Leadership Lessons from “The Greatest Night in Pop”

My Gen-X heart could not have been happier watching The Greatest Night in Pop documentary on Netflix! As a kid, I loved cracking open a cassette tape or CD and reading the lyrics and liner notes of the album. I loved shows like Pop Up Video on VH1, where I got to learn all kinds of random trivia about my favorite artists.

The Greatest Night in Pop revisits the epic night that all of the biggest musicians of 1985 assembled to record “We are the World,” a song that raised tens of millions of dollars in humanitarian aid for Africa. The documentary gave us an exclusive behind-the-scenes look into how this seemingly impossible feat was accomplished. I pressed play with the same gleeful anticipation I would have had as a kid, only this time, I was watching through the lens of a speaker who helps companies invest in their leaders by teaching them how to become better communicators.

Themes related to teamwork, leadership skills, interpersonal dynamics, and communication

A few themes from the way the artists came together leapt out to me as I watched the documentary. Below are a few that I thought were worth noting and sharing!

The real work of a team

Teams are formed to achieve a goal. This is the difference between teams and a family, which is why I wince when companies tout being a “work family.” Teams come together to accomplish something; while families simply exist, whether there’s a goal or not. In business, there is always a goal, and this scenario was no different. 

In the documentary, a clear goal was set from the beginning – to raise money to help fight and relieve starvation from famine in Africa. Renowned entertainer and activist, Harry Belafonte, was inspired by a similar humanitarian effort and was the driving force behind the idea of the song “We Are the World.” At the start of the recording, the musicians were reminded that this was the reason why all of them were there.

It set the tone for the session by putting the heart and intention of the project on everyone’s minds from the very start.

As a CEO, founder, leader, or manager, it’s important to remember the “why” behind your objectives. You must keep them at the center of the initiatives set forth to accomplish those goals. Remind your people why they’re there, why you need them, and why their work matters.

Everyone must play their part

When working with teams in large corporations, I often hear conversations surrounding silos and how to break out of them. Participants in my sessions often report the opportunity to connect with colleagues in other departments as their favorite part of our time together. When companies expand, especially globally, it’s often difficult to maintain a sense of connection amongst teams. 

The Greatest Night in Pop demonstrated the beauty of cross-functioning and collaboration.

• Huey Lewis strained to belt his part out
• Michael Jackson tried coaching Lewis into the right key
• Smokey Robinson challenged Stevie Wonder on whether incorporating Swahili into the song was a good idea
• Later, Robinson helped Bob Dylan relax his shoulders a bit, which was visibly uncomfortable for Dylan

Everyone played their part to make the song the best it could be. From the logistical coordination, scheduling, the engineers, and all of the moving parts required that went on behind the scenes, this took a lot of work. It was awesome to see everyone leverage their strengths, stay in their lanes, and still move in a spirit of collaboration.

Check your ego at the door

Quincy Jones grabbed a marker and wrote this message to tape to the studio door. It was an appropriate reminder for any team that’s working on something big, let alone a group of the biggest stars on the planet.

With that short but effective message, the artists knew that, in that room, the focus was on the music. As a leader, keep in mind that all egos, yours included, should not interfere with the work. 

People skills are a superpower

If Quincy Jones was the head coach of this team, Lionel Richie was the team captain. Lionel had the most premium set of people skills I’ve seen on display in a long time. Everybody knew him, liked him, and was willing to work with him on this project. His people skills spoke of his character in an industry known for being fake and fleeting. Lionel put on a masterclass in the complex and demanding nature of leadership by:

• Co-writing the song with Michael
• Hosting the AMAs that same night
• Helping keep the energy up during the hours-long recording session

It wasn’t easy, but when leading a team with a diverse background, it’s crucial to connect with members in various ways. Simply put, strong people skills are essential in leadership and can be a superpower for those who recognize their value.

Communication is everything

Recording “We are the World” would have been impossible without effective communication. There were no cellphones or social media platforms, which allowed for more discretion, but keeping the recording session a secret took clear and concise communication. Time was of the essence and the risk of it getting leaked to the press was high. All involved had to understand the mission and communicate about it with clarity and urgency.

The essential nature of communication remains the same even with all of the channels we have now.

• Speak up
• Ask for what you need
• Listen well
• Work through conflict
• Don’t forget that you’re talking to real humans – not minions on an assembly line

This documentary was a joy to watch because it was a reminder that we need leaders with big visions who have the cognitive (and people!) skills to see those visions carried out by the talent on their teams. What we witnessed was something so powerful that we’re still talking about it 40 years later. I’m left inspired, knowing that when we come together under a mission meant to make things better in the world, amazing things can happen.

—

I work with organizations that value their people and want to prove it by having healthy communication practices and a positive company culture. Work with me.