What Leaders Can Learn From Angelina

April 4, 2008 By 6 Comments

One thing that you may or may not have noticed in this series is that all of the women featured are known by their first name. First there was Britney and then Madonna. And now this is about “Angelina”. They need no other introduction. One of the most effective things that a leader can do is understand the power of a personal brand. Ask yourself, how are you known in your organization? How do you stand out?


Angelina Jolie on goodcircle.org
Originally uploaded by goodcircle.org

But the personal brand is not just a name, it is linked to outcomes. What is it that you are known for? Tightly linked to the personal brand is an understanding of its power to create change and achieve outcomes. Angelina is one of those celebrities who are known for leveraging their celebrity to assist causes. Let’s take a look at how Angelina uses both her celebrity and her personal brand to achieve her leadership outcomes.
CEO of Angelina Inc

Way back in 1997, Tom Peters wrote about The Brand Called You and set in chain a whole personal branding industry. Personal branding is about branding and marketing yourself and your career — taking lessons from the marketing and advertising industry and applying them to yourself. As Tom explains, personal branding is both easy, hard and inescapable:

Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You.

As with any brand, there are what marketers call the “four Ps” that you need to be aware of:

  • Product — well, that’s you. You have to know yourself, your strengths, benefits and features. Angelina is clearly in charge of her own image. She understands that every movie role (ie every strategic decision), every appearance and every outcome she achieves contributes to the overall impression of “Angelina”. She plays to her strengths, reinforces her “personal value proposition”.
  • Price – not that you want to sell yourself, but you do need to understand your value. Movie stars command significant salaries for the movie projects they are involved in. They can also command the attention and energies of others.
  • Place – think of this as your career or work stream. Who are the leaders in your industry or niche? You need to place/position yourself within your organization and your industry. As Chris Brogan, points out, brands “stand for something”. The question leaders must ask themselves is “where do I stand”. Angelina’s position is clear. She stands for children and for education.
  • Promotion – how do you communicate the value that you offer your industry or employer? There is nothing I can add here. Celebrity is its own promotion.

But the celebrity as leader goes beyond the four Ps, adding a new dimension — Power (or the 5th P).

The Power of the Brand

Angelina is well known for her commitment to social causes — especially those related to children and education. And perhaps more importantly, she is also committed to networking and bridging the gap between the causes that she supports and the global business community. She has attended Davos, worked with the UN High Commission for Refugees and recently become involved in the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) — you can see the press conference below. Listen to the murmur in the room before she arrives and watch as the camera flashes light up when she arrives. This is power in action. Here Angelina is manifesting the five Ps.



As the Co-chair and Co-founder of the Education Partnership for Children of Conflict, Angelina combines these two passions and uses her personal brand to raise awareness and drive change. Late last year at the Clinton Global Initiative, she stated:

These are children who most need a safe place to learn; a place to heal; a place to learn reconciliation and a place to just be children. Some think we should only provide emergency relief to children in conflict … they say education is not lifesaving. All of us here today would beg to differ.

These are not words alone. This is a call to action. Angelina is articulately positioning herself and her audience as active participants in the solving of a problem.

Nina nets it out: Working with the four Ps and then activating the fifth is a powerful way of demonstrating leadership driven outcomes. Please share any of your own stories how you have built and activated your personal brand.

Filed Under: Celebrities As Leaders, Leadership, Nina Simosko, Women Tagged With: , ,

What Leaders Can Learn from Madonna

March 28, 2008 By 4 Comments

Since coming onto the scene in 1982 (yes, 1982!), Madonna Louise Ciccone [aka Madonna] has achieved accomplishments unrivaled by any other artists in the music industry…EVER. She has sold over 200 million albums, conducted the highest grossing concert tour by a female artist, has become the top earning female singer in the world with a net worth in the hundreds of millions, holds the record for top 10 hits, and this is just to name a few of her many industry leading achievements, culminating in her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame just a few months ago.

To be sure, all of this success has not been achieved by “taking the easy way”. Madonna has stirred controversy after controversy with her use of sexuality, religion, fashion and has reinvented herself time and again in order to remain relevant to the then-current (and even the now-current) global music audience. For over 25 years, Madonna has captured the attention, adoration and wallets of fans across the globe.

