What Taylor Swift Taught Me About Thought Leadership In An AI Era
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A few years ago, I would not have considered myself a Taylor Swift fan. I’m a lover of all the boybands (except Backstreet Boys, sorry not sorry), but with two teenagers in the house, a planned trip later this year to see the Eras Tour concert in London, and her music on near constant repeat, the fall was sort of inevitable.
A lot has been written about Taylor since she started The Eras Tour in 2023. I’m not going to rehash her marketing brilliance, the way she continually pushes boundaries, or how she doesn’t take no for an answer. Although it’s all insanely impressive and inspirational.
I am, however, going to highlight just how powerful her presence and perspectives are to explain WHY, even in this AI era, these tools can’t replace our role as and need for human thought leaders.
The AI Era
It seems like AI is everywhere. At every turn, there are thought leaders, developers, and designers showcasing the cool things AI can do. Heck, even the annual TED conference in April showcased loads of talks related to AI, data, and tech. As a business owner, I see massive potential for its use, and I welcome its ethical use.
But as the world loses its mind over all its myriad uses, I can’t help thinking that while AI can process data at unprecedented speeds, offer analytical insights, and so much more, it lacks the ability to connect, inspire, and lead with emotional intelligence. It lacks human intuition, true creativity, or guidance for dealing with uncertainty. This gap is where human thought leaders, especially women, demonstrate irreplaceable value.
There is no replacement for human thought and human created content, and I would assert that as we continue to lean into the AI era, human thought leaders, creatives, designers, and storytellers will truly shine.
Taylor Swift: A True Thought Leader
Like most people, I’ve only vaguely followed Taylor Swift's career over the years. I’ve seen loads of news stories, especially recently, but it’s clear that her success is a testament to the power of personal experience and emotional intelligence in leadership.
She isn’t just a global pop icon; she’s a thought leader in the music industry, influencing not only music trends but also industry standards, artist rights, and fan engagement strategies. Her prolific songwriting and her ability to weave personal stories into her music creates a deep, emotional connection with her audience. The result: insanely loyal fans with immense buying power.
AI cannot achieve this level of engagement and loyalty; it lacks the personal experiences and emotional depth that are necessary to build rich and meaningful human connections.
Emotional Intelligence in Action
I worked in corporate leadership development for over a decade before shifting my focus to entrepreneurs and thought leaders, and a good portion of my time was spent teaching, training, and coaching on emotional intelligence (EQ). I’ve seen first hand what happens when leaders lack this critical skill.
According to the Center for Creative Leadership, “75 percent of careers [I would argue businesses suffer from this as well] are derailed for reasons related to emotional competencies, including inability to handle interpersonal problems; unsatisfactory team leadership during times of difficulty or conflict; or inability to adapt to change or elicit trust.”
When I think of Taylor Swift's approach to her career and public persona, you can tell she demonstrates exceptional emotional intelligence. She manages her public image and relationships within the industry with a keen sense of empathy and understanding, skills that AI lacks. Her response to criticism - which she gets a lot of - and her ability to handle the unrelenting public pressure showcases a mature and evolving grasp of emotional regulation and communication.
As thought leaders, we are constantly navigating all sorts of trying situations (aka VUCA), and that includes some of what we talked about in last week’s article on the dark side of thought leadership. Your EQ is part of what makes you so effective, and AI can’t help you here.
Ethical Leadership and Intuitive Decision-Making
As you think about your own business and the impact work you’re doing, there is no doubt you will bump into a wide variety of scenarios and practices that will force you to make difficult decisions. Your values, ethics, and vision are YOURS, and they directly show up in the way you frame issues, who you partner with to expand your influence, and how you conduct your business.
AI may give you some general guidelines, but it falls short of helping you balance ethics and intuition. Can you imagine if Taylor had relied on AI to help her navigate her decision-making when it came to fighting for her rights to her own music or against all the bullies she’s come in contact with?
Your moral compass, core values, and intuition help you navigate the choppy waters of entrepreneurship, and that’s something that will ultimately set you apart.
Steering Through Uncertainty
Like all of us, Taylor Swift's career has not been without its challenges. Navigating the ever-evolving landscape of the music industry, particularly with the advent of streaming services and digital media, has required adaptability and intuitive decision-making. Her strategic choices, such as re-recording her old albums to claim ownership of her music, demonstrate her ability to use personal insight, creative thinking, and a healthy dose of “I’ll show you” to guide her career.
AI cannot replicate that kind of nuanced decision-making.
The business landscape isn’t going to get any less volatile, especially as we head into what promises to be a nasty election season in the U.S. or while we’re grappling with conflicts and humanitarian crises all over the globe. As thought leaders who are actively seeking to solve some of these challenges, it’s our intuition, intellect, and ability to navigate deep interpersonal relationships that helps ensure mission success.
While technology like AI can enhance our capabilities in many ways, it cannot replace the unique qualities that human thought leaders bring to the table. As you continue to integrate AI into different aspects of your business, let's remember that it is our human touch and thought leadership that truly drives innovation, sets us apart, and inspires real change.
Next week, we’ll wrap up this series with some very practical strategies for increasing your thought leadership.
