Steve Jobs. Jeff Bezos. Bill Gates. When you think of leaders to emulate and learn from, these names may come to mind.

But here’s another to add to the roster: Drake.

Known as Champagne Papi, Drizzy, and by his real name, Aubrey Graham, the rapper has amassed more than 50 billion music streams and four Grammys from six mixtapes and five studio albums. Jack Martin writes on Fast Company that it’s just one reason to take inspiration from Drake.

Another: He doesn’t let his past define him. “Lots of musicians transition into acting, but not many have done the opposite—let alone done so as successfully as Drizzy Drake,” Martin wrote. “It just goes to show what you’ve done in the past or even what you’re doing now has no bearing on what you can do in the future.”

And though his career centers on music, Drake has also diversified and collaborated with brands outside of the music industry to spread his own brand awareness. He has partnered with several clothing companies and is considered a global ambassador for his hometown NBA team, the Toronto Raptors.

Because increased awareness brings new audiences, Martin says the rapper has used his musical talents to create music for every type of listener.

“Drake is uniquely able to show off his edgier side while still being famously recognized as a ‘softy.’ Somewhere in the middle of that spectrum, you’ll find lyrically dense tracks loaded with double entendres, layers of similes and metaphors, incredible wordplay, and a live look into his life as he experiences it,” Martin wrote. “Instead of finding one type of customer his product could serve, Drake identified multiple music-listener personas and mastered the art of messaging to each.”

Leading the Charge

"Some problems may be technical, some emotional, some personal preference, and some relate to learning new work flows." How can establishing a change team lessen the negativity of integrating new technology? Learn more at https://t.co/Dzan0qVmhl! #assnchat #assnprof #newtech pic.twitter.com/8BIjVrqdeq

— Sidecar (@sidecarglobal) July 11, 2019

Rolling out new technology? Technology adoption expert Melinda Starkweather, the cofounder of Starkweather Association Services, suggests creating a change team to lead the charge.

“If assembled correctly, the change team will become a trusted resource who can listen to and acknowledge concerns that may otherwise create resistance,” she writes on Association Success. “Some problems may be technical, some emotional, some personal preference, and some relate to learning new workflows. The change team becomes an army on the ground, identifying ways to help staff feel comfortable and confident with the new system.”

Other Links of Note

Is Instagram king of your social media strategy? Research shows the platform’s engagement rates are in decline, according to Social Media Today.

Apple released an update that removed Zoom’s hidden web server—the one that allowed websites to automatically join video calls without users’ permission—says TechCrunch.

Improve how your conference’s program planning committee selects speakers and organizes sessions with these tips from MeetingsNet.

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