Category Archives: Top Rap Lyrics

#16 Rap Lyric That Shaped My Leadership Style

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For the background of this list – see my original post from 2-10-12.

The #16 Rap Lyric That Shaped my Leadership Style comes from Coolio off the 1995 Dangerous Minds soundtrack, from his song Gangsta’s Paradise.  This might be the one song every 40 year old white guy can still sing word-for-word at the local Holiday Inn bar karaoke night – but that still doesn’t take away how great of a song this is.  Ranked #38 in VH1’s 100 all time Hip Hop songs, it was by far Coolio’s biggest hit.  They Lyric:

“They say I need to learn, but nobody’s here to teach me. If they don’t understand, how can they reach me?”

I guess they can’t; I guess they won’t. I guess they front.  That’s why I know my life is outta luck – Fool! (see 42 – still got it!)

I’ll give you some extra time with this one, because I know you all had to listen to the full version – besides Eminem’s Lose Yourself – is there a better song associated with a movie? You know a song is good when it’s better than the movie!

This lyric reminds of how we onboard in our organizations.  In HR, this is something I think we can always get better at, and we tend to just try and process this down so that onboarding takes as little time as possible.  When in truth – onboarding should be an ongoing process that takes weeks or months, and HR ensures the great talent we bring into our organizations actually gets everything – I mean EVERYTHING – they need to be successful.  We owe it to them – and to often we throw them a set of keys, a laptop and a phone and say “Go!”

Somehow we feel like – “hey, we’re paying you a salary – you should know what to do”, but they don’t  – we need to teach them.  Raw talent doesn’t mean you’ll be successful in our unique organizational dynamics and culture.  I’ve seen way to much great talent leave organizations – where the organization feels like the person was a failure – even though they came in as a Rock Star, and they go on to their next position and they are a Rock Star.  You didn’t reach them – in fact, you probably didn’t even put in the effort to reach them.

Remember – we don’t hire idiot, worthless people.  Every person we hire – comes in with the highest expectations. They have good experience, good energy, good background – we ensured that.  If they fail – it’s on us – not them (mostly).

#17 Rap Lyric That Shaped My Leadership Style

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For the background of this list – see my original post from 2-10-12.

The #17 Rap Lyric That Shaped My Leadership Style comes from the Notorius B.I.G. (Biggie) in the song You’re Nobody from his 1997 album Life after Death, which was released 15 days after he was killed in a drive by shooting.  Talk about living your music!  They Lyric:

“You’re nobody til somebody kills you.”

I don’t take this literally, although Biggie did, to me this was figuratively meant to say – you need to be prepared that you’re going to have haters and you don’t need to take this negatively – it means you’ve made it.   Every organization – yes, every one – has politics.  Usually the larger they are, the more politics are involved.  But one thing you can count on – if you’re trying to make change in an organization, especially within HR, you’re going to have some folks wanting to “kill” you!

A leader needs to assume this, not be surprised by it, and actually embrace it.  It’s alright that someone in your organization wants to “kill” you, it means you’re digging into the right stuff!  People always assume that the opposite of “Love” is “Hate” – but that’s not true.  The opposite of “Love” is “Apathy”, it’s not caring enough to even give that person another thought.  Only when you truly love someone, can you hate them – hate comes from being irritated and you only get irritated when you care about something.

When I know someone in my organization “hates” me and wants to “kill” me – I know they care – I like that person!   I want people around me who care – that feel passionate about what they do – so much so – that they will try to politically “kill” me!  Most people aren’t comfortable under those circumstances – but I am – because I have that belief, that you’re nobody until somebody wants to kill you.   Organizations get better through change, change is hard, change is painful, change will make people want to “kill” you – but change makes us better.  As a leader you need to be comfortable with a target on your back – buy helmet and bullet proof vest and make change happen!

 

#18 Rap Lyric That Shaped My Leadership Style

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For the background of this list – see my original post from 2-10-12.

The #18 Rap Lyric that Shaped My Leadership Style comes from the St. Lunatic himself Nelly and from the song #1 off his 2002 Nellyville album.  Here’s the lyric:

“Two is not a winner, and three nobody remembers. What does it take to be number 1?”

Whether it’s in business or my personal life – I don’t play to be 2nd place.  I go with the old adage that “2nd place is the first loser” or Ricky Bobby’s Dads philosophy “if you’re ain’t first, your last”

This isn’t something I’m proud of, but I once six packed (definition of six pack in volleyball terms – hitting your opponent in the face with a hard spiked ball) my aunt at a family picnic volleyball game when I was in college.  I like to win.  Or maybe it’s more appropriate to say – “I hate losing”.  You see winners get to do what they want – at least that’s what I tell my 3 sons – “We’re Sackett’s and we’re winners – because winners get to do what they want!” (I imagine I’ll be pulled into many adult therapy sessions of my grown children as they progress through life and therapist will want to see where this all came from!)  We’re just big hairy American winning machines.

