3 Leadership Lessons from the Legendary Musician Missy Elliott
Rapper, singer, producer extraordinaire Missy ‘Misdemeanor’ Elliott took the stage at Monday’s MTV VMA Awards as she received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award for accomplishments in music and film.
And she showed, at age 48, that she can still work it.
If you read about Missy’s backstory, you’ll gain a new appreciation for her achievements. When she came on the scene, she was different. And that’s what makes her so inspirational.
After an electrifying performance that included some of her greatest hits (seriously, watch it– it’s impressive what she and her team created), she gave a touching acceptance speech that showed true leadership.
You don’t have to be a singer, rapper or work in the music business to learn something from Missy. Here are three leadership lessons she offered up in just four minutes:
1. Be Humble
Throughout her speech Missy came across as both humble and grateful. You could tell she was honestly touched by the recognition, and she repeated messages of humility and gratitude throughout her speech.
Lesson: Leaders who show humility are leaders people want to follow. Be grateful for what you have and hold on to your humility if you want to inspire others.
2. Be Yourself
Missy Elliott does not fit a stereotypical mold. She raps, but she also mixes hip-hop and R&B into her music. She’s had a lot of hits as a performer, but she’s also an accomplished producer who has helped other artists succeed (including Beyoncé and Mariah Carey).
She is always unapologetically Missy. She knows her look and body type is different than what most of the music industry celebrates – but she embraces who she is.
And people love her for it.
Lesson: An authentic leader is someone people want to follow. Be honest about who you are – and embrace both your strengths and your weaknesses. People are not looking for a leader to be perfect – they are looking for a leader to be real.
3. Recognize and Celebrate Others
Missy’s success has paved the way for many artists (Nicki Minaj, Cardi B and Lizzo all credit her as an inspiration) but she took the time in her speech to recognize the artists like Busta Rhymes, Madonna, Peter Gabriel and Janet Jackson who have inspired her.
At the end of her speech, Missy also recognized and celebrated the dancers who are part of her show. She included dancer Alyson Stoner, who first appeared in the Work It video at just 9 years old (she’s now 26). Missy sees the dancers as a crucial part of her show (not ‘props’, as she mentioned). She celebrated them publicly – and shared her moment of joy with them.
Lesson: Leaders don’t achieve greatness alone. Recognize the contributions of others. Say thank you. Publicly celebrate them and show your appreciation. It goes a long way.
And by all means, if you want to be a true leader like Missy, you have to put in the hard work. Missy’s success did not happen overnight. In her acceptance speech, she noted she’s worked hard to get here: ‘I have worked diligently for over two decades.’
Put in the hard work. Be humble. Be yourself. And recognize and celebrate others.
It may not win you an award on MTV – but it will surely win you some fans.
I love helping people improve their writing and speaking skills so they can become more confident and inspirational. If you want to learn to communicate and inspire like Missy, check out my services at www.beth-collier.com or drop me a line at beth@beth-collier.com
I may not help you become a famous rapper, but I will make your presentations sing!