[Beyonce doesn’t just sit at the table. She builds a better one.]
Sheryl Sandberg | COO | Facebook
Happy Birthday ‘Yonce!
At 34. She’s achieved a lot.
| Most Grammy nominated woman ever |
| Net worth of $250m |
| First black singer to ever grace the cover of Vogue |
| Lead TIME’s Top 100 Most Influential People in the World |
[The list goes on]
Arguably, her most successful accolade is her [Personal Brand], for which the above would not have been possible without.
She’s strong, powerful, influential & in control. She’s also relatable, likeable and humble.
So what we can learn from Beyonce’s Personal Brand?
[The Ultimate Number 1 | Be yourself | Be the Boss.]
Because you won’t get very far otherwise.
What makes Beyonce the super woman she is, is her [authenticity]. When asking people what they want in a leader, authenticity is the number one trait. Beyonce is an authentic leader, that’s why people follow her. She knows who she is and what she wants and she’s not afraid to express that – and you shouldn’t either.
Beyonce has extremely strong core values; that’s why she’s influential, because people know what to expect from her. She has created a brand which portrays that and that is extremely true to herself. She has integrity, allowing her to [make choices] which align with her values. Integrity breeds respect, which Beyonce has in abundance – across many platforms and industries; music, the arts, equality, health and wellbeing and religion. Ask yourself the question; what values matter to you? Do you stay true to them? Do they guide the decisions they make?
This is where true authenticity is born and bred.
[Influence and Empower – For The Better]
Being a true leader is about instilling positive change in others, it’s being an enabler – empowering others around you to achieve their true potential whilst creating something exceptional together. Use your voice to speak up for the things and the people you believe in, support and motivate others, knowing that together we can do better. Don’t be so focused on your own career your forget others around you, use your energy and success to inspire and inflict positive change no matter where you go.
[Use Your People.]
Remember the Beck vs Beyonce debate? You’ll probably have seen this graphic somewhere.
I remember feeling slightly confused when this debate was circulating, perhaps it’s because I’m not necessarily that seriously into music, I just enjoy listening to what appeals to my ears, but I believe there was huge debate within the music industry. For me, looking at that, it tells me Beyonce has leveraged her resources and utilised an excellent network, producing a thought-provoking, vibrant, sensuous and punchy album, full of talent. In my opinion, this just solidifies that cliché we all know and love
[use your network]
Use others around you to create something brilliant.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, by one man, was it?
Don’t Try to Please Everyone | Take Control
Quite unusual for Beyonce, she was accused of lip-syncing at Obama’s Inauguration Day. With the continuous whispers of the media being, of course, unrelenting; instead of trying to ignore them, Beyonce embraced them. With the threat of the rumours overshadowing her upcoming Superbowl performance, Beyonce took control and admitted she did in fact have a little help from a backing track; she’s a perfectionist and didn’t feel comfortable performing on the day due to a lack of time to practice. Don’t let others define you and don’t feel pressured into performing or doing things in a certain way. Do what’s best for you and be transparent about it.
[The Element of Surprise]
Surprise is essentially doing the reverse of expectation. Exactly what Beyonce done when she dropped her album in 2013, out of the blue, with no marketing spend whatsoever. What turned out to be the most successful album of the year – Beyonce flipped the norm, creating a flurry of excitement and activity all around the world. Not only did she surprise her fans, but she surprised the whole industry.
Take inspiration from this; do things differently, take [educated] risks, think outside of the norm and challenge assumptions – get the timing and the environment right and plan your surprise well – and I guarantee you’ll be remembered for it.
Be Innovative in Your Delivery:
It’s so easy to get comfortable, in our day-to-day careers, working furiously hard to deliver, hardly ever lifting your head above the parapet. This is dangerous; we miss opportunities when this happens, in a world of such fierce competition it is imperative to be anticipatory of the movement of the curve.
You’ll always get what you’ve always got, if you always do, what you’ve always done.
Beyonce releasing an entirely visual album was risky, it was expensive, it’s ‘just not how it’s done’. The surprise release of her album was not only unexpected, but the delivery was different, innovative and impactful, the visuals deepen the listening experience and the portrayal of her brand – she engages with us on an intense level, exciting us and always leaves us wondering what’s coming next. Even if we’re unsure of what she’ll deliver, there is a expectation (and element of certainty) that it will be brilliant – wouldn’t you like to leave that legacy? A reputation of an innovative approach and a courage to be different will establish definition and a strong desire from others to work with you.
Don’t Be Afraid to Be Vulnerable:
Beyonce’s popularity is unrelenting. She’s successful, beautiful, strong & powerful but she’s also relatable, she is at times vulnerable with us.
Albeit, an inherently private person and reported introvert, she picks and chooses times to show us the Beyonce ‘off stage’, regularly showing us the stripped back, more natural version of herself. She’s a welcome breeze of freshness to the stipulated culture of social media than can more often than not be extremely falsified. Showing us the intimate parts of her life that really matter – like family and memories, rather than materialistic possessions. She engages directly with her fan base, simultaneously listening [and] speaking to them through her art.
Vulnerability is actually courage in a disguised form, it builds trust; an essential element for strong relationships. What Beyonce does that is particularly powerful, is picks and chooses the right moments to be vulnerable. Don’t feel you have to hold the fort up, doors locked at all times, know the moments to give the right people the key.
Be The Boss | Brand like Beyonce
Be #AllergictoAverage
I’m Not Bossy – I’m The Boss
#BetheBoss Campaign
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