Now that you all feel bad for my wife, let me get into why this is an important leadership trait. I truly believe that losing doesn’t teach you anything but how to lose.  You can look at sports teams, businesses that are struggling – it doesn’t matter – when you get use to losing, losing happens more often – you get comfortable with losing. I never want to be comfortable with losing.  “But how does this have anything to do with being a good leader?”   If you’re a leader in an HR function – at one point in your career – you’re probably going to take over a department that is considered to be “losing” in the organization – and you have to turn it around.

The only way you turn around a losing streak – is to start winning.  In an organization that means finding things to win at – even small things – and do them everyday – keep winning.  I’ve taken over 3 recruiting departments in my career that were considered losers by the organization – they were broken and they were use to losing.  We immediately stopped what we were doing – which was just causing more loses.  We went out and started delivery what hiring managers needed – but only to the most critical openings in the organization.  Very narrow – but doing it very well.  We were winning with a small few.  This caused other hiring managers to want us to do the same, we gained momentum – we got use to winning.

Leaders know if they are leading a losing department – as a decision maker in your organization – you have to be able to determine if they are comfortable with losing – if they are, you need to make a move.  Selecting people who hate losing and have to win in your organization will change culture almost faster than anything.  If you ain’t first, you’re last.

#19 Rap Lyric That Shaped My Leadership Style

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For the background of this list – see my original post from 2-10-12.

The #19 Rap Lyric That Shaped My Leadership Style comes from Ice T’s song New Jack Hustler from the New Jack City movie soundtrack – classic early 90’s movie by the way, with a great part played by an up-and-coming comedian Chris Rock as Pookie.  (Editorial comment – isn’t this entire thing an editorial comment? – If you haven’t checked out Ice Loves Coco on E on Sunday nights – you’re missing the best TV ever!  To go from Gagnsta Rapper to Law & Order actor to Ice Loves Coco is a trip beyond imagination!) Ok, here’s the lyric:

“I had nothing and I wanted it; you had everything and you flaunted it…”

I think you can break down most people into two groups: the haves and the have nots.  I tend to live my life like a “have not” – which means I push to become a “have”.   How does this shape my leadership style?  I’m rarely satisfied.  I always think I can do better, or do more.  The “haves” in the world tend to sit back and become soft – they don’t push as hard any more, they don’t work as hard anymore – they have it.   The “have nots” are the exact opposite.

Many that know me would probably say – well, wait a minute – you’re a “have” – great job, great family, etc. – who are you kidding – you’re a “have”!  But that’s the real difference – I don’t consider myself a “have” – and I don’t act like a “have”  – from a leadership standpoint that means I don’t allow my team to act like “haves”.   I’ll blame my mother for this – as Prince said “She’s never satisfied” and neither am I.  This can be a difficult leadership trait to have – most people don’t like working for someone who isn’t satisfied easy.  Knowing this I work extra hard to surround myself with high potential folks who score off the chart on Results Orientation.  I want people on my team – who want it more than I want it!  We go to work – every day – we bring it.

I love coming to work for that simple fact – these folks – my team – bring it!  They work like they have nothing – and they want it!

#20 Rap Lyric That Shaped My Leadership Style

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For the background of this list – see my original post from 2-10-12.

The #20 Rap Lyric That Shaped My Leadership Style goes all the way back to 1989 with Uncle L himself, LL Cool J, and his song Jealous off his Walking With The Panther LP (the most popular song on this CD was Going Back to Cali! which starts out with a sweet trumpet solo).  This was back to LL’s days of wearing the Kangol bucket hats, but I digress. Here’s the quote:

“He’s only mediocre, jealousy can’t get with me.”

(The track is so old I couldn’t even find a YouTube clip -but here’s a taste on Last.fm)

Jealousy is one of those emotions that usually sneaks up on you before you even know you have it.  From a leadership standpoint, jealousy can  kill teamwork, productivity and completely tear apart your culture.  It’s essential for great leaders to not allow jealousy to undermine everything they are working towards, and it starts with yourself.  I’ve never been one to be jealous, it’s not usually in my nature.  I celebrate others successes and I’m truly happy for my coworkers, friends and family when they have success.

For those who know me, I coach youth athletics – a lot – and I can’t tell you how often on a weekly basis I see parents, who are really good people, completely use their minds over jealousy.  Someone’s kid has a great game or play, and parents will just unload on the kid, their parents, their ability, their work ethic, etc.  Jealousy runs rampant in youth athletics.  It’s rare to find a youth team nowadays that truly celebrates each others successes, because their parents are working against it the moment they get in the car, if not before!