As with other of life’s learning opportunities, there is a great deal that leaders can learn from Madonna and her incredible ways. For leaders, she presents a great opportunity to learn:

  • How do you deal with innovation?
  • What techniques can you use to reinvent your profile?
  • How do you bring your management team with you?
  • How to you capitalize on success for the benefit of larger causes?

When you think about artists who are truly innovative, a few names instantly rise to the top – The Beatles, Elvis, Madonna, and Michael Jackson, to name few. All of these artists broke new ground at the outset of their careers. At various times throughout each of these artists’ careers, industry pundits and others declared them “yesterday’s news.” However, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, every one of these artists bucked the odds and, through clever use of innovation and reinvention, stormed back to the forefront of the industry leaving naysayers scratching their heads. For Madonna, her use of controversy to keep herself “in the news” is indeed legendary. And even beyond this, she has used her visibility to launch societal trends which continue even today. In fact, her influence on young girls is, for all practical purposes, immeasurable. It’s her innovative style of music, dance, fashion and even her steadfast defiance that has kept her from succumbing to the perennial notion that she is a mere “flash in the pan.” It is these same qualities that have allowed her to remain ever-relevant to audiences of all ages even as she approaches her 50th birthday.

One thing that Madonna has also steered clear of, that unfortunately others have fallen prey to, is management failures. She has consistently avoided the self-absorption that Steve Roesler warns of. She has partnered with great managers and producers throughout her career. In fact, Madonna and her management team have been proficient throughout the years at managing the overall Madonna “brand” and maximizing the outcome of nearly all endeavors, be they music, acting, writing or cause-related. It is the consistency of her team, led of course by Madonna herself, that has allowed such dependable success in nearly all that she does – and through countless controversies. Others, especially those that have selected non-professional management, i.e. family or friends, have suffered failures of all sorts including financial (think Billy Joel), career (think Britney or Lindsey Lohan), or life and death (think Chris Farley or Heath Ledger). But for over a quarter of a century, brand Madonna has rolled on, amassing billions of dollars in value.

In fact, it is as a result of all of her success, that Madonna has been able to leverage her platform to bring attention to causes close to her heart such as the plight of millions of children in Africa. She even adopted an African child herself in late 2006 (albeit not without the customary Madonna controversy). Madonna is also known for donating millions of dollars for the formation of a school for children and performing at several aid benefit concerts for numerous social causes. Her ability to influence others in so many ways – be it style, fashion, politics or social causes – is a testament to her command of what it is to be a true, model leader.

As such, leaders of all kinds – be it women or men, in business or in life – can learn plenty from Madonna’s masterful use of innovation to manage career crises; constant reinvention to remain hip, cool and relevant to ever-changing needs and desires of the marketplace; consistency of her management; and the ability to leverage her prestige for all sorts of purposes. It’d be difficult to think of anyone who has done a better job of these things than Madonna, whether in business, entertainment or elsewhere in life. She stands head and shoulders above others in her mastery of these important leadership qualities.

As someone who strives each and every day to learn something new, I am awed by Madonna in all that she has accomplished. She is a beacon for women across the globe as well as an exemplar for leaders in any facet of life. We can only hope that the lessons we glean from observing her will serve us in such remarkable ways as they did her. Rock on Madonna!

Nina nets it out: We all reach points in our lives where we hit a wall of sorts. It is at these critical junctures that we must think, innovate and overcome. Don’t let naysayers dictate your outlook; but rather, reinvent and recast yourself. By having a solid team and sticking with them through thick and thin, success is yours to lose. I’d love to hear stories of how you used innovation, reinvention and a trusty team to overcome obstacles.

Filed Under: Celebrities As Leaders, Innovation, Nina Simosko, Women Tagged With: , , , ,

What Leaders Can Learn from Britney

March 21, 2008 By 5 Comments

Britney’s brain is toxic
Originally uploaded by bowbrick

She is in the airport lounge. She is in the inflight magazine. When you walk past the duty free store there are perfumes. There is music and there are film clips. And she is all over the newspapers and magazine racks. Let’s face it, no matter how busy you are, Britney Spears is bound to have made some kind of impression upon you.

