The Leadership Style of Beyoncé

Beyoncé has been described as “the most important and compelling popular musician of the 21st century,” by Jody Rosen in the New Yorker, and “the heir-apparent diva of the USA — the reigning national voice,” by Baz Luhrmann in Time magazine.

Beyoncé’s leadership style is regal because of the mastery with which she builds her business, manages her iconic Barbie doll image and shapes her message to command love and devotion from her fans. When the Federal Reserve asked the American people which women leader would they like to see featured on #thenew10, Beyoncé was number one.

She’s a wise woman who knows what her audience needs to hear and uses her influence to shape culture. A self-described ‘modern-day feminist’ she sent the word ‘FEMINIST’ into the living rooms through the televisions of 12.4 million Americans during her VMA performance. In the controversy that followed, Bell Hooks, a author and activist, called her “an anti-feminist terrorist,” while Jessica Bennett, a journalist, asserted that Beyoncé did what most feminist activists could not do: make feminism sexy and palatable for the masses.

I admire Beyoncé’s leadership style because she’s continually re-discovering herself and takes control of her brand. With the release of Beyoncé, The Visual Album, she established herself as a self-publisher with her own independent platform. With that project, she made a bold statement about how an artist loses creative integrity when relinquishing control over his or her final product.

The promotional video for the album (see it in this Huffington Post article) inspired me to remember my advertising photography roots and how they have given me a unique ability to put words to the images others see in their mind.

Beyoncé is first a foremost a savvy business woman and role model for artists. If America had a queen, Beyoncé would take the crown.

This post is part of series called: Leadership Style: How to Level-up Your Personal Brand.

I challenge you to create a list of leaders who inspire you. Wouldn’t it be cool to have a chain of blogs referencing stylish leaders around the globe?

Blog about it, mention this post, leave your url in the comments below and I’ll add it to this article.  #womenleaders #leadershipstyle #powerfulbrand