Controlling the Narrative

I think most of us pop-culture junkies were surprised when Taylor Swift dropped new music two weeks’ ago out of the blue. Talk about being able to manage a secret THAT big with that many people on your team #FiredifyouLeak?

I’m sure her new music is something you’re adjusting too. It wasn’t what we were expecting at all – it is a lot more dark and edgy than her typical cheery, upbeat music that we all know her for.

Her new music is catchy and definitely growing on me #OnRepeat. Whether you like her new sound or not, I had to give her mad props for the new video she released with her song, Look What You Made Me Do.

Did I expect T-Swift to be dancing around in high heels in her new music video? No way. Did I expect her to make fun of herself and her public image as much as she did at the end of her video? Absolutely not.

And that is what I appreciated most about the new video. It reminded me of two important lessons to keep in mind when communicating:

1.  Laugh at yourself – There has to be something said about someone who is self conscious enough to know what people are saying about them or what people are expecting from them. And in turn, they poke fun at themselves. Hats off to people who can laugh at themselves and don’t take themselves THAT seriously. It is a reminder for us all in the most uptight, tense situations, both personally and professionally, that humour helps in any situation. We aren’t going to solve the world’s issues over social media so let’s not take ourselves TOO seriously.
2. Set the tone – Whether we like it or not, people are going to talk about us regardless (both good and bad). This is true whether you are a pop star, manager or social media enthusiast so you might as well accept the fact and control what people are going to say about you like T-Swift did at the end of her video. And what are we talking about now instead? That Taylor Swift made fun of herself. By setting the tone of a conversation, it puts you in the drivers seat as to what people are going to say about you, allowing YOU to be the person that controls the narrative in whatever you do.

[Photo Source]