I see this in work environments as well.  How do you stop it?  You have to address it when it happens and to whom is doing it – timely and specific (oh wait, doesn’t that sound like really good performance management advice!?).   I find a quick cold splash of water in the face usually tells that person and the team, that behavior isn’t allowed in our house (I don’t actually throw cold water – it’s a metaphor for having a very direct conversation – but I might rethink the cold water if the conversation doesn’t work!).  Jealousy has no room in our organizations – it will kill a good team faster than almost anything else.  Unfortunately, sometimes we hire someone who is just prone to this emotion more than others, and it’s a very hard emotion to stop and control.

Jealousy can’t get with me – what about you?

#21 Rap Lyric That Shaped My Leadership Style

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For the background of this list – see my post from 2-10-12.

The #21 Rap Lyric That Shaped My Leadership Style comes from the Beastie Boys – Johnny Ryall off their 1989 Paul’s Boutique LP:

“Elvis shaved his head when he went into the Army.”

Johnny Ryall (Click on link to take you to the You Tube video)

Love the Beastie’s!  This quote towards the end of the song reminds me of how so many of our employees that we hire with such high hopes, fail, because we/they made decisions not to fit into the culture.   Elvis was the King of Rock and Roll and he probably could have talked the Armed Forces into just about anything, because of the amount of positive press they would receive with someone like him demonstrating a positive experience of going into the service.  Instead he sat down in the chair and had them shave off his famous hair.

Sometimes when you go into a new company you need to shave off your hair!   “But, Tim, I’m an individual and I like my hair long! No way I’m shaving it off!”  Fine – just don’t work here.  If you don’t want to fit into the culture -don’t – go someplace else where the culture will embrace your long hair (by the way this post isn’t about long hair – I’m sure most of you get that – but some won’t!).   The best employees come in and make efforts to fit into the culture that is established, they don’t come in and try to change the culture.  One of my HR mentors once told me, “Tim, culture always wins.”   You can change out every single person in a department over time, and come back a year later and that department will have the same culture it had before any of those people were there.

Don’t hang on to employees who are working against your culture – it never ends well – you’re frustrated, they’re frustrated – move on.  You might not have the best culture, but one employee, working against your average culture, isn’t going to make it better – it’s going to make it worse.  Fit in first, then work within the culture to make it better.

Culture always wins.  Shave your head.

 

 

#22 Rap Lyric That Shaped My Leadership Style

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For the background of this list – see my post from 2-10-12.

The #23 Rap Lyric that shaped my leadership style comes from Jay-Z’s Blueprint 2:

“When the grass is cut, the snacks will show.”

Over the past 3 or 4 years this has been really true in organizations.   As you become lean, as you begin to make cuts that really hurt, you will see those in your organization that are there because they want to be, and those who are there because they have no other choice.   I like to surround myself with people who want to be on this boat with me, who will keep bailing water even when it looks like it’s no use.  Don’t get me wrong – I don’t want them to do it in a naive way – like they can’t see what’s really going on.  I just want people who believe in the same vision that I have.  It’s the only way your organization will truly move forward – belief.

The one thing that hard times bring us, is that organizations get a unique and rare chance to really see who those people are in their companies.  It can be a very cleansing experience – addition through subtraction – that you didn’t even know you needed.   Too many times we are so close to what is going on we have a hard time seeing the forest through all these trees.  My wife watches the Bachelor and all too often, we can see the snack, yet, the Bachelor can’t (my says this is because he’s a man, and stupid – I tend to think it’s difficult to see the truth when so many people are trying to “win” you over – but she’s probably right though!).

Loyalty is a tricky thing to measure in an organization – until you don’t have it.

#23 Rap Lyric That Shaped My Leadership Style

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For the background of this list – see my post from 2-10-12.

The #23 Rap Lyric that shaped my leadership style comes from KRS-One and Boogie Down Productions song “Love’s Gonna Get’cha”:

“ya know a lot of people believe that that word Love is real soft, but
when you use it in your vocabulary like your addicted to it it sneaks right
up and takes you right out.

So, for future reference remember it’s alright to like or want a
material item, but when you fall in love with it and you start scheming and
carrying on for it, just remember, it’s gonna get’cha”


To often in my career I see really, really talented people who cross a line trying to go after titles.  They go beyond the normal self-building, and get into a game of sabotaging and tearing down of others as they aspire up the corporate ladder.  It took me a long time to learn that the title played a far less role in your ability to influence, than your actual ability to influence.