Believe it or not, there is plenty for leaders to learn from Britney Spears. In fact, she makes a great case study on how to deal with a crisis. Consider for a moment:

  • What management techniques can be employed to manage a crisis such as Britney’s?
  • What communications strategy should be followed?
  • How do you turn around a bad situation?

While we all may be fascinated by Britney Spears and her professional and personal downfall for voyeuristic reasons, there are actual, real life lessons that we can benefit from. On a personal note, I surely enjoy reading the tabloids and reading about celebrities and their trials (sometimes literally their court trials) and tribulations. For me, however, it is not about watching a car wreck for the purpose of seeing a car wreck, but rather, it is about learning how these folks, with all sorts of professionals to help them, deal with the situations they encounter. Selfishly, I like to learn from the mistakes of others so that perhaps I can avoid them all together, or at least know better how to handle them should they, or similar situations, occur in my life.

So, back to Britney. I think it is fair to say that most of us, if not all of us, can agree that she has not done a bang up job with “crisis management.” I certainly think that with all of her resources, advisors, handlers, etc., that she could have done a better job managing the media during her personal and family problems. Now, in fairness, the media hound Britney like a swarm of bees do a honey-filled hive which is clearly more than most people could bear. But, regardless, it is equally clear that her handling of the situation leaves a lot to be desired.

In my view, crises need to be handled by following what I call the STOP approach:

  • Story – I believe that a crisis is best handled head on. At various points in time, Britney dodged the media and avoided discussion. This meant that her STORY was not her own. It was left to the media to write from their own perspective. In a crisis, it is imperative that the leader OWNS the story – gather your facts, position the crisis in the context of your “big picture” strategy, and put forward your story. Remember, the crisis is about you and you will be judged by how you deal with both its resolution and its telling.
  • Timeliness – In a crisis, timeliness is critical. Take a few moments to map out a couple of key milestones that will need to be passed before your crisis is resolved. If you don’t feel capable of discussing details, explain that details will be forthcoming, but in a timeframe of YOUR choosing. Then, make sure you deliver on each of your milestones. Remember, to over communicate. Own the story. Own up to your responsibilities.
  • Objectivity – If you don’t know the answer to a question, don’t speculate. Speak only to the facts. Be serious. Too often, Britney’s flippant conversations are taken out of context. A more serious tone would certainly dampen the media’s enthusiasm.
  • Professionals – Few of us have the luxury of Britney’s resources, but sometimes a crisis needs the help of a professional. Reach out to those you trust. Look at your story, think about the timelines and figure out if you have the capacity to be objective. Wherever there is a gap, consider hiring-in experienced help.

Remember, Britney tried to dodge media whenever she could and that enabled them to write the story as they saw it, not how it really was playing out for her. Britney needed to over communicate. She allowed others to take liberties in crafting the story from their own perspective. It would have been better if she had owned up to the situation, and taken ownership of the story.

Let’s face it, Britney, with all her resources and cachet, has the luxury of being able to go on nearly any talk show of her choice and communicate directly with an admiring public. This is an extravagance that most of us don’t, and most likely never will, have. If Britney had gone public with her challenges and asked for assistance from the public and others, she would likely have found a more sympathetic response. But, by running, hiding and continuing her outrageous behaviors, she seemed to thumb her nose at the media, the public and a host of voyeurs. She came off looking more like an out of control freak than a sympathetic mom going through a difficult personal period in her life.

Anyway, this is Britney’s story now and while she has to live with the consequences of her actions, we all can learn lessons from afar which we can employ in our own lives. I, for one, will certainly be better prepared to manage a crisis in my own life should one occur. Thanks Britney!

Nina nets it out: In a crisis, employ the STOP technique. Don’t let a crisis overcome you – take control of all its aspects. And remember, I’d love to hear how you have dealt with crises in your personal and professional lives. Perhaps you have a lesson you can share with us all!

Filed Under: Celebrities As Leaders, Crisis Management, Leadership, Nina Simosko, Women Tagged With: , ,
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