What leaders can learn from Beyonce Knowles

There is something to be said for great leadership. Last weekend was the Super Bowl. This is the national event where we mignons get to witness the greatest of the greats in soccer team up and bash each other for silver ball status, a flamboyant ring, bragging rights, and an overall financial increase. . This is also the same event where the masses can have a 15 minute mini concert with some of the biggest names in show business. This year we had the opportunity to witness Beyonce Knowles as the halftime act.

You can argue all day about why this was inappropriate. Yes, it is quite provocative for a mixed audience. Yes, his songs are questionable and the lyrics are blatantly for everything related to sex. And, yes, he is known to barely wear clothes. All those things aside, one thing cannot be denied. The woman is an interpreter and is at the top of her craft.

Given that she has earned her way to be called one of the greatest performers of all time, you have to ask yourself what sets her apart. As I look at things strictly for pleasure or entertainment, I always try to see them from a “what lesson can I learn from this” or “how will this help me to be better”. I didn’t see the halftime show while it was live. As I said, the girl is provocative and I was with my family in a church. It would have been very inappropriate to see him there.

Instead, I caught the stream on YouTube. I do my best to study greatness in action and it turns out that Beyonce is one of the people I have examined most closely. In one of his many YouTube videos, he takes an in-depth look at the preparation that takes place for one of his shows. The amount of professionalism and dedication that exudes in the planning stages is enough to get most of us back to bed. Mind you, actual practice for the show has yet to take place. She is preparing practice for show practice. It’s amazing how much she is part of the total concept of their shows.

But, back to the Super Bowl halftime show. As I suspected, his program was another example of leadership in practice. Like I said before, this woman is the best in her field. She is a performer on her own, confident in her own abilities to calm and persuade the audience to submit. His dance moves alone can make any teenager furious. His lyrics can cause the conception of several babies on the night of his concerts. In fact, his voice isn’t that bad either. So where was the leadership on this?

She decided with all that ability to share her stage with two other women who would probably never be given the opportunity again. She decided to allow Kelly and Michelle to perform on stage with her on one of the most publicized stages in the world. Destiny Child had returned. The three women were on stage with a host of backup dancers doing their thing. The move was absolutely brilliant and demonstrated the highest form of leadership: humility.

Does Beyonce need help singing? No. Do you need help dancing? No. Do you need help commanding a crowd? No. Do other women have louder voices than her? No. What does she have to gain by allowing the other women to perform with her on “her” stage? Any. But he still did. If you can’t see the leadership in that, please take a closer look.

I aspire to be that kind of leader. Beyonce’s act showed that she is confident in her abilities in her field and that she is not intimidated by allowing other people to share her spotlight. She knows that she is the centerpiece and that there is nothing wrong with letting other people taste and feel what she does and how she does it. Kelly and Michelle will probably never perform in front of a crowd like that again. While they both pursued independent careers outside of Destiny’s Child, they never achieved the success that the group had as solo artists. This was probably his last chance to perform at this level. Beyonce, on the other hand, may very well be starting out.

What can you and I learn from this? When we are in leadership positions we have to be secure in our positions as leaders. We need to know that we are trained and equipped to do our job, no matter how talented the next person may be. We have to be sure that we can do the work alone if necessary, but we prefer to help out and give someone else a chance. Leaders must be able to perform under pressure smoothly and take practical steps, that is, dance moves, that others can follow or imitate. We have to know how to delegate tasks or letters to support people. We also have to be willing to stand out and put our names on the line regardless of the outcome, good or bad.

Leadership can be tricky and complicated only if we allow it. Most of the time, as leaders, we know how to act and what to do. If you are a leader, it is because you have an innate leadership capacity that others see in you. We can still learn from other leaders. This weekend I chose to learn from Beyonce. I encourage you to do the same.