In HR we have a saying that is used frequently called “Up and Out”.  This refers to individuals who rise so quickly, or for the wrong reasons, in our organizations that they surpass their ability to do the actual title they’ve reached.  Move up to quickly, and you get moved out.   I don’t think I’ve ever found a good way to slow these people down, who aspire to be a VP before 30, etc.  There is no good way to tell them, slow down, you’ll be better for it.  For every example of a failure I have for them, they have an example of someone who did it and made it.   I try to tell them I was them once – I had the goal of VP by 35 and made some bad career moves to try and scale that wall, but it makes no difference – they’re (I) was different.  I eventually got my title at 39 – and by then, I had stopped looking for it…

So, remember, only love something that is suppose to be loved – your family, your friends, your peace in the world.  Loving material things like money, title, etc., never ends well.

#24 Rap Lyric That Shaped My Leadership Style

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For the background of this list – see my post from 2-10-12.

The #24 Rap Lyric that has shaped my leadership style is from Little Wayne, from a song he did with Eminem called “No Love”:

“I think about more than I forget
But I don’t go around fire expecting not to sweat”

 

Two things here that pop out:

1. As a leader I forgive – heck as a person I’m just someone who forgives and moves on – but as a leader I won’t forget.   It’s an important trait to have in business because people are going to make mistakes and we need to move forward, but I would fail as a leader if I continue to put individuals into situations where they’ll fail again.  At that point, they didn’t fail, I did.

2. There are times when a leader has to make tough calls – and it’s going to get a little hot.  You can’t be surprised by this, you also have to have enough awareness of when these decisions have the potential to get hot, and making the proper call for the organization if the organization has the ability to handle it at that time or not.  Just because you can handle the heat, doesn’t mean your boss, or the board, or your customers will be able to.  You can never turn a blind-eye to your decisions, for the simple fact you feel you can handle it – most decisions have domino effects – solid leaders understand which dominoes will fall before they tip the first one.

I promise – I’ll go old school on you as well as we move forward!  Next week – Boogie Down Productions (BDP) will make an appearance.

 

#25 Rap Lyric that has Shaped my Leadership Style

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I have a little secret I need to share with you all:  I grew up in the hood.  Not the South Central/Cabrini Green/Hell’s Kitchen hood – but it wasn’t the milky white suburban existence my kids are growing up in right now!  On my 2 mile walk to school (we couldn’t afford busing) I passed a General Motors Metal Fab Plant, crossed a bridge over a 6 lane highway (if we were late we would just run across the highway instead of walking to cross at the bridge) and at least one flea-bag hotel where you could buy your drug or woman of choice.   So, as far as white people go – it was as close to a hood as I wanted to be in!

Being that I’m so street – I grew up listening to rap music, and to this day, still do.  My oldest son is now 15, and to his mother’s shagrin, he also is a listener to rap music.  To me rap music was like poetry, the creativity it took to write and rhyme lyrics from a street perspective always captivated me.  Most people don’t “listen” to rap, they “hear” rap – and it doesn’t connect with them.  The stories and lessons of songs connected with me.

As I look back on 30 years of listening to rap music, I’ve come to realize I take a ton of my leadership style from the music that shaped me growing up. So, since this is my blog, I’m starting a new weekly series for 2012 – the 25 Rap Lyrics That Have Shaped My Leadership Style.

This weeks Lyric:

Tupac – I Ain’t Mad At Cha

“Change, shit
I guess change is good for any of us
Whatever it take for any of y’all niggaz to get up out the hood
Shit, I’m wit cha, I ain’t mad at cha
Got nuttin but love for ya, do your thing boy”

When I first started my HR career I would get so upset over people who decided to leave the organization I was with – and I saw that most of the leadership responded the same way!  If someone decided to leave “us” – we would virtually tear your shirt – that person was “dead” to the organization.  Years later the person would want to come back, and they wouldn’t be able to because they were “black-balled” from the company.  I’m sure many of your organizations are that way today.

I had a good HR mentor at one of my HR stops that got me to look at this in a new way, and the Tupac lyric makes me remember this learning.  People leave for all kinds of reasons, and even sometimes you want people to leave your organization – that doesn’t mean that a year or two or three, later – they wouldn’t be the perfect fit to come back.  When a good performer makes the decision to leave my organization now, I ask if there is anything I can do to help in their transition (after I try to talk them into staying).  I try and make it easy for them, because I know it was a tough decision for them, I don’t need to make it tougher.  It’s a small world and I try and have strong relationships that will outlast a job change or two.  If I have a good relationship with a good person – there is a good chance I will want to work with that person again in the future.

I ain’t mad at cha – got nothin but love for ya.