How can you be a great leader? Especially when the pressure is mounting and the world is watching….
Netflix’s reality series 7 Days Out invites viewers to “witness the excitement and drama behind the scenes in the seven days leading up to major live events in the worlds of sports, fashion, space and food.” The events featured range from The Westminster Dog Show to NASA’s Cassini Mission launch – all incredible testaments to people’s imaginations and great leadership and teamwork! (Alternatively, watch Fyre: The Greatest Party that Never Happened, as the absolute antithesis to great leadership!)
In my review NKD REVIEWS: The Toys That Made Us (also on Netflix), I celebrated how infectious the passion of the toymakers and toy enthusiasts featured in that series was. The people featured in each episode of 7 Days Out share the same infectious passion for fashion, space, horses and racing, gaming, food and dogs, and as with The Toys That Made Us have personalities that are so endearing they leap off the screen – the dog handlers from the Westminster Dog Show episode are particularly fun to watch! Their devotion to their four-legged friends and the enjoyment plastered across their faces as they prance around the bright green artificial grass arena is a joy to watch!
But the episode that really stuck out for me is the Chanel 2018 Spring Haute Couture Fashion Show… obviously darling!
The episode features interviews with Karl Lagerfeld, the premières of the four ateliers (fashion workshop), seamstresses; as well as a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the one-of-kind-intricately-hand-sewn garments (each one more beautiful than the last and truly a work of art!) and also the transformation of the Grand Palais into a living, breathing, sweetly smelling, stately spring garden for the show.
What stands out in this episode is the truly human approach to leadership at Chanel. In a style of working that is centuries old, it could be assumed that their leadership model is likewise ancient – but