Lessons from The Greatest Night in Pop
If you haven’t watched The Greatest Night in Pop on Netflix yet, you’ve got to watch it. It’s about the making of 1985’s We Are The World, the 9th best-selling physical single of all time. I’ve always liked this song, but I have become fully obsessed since watching this show. What does it take to create something so unrivaled and enduring? It’s the magic of a high-performing team:
A rallying why: Harry Belafonte inspired the making of this American song for famine relief in Africa. He said, “We believe that artists have a valuable function in any society since it is the artists who reveal the society to itself.” “We have white folks saving Black folks but we don’t have Black folks saving Black folks. That’s a problem.” He believed something must be done and inspired the greatest stars in America and the most respected industry leaders in music to do something.
Sheer talent and diversity of talent: Because Quincy Jones was literally the most connected person in Hollywood, some of the greatest singers and songwriters of all time - and across all genres - were in this song. The talent in the room was palpable- inspiring, and sometimes even intimidating. Each voice is timeless and so unique and distinct. One doesn’t outshine another but they work together to create this masterpiece. And while some superstars like Prince and Madonna weren’t there, when you listen to the song, it really feels like all the right people are on the team.
Flawless strategy & execution: How did they get all of these busy superstars into one room and record this legacy song in just one night? And without the internet or cell phone? When you watch the documentary, you’ll see how much operational excellence played a role in pulling this off. And talk about masterful delegation. Vocal arranger, Tom Bahler, was given the task of matching each solo line with the right voice. The result is magic. Every single voice seems to be in the right place, at the right time, doing its job- doing what it does best. I can’t think of a more perfect example than Bob Dylan, whose voice was so brilliantly placed right before an important key change. (I credit my musician husband for making me aware of this.)
Culture as connective tissue: These titan voices worked together and accepted tiny solos or maybe none at all because of one rule set from the start: “Leave your ego at the door.” Also, the session begins anchored in the why which sets the tone for everyone to literally come together as one. As a result, you see people working together, helping each other, and having fun. I had always wondered why Bob Dylan looked so uncomfortable in the music video. It all makes sense after watching the movie– Stevie Wonder plays a critical role in helping Bob Dylan find his voice, and Bob Dylan was willing to be helped. On top of that, the recording crew were working for free- they knew this was an important thing to be a part of. The culture was what the group needed to achieve their goal and to weather the potential threats that could have gotten in the way of achieving their goal. I was intrigued by Waylon Jennings who walked out in the middle of recording. Once in a while, you will have one of those. But the culture could handle it and the song was still made… and so was history.
Leadership: First, you have one of the greatest, most respected producers of all time, Quincy Jones, as the song’s producer and conductor. And, you also saw artists stepping up when they had to and often in ways that seemed natural to them. I noticed that Michael Jackson played a quiet supporting role to other artists, creating a sense of belonging and inclusion. Lionel Richie put out fires throughout the night, keeping everyone united. Huey Lewis was pulled in for a solo at the last minute and despite being incredibly intimidated, stepped up to the plate.
For most managers, nothing on this list is new. You know that these are key ingredients to an awesome team. And you might be thinking, “Yes but all-star teams are rare.” True. But a little reflection on these key ingredients will mirror back to you insights that will make your team better.
The impact of We Are The World is undeniable. It went on to raise $80 million and it inspired a movement, empowering artists to ignite change through the power of music. Nothing of its kind has ever come close to making the magic that We Are The World did. Some people might think that there is too much division in the world for something like this to work today and some doubt that music is an appropriate agent of change right now. But there are lessons from We Are The World that we can put forward toward making change today. What do you think they are?