5 ways to add some Taylor Swift sparkle to your leadership approach

As Christmas is almost upon us and the wind down is very much underway, I have kicked off my Christmas consumption a little early, tucking into my box of chocs and cosying up under my heated blanket on the sofa to start the TV viewing.

There is nothing I like more than music and sparkle so what could be better than the Taylor Swift docuseries on Disney+, followed by both the Eras Tour recording AND the final show?!! This is absolute pop heaven and has added some extra sparkle to my Christmas holiday before it has even started.

For a sequin-loving glitter fan like me, this is joyful, unapologetic indulgence and the perfect way to round off 2025. It also has the added bonus of being a complete guide to leadership that combines people and performance to achieve record-breaking results.

If you need convincing, I’d say the numbers speak for themselves. The Eras Tour became the highest-grossing concert tour in history, surpassing $1 billion in ticket sales and rewriting the record books. More than 10 million tickets were sold worldwide, filling stadiums night after night. And beyond the venues, the tour generated billions in economic impact for host cities, boosting local transport, hospitality and small businesses – a phenomenon economists dubbed “Swiftonomics.”

The impact is undeniable and it offers five powerful leadership lessons we can all draw on to elevate performance in our own teams.

1. Representation creates belonging

Taylor Swift is intentional about who is on her stage. Her dancers are diverse and that is no accident. She wanted her audience to see themselves reflected in the people performing alongside her and she has delivered. She celebrates everyone in her dance team, even encouraging someone back from retirement to be part of the squad. The message is clear: everyone belongs and everyone’s contribution matters.

Leadership lesson: belonging doesn’t happen by chance; if it exists, then this is by design.

2. Great leaders see the whole person

In motivating others, Taylor speaks to people’s journeys. She acknowledges the ups and downs, the challenges they have overcome and the hard work and determination it has taken to get there. This is leadership that recognises effort as well as outcome. When people feel genuinely seen, they bring more of themselves to the role.

Leadership lesson: people don’t give their best when they feel managed, they give it when they feel understood.

3. Appreciation builds loyalty and trust

Gratitude shows up consistently, through words, actions and meaningful recognition. Taylor publicly thanks those around her and famously gave everyone working on the tour, including drivers, a significant bonus in recognition of their contribution. This isn’t performative. It’s thoughtful, fair and values-led.

Leadership lesson: recognition is a valuable tool and leaders should make their people feel seen and appreciated.

4. The strongest leaders are part of the team

Taylor is clear about her role as leader. She sets the standard, the boundaries and the direction. But she doesn’t place herself above the team, she works within it to create something special. This balance of authority and humility builds trust and collective ownership.

Leadership lesson: leadership is not about standing apart, it’s about taking responsibility within the group.

5. People and performance are not opposites

Taylor Swift is unapologetically ambitious. Standards are high, preparation is intense and excellence is expected. But this focus on performance is matched with care, rest and recognition.

Compassion is not a weakness here, it’s part of what enables world-class results. The outcome is a show that connects deeply with its audience and leaves people changed by the experience.

Leadership lesson: high performance is sustainable when it is rooted in care.

Final thought

Perhaps the real lesson is this: leadership doesn’t have to be loud, harsh or hierarchical to be effective. When people feel seen, valued and part of something meaningful, they don’t just perform – they shine.

Wishing you all a happy Christmas and very sparkly 2026.

3minuteleadership.com

December 22, 2025 0

‘Playing to win’ with Race Across the World

As fans prepare for the launch of ‘Celebrity Race Across the World’ series 2, it seems like the perfect time to consider what the show can teach us about a winning mind set.

Most people are not aware of this but Race Across the World was first broadcast in the 90’s and I was an avid viewer of this late-night TV show (as it was at the time).

Back then, teams were dropped at a random location somewhere in the world and they had to figure out where they were and race back to Trafalgar Square by whatever means possible. There were no pre-arranged job opportunities and no rest breaks in those days. Teams were given some money and they had their passports. After that, they had to get themselves back through their own resourcefulness. [view vintage edition]

There are many key moments that I still remember – a team trying to figure out where in the world they were whilst life was going on, at pace, around them; a team lost in the arctic and being helped by local people; and a team finding themselves in a sticky situation in Turkey.

In those days, there were no well-being breaks and no crew to help them. Teams were given a crash course in filming documentary and packed off to fend for themselves.

