Today’s #MorningBuzz is brought to you by Katie Ludwig, Director of Resource Development, Government Finance Officers Association. You can connect with her on LinkedIn.
What I’m Reading: “Demon of Unrest” by Erik Larson
What I’m Watching: The latest season of “Stranger Things”
What I’m Listening To: Olivia Dean, Role Model, and…Taylor Swift
I’ve been listening to Taylor Swift’s latest album on repeat since it was released on Oct. 3.
Like many of Ms. Swift’s albums, The Life of a Showgirl seems to be inspired by the events of her life, but recently my inner-English Major realized that the album also offers insight for local government leaders.
Here’s a quick rundown of the local government leadership takeaways from each track:
Track 1: “The Fate of Ophelia”
Lyric: I heard you calling on the megaphone.
Leadership Takeaway: Communication is a key skill for engaging local government leaders, and an important component of effective communication is listening. Sometimes, we need to stop talking and listen to those around us.
Bonus Lyric: Keep it one hundred on the land, the sea, the sky.
Leadership Takeaway: “Keep it one hundred” is modern slang for being authentic and honest, something that is particularly important lor local government leaders who want to connect with members of the public.
Track 2: “Elizabeth Taylor”
Lyric: You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby.
Leadership Takeaway: This takeaway comes from my friend Kevin Orton, Budget Officer for Littleton, CO. He and his team have adopted lyric this as a motto. They had a successful budget season this year, but they know that maintaining positive relationships with their colleagues and promoting effective budget collaboration is an ongoing effort. When you experience success, don’t rest on your laurels. Challenge yourself and your team to achieve even greater success.
Track 3: “Opalite”
Lyric: Failure brings you freedom.
Leadership Takeaway: Don’t be afraid of failure; learn from it. Fear of failure can keep us from trying difficult things. Don’t allow fear to have that power. If and when you do fail and you realize that the world didn’t end, figure out how to recover. Then, diagnose what went wrong, and keep at it.
Track 4: “Father Figure”
Lyric: Your thoughtless ambition sparked the ignition, On foolish decisions, which led to misguided visions.
Leadership Takeaway: Don’t act without fully understanding the short-term and long-term consequences of your actions. We might not realize it, but the things we do today do impact the future. Be ready to walk away from things that are no longer servicing the group; you can change course when needed.
Track 5: “Eldest Daughter”
Lyric: I’m never gonna let you down, I’m never gonna leave you out.
Leadership Takeaway: As government leaders, we’re held accountable to the public for producing results, but we’re also accountable to our team members for fulfilling our specific responsibilities. Communicate frequently to keep your team members in the loop.
Track 6: “Ruin the Friendship”
Lyric: And my advice is always answer the question, Better that than to ask it all your life.
Leadership Takeaway: Ask (and get answers to) the tough questions. You might not like the answer, but you’ll learn something in the process.
Track 7: “Actually Romantic”
Lyric: Like a toy chihuahua barking at me from a tiny purse, That’s how much it hurts.
Leadership Takeaway: To quote another Swift hit, “Haters gonna hate,” so develop a thick skin. Don’t let petty gossip and thoughtless criticism get you down and keep you from achieving your goals.
Track 8: “Wi$h Li$t”
Lyric: I hope I get what I want, ‘Cause I know what I want.
Leadership Takeaway: Set clear, detailed goals, whether for yourself career-wise or for your organization. It’s virtually impossible to achieve success if you don’t first define it.
Track 9: “Wood”
Lyric: Seems to be that you and me, we make our own luck, A bad sign is all good, I ain’t gotta knock on wood.
Leadership Takeaway: Don’t leave things to fate or luck. Maintain a positive attitude and work hard to achieve your goals.
Track 10: “CANCELLED”
Lyric: At least you know exactly who your friends are, They’re the ones with matching scars.
Leadership Takeaway: When you’re dealing with a tough situation—whether in your personal or professional life—find other people who have been through something similar to talk to. It’s often therapeutic just to know that you’re not the only person dealing with a particular issue.
Track 11: “Honey”
Lyric: You can call me ‘honey’ if you want because I’m the one you want…You give it different meaning ‘cause you mean it when you talk.
Leadership Takeaway: Communicate intentionally and make sure your actions back up your words.
Track 12: “The Life of a Showgirl”
Lyric: I took her pearls of wisdom, hung them from my neck, I paid my dues with every bruise, I knew what to expect.
Leadership Takeaway: Find a mentor and learn from their experience. Work hard and learn from your mistakes.