I think everybody with access to any kind of media heard about Taylor Swift withdrawing her songs from Spotify recently, arguing that artists should be properly paid for their work.
Way to go Taylor! America’s sweetheart has now automatically become the new face of the music industry.
And even bigger kudos to your publicist. It’s not a coincidence that Swift’s new album was released two weeks ago.
The singer’s controversial decision has initially taken social media by storm but is now also getting her into more traditional media – with Swift’s face on front covers of Time Magazine and Bloomberg Businessweek.
So how does one make an unpopular decision (while pretty much being constantly in the spotlight) and turn it into increasing album sales and all over success? Well, the best advice is: become Taylor Swift.
But since most people don’t have the angelic looks and musical talent of the American pop star, it is worth looking into the circumstances around this bold decision.
Timing was perfect – her fans already got the first taste of her new album and will miss it if it’s not available on Spotify.
She made sure she can justify her decision with very clear reasons behind it (yet not looking like a greedy pop star!) and she also kind of fell into her usual “I don’t care what anyone thinks” attitude while still being a nice and friendly gal.
So maybe with a clever strategy, accurate timing and good justification – bold decisions and opinions can actually do more good than harm.
Would it be the same if your CEO decided to fly in the face of convention, and challenge the norm? Absolutely.
If you can justify your decision and, most importantly, you stand by it, you can earn credit just like Swift did.
