Leadership in Lyrics: Wilco

By: Sean Cullen, Doctoral Student

I love the band Wilco. In listening to Wilco I have noticed that there are some select lyrics (often taken out of context) that can pertain to leaders. Below are seven lyrics selected from Wilco songs with how they can relate to leadership.

1. “Every moments a little bit later”

Track: Pot Kettle Black | Album: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Time management is essential to leadership. It is also important to note that time is a gift and that procrastinating will not accomplish much of anything. Michael LeBoeuf is attributed to saying, “Waste your money and you’re only out of money, but waste your time and you’ve lost a part of your life.” I wonder if he is a Wilco fan…

2. “It’s become so obvious you are so oblivious to yourself”

Track: Pot Kettle Black | Album: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Countless leaders have lost track with reality and may undervalue how important it is to be self-aware. In Bad Leadership, Barbara Kellerman identifies “Intemperate Leadership” as a key element to those that lead badly. In the text, Kellerman defines intemperate leadership, “The leader lacks self-control and is aided and abetted by followers who are unwilling or unable to effectively intervene.” Part of lacking self-control is lacking self-awareness. Do not become oblivious to yourself.

3. ”Fill up your mind with all it can know…”

Track: What Wishful Thinking | Album: A Ghost is Born

Similar to Nelson Mandela’s quote, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change to world.”  Regardless of what standing you may have in an organization or community, choosing to pursue education in both formal and informal ways will be a benefit to you professionally and/or personally.

4. “What would we be without wishful thinking”

Track: Wishful Thinking | Album: A Ghost is Born

Studies have shown a positive correlation between good health and positive thinking. Optimistic people are found to get sick less, and be more pleasant to be around. Wishful thinking is an asset for leaders and their followers.

5. ”What you once were isn’t what you want to be anymore.”

Track: Shot in the arm | Album: Summer Teeth

It is hard to make a commitment to change for yourself, for your organization, or for your nation. In The Necessary Revolution: How Individuals and Organizations are Working Together to Create a Sustainable World, Peter Senge writes of how Sweden has began to wean itself from fossil fuels, “Today, the country depends on oil for only 20 percent of its energy, down from 77 percent in 1970. (The United States, by contrast, depends on fossil fuels for 85 percent of its energy).” By making an effort to change, even nations can change for a greater global good.

6. ”You say you wanna communicate, but you don’t hear a word I say”

Track: Thanks I get | Album: 

Last summer I registered for a course titled “Leadership and Communications Theory.” The class focused on communication styles of leadership with attention to positive and poor examples of communication in leadership. It is clear that many leaders expect to communicate with followers, but often fail to successfully relay messages due to a disconnect.

7. “…Surely there’s somebody who needs it more than me.”

Track: Sunken Treasure | Album: Being There

In The Servant as Leader, Robert Greenleaf coined the term “Servant Leadership” and stated that “…It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first.” In Jeff Tweedy’s lyrics for this song, they depict a person naturally wanting to leave something of value to a stranger who would greatly benefit.

Sean Cullen is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Leadership, these blog posts are in no way to be viewed as an example of quality writing or content in the academic sense (sometimes, I may not even proof-read). Cullen spent far longer than he would like to admit trying to underline the titles of Books in this post to no avail.