The show today doesn’t have the same edge but there is still a lot to learn from the contestants about nurturing a winning mindset.

Here are my key takeaways:

Run your own race – the teams spend a lot of time thinking about their place in the race and where the other contestants might be. When they find themselves on the same train or bus, they run through a range of scenarios about the other team. It’s natural and probably helpful to consider what the game plan of your opponents might be but advice from top athletes would be to run your own race and focus on your own performance rather than being distracted by what others might be doing. For more inspiration on this, watch former Olympian, Sally Gunnell – Run your Own Race

Think positive – in series 4, Alfie and Owen race to catch a ferry to the final checkpoint, only to find there are no boats until the next morning and another team right on their tail. With the adrenaline they spent to get there, only to be stopped in their tracks, they were naturally feeling defeated. At this point you hear Alfie say ‘we just need to keep a positive mental headspace’. The race wasn’t over and by staying positive, they were able to plan ahead and ensure they were on the first boat out the next day. For more on this read – The Power of Positivity in Leadership

Keep your cool – after they crossed to the island where they would find the final checkpoint, they were given directions. Part of the instruction was to ‘head north’ which would usually have been straight forward but they had ditched their bags which meant they had no compass. They knew that they could use the sun but they were struggling to think because they were under so much pressure. Thankfully, they were able to clear their heads and take a moment to think so they could be confident in the direction they needed to take which won them first place. To find more calm, read How to Stay Calm Under Pressure

I’m unable to finish a blog about RATW without mentioning Harry Judd and his mum! If you don’t know what I’m referring to, catch up on BBC iPlayer – it’s worth it ❤

The BBC have just shared that radio personality, Scott Mills, is a star of the forthcoming series. In promoting the show, he said that it is by far the most challenging thing both physically and mentally that he has ever done so worth tuning in when the new series begins next week.

Have you ever challenged yourself? Do you have your own tips for resilience? Share them in the comments below.

August 5, 2024 0

How Managers can use positive psychology to help individuals smash their goals and reach their potential

Positive psychology is an area of behavioural science which focuses on individual strengths and explores how these can be used to help people build fulfilling lives. For a long time, the study of psychology has examined techniques for fixing what’s wrong with people in an attempt to make it better. Positive psychology concentrates on what’s right and seeks to build on that in a way that enhances life satisfaction and fulfilment.

How can we use positive psychology to ensure wellbeing and satisfaction in the workplace?

How often do Managers give feedback on people’s work by focusing on what’s wrong and needs to be improved or what they think could be better? The problem with this approach is that it’s very subjective for a start – what one Manager thinks is amazing, another could see as not good enough – and it also zooms in on failure & shortcomings. Individuals easily become unmotivated and disengaged if all they ever hear is what they are not doing right.

Positive psychology requires that we turn this on its head to focus on the good things and how they can be improved even further. For me, it requires that we identify what that individual does really well and what skills or expertise they bring to the team and how that can be maximised to enhance organisational performance.

A popular formula within this school of thought is know as ‘the golden ratio’, developed by Barbara Fredrickson who believed that in order to thrive, we must have three positive emotions for every negative. That means the balance of feedback when speaking to staff should be three positives for every negative. When energy is concentrated on the good, the not so good is less noticeable and easier to handle with out impacting levels of satisfaction and motivation.

Managing people in this way makes them feel great. When they feel this way, they will work harder, be more loyal, have greater respect for Management and perform at their best for the benefit of the organisation. Doesn’t this sound worthwhile?

So why do so many Managers still insist on highlighting weakness and telling people what they should do better?

Personally, I think there is a link here with hierarchy and the inherent need to reinforce power. To hold power in a hierarchical system, you need to create a dynamic where you know more than others and the way to achieve this is to tell them how they should be better.

As a Manager, I see my role as one of supporting others in the team. My aim is to help those individuals to be the best they can be and make sure they can use their strengths to contribute to the organisation’s overall objectives. That for me is the starting point; I am equal to the others and my role is to support, facilitate and coordinate so that the team as a whole delivers for the business.

Imagine this conversation in your monthly 1-1’s: ‘Wow Sam! You have done fantastic work this month, you must be really proud of your achievements! What are you goals for the coming period and how can I support you to smash them?’.
Do you have conversations like that with your team? If not, could you try and see what difference it makes? Let us know your thoughts and findings by posting in the comments below.

3minuteleadership.org

August 1, 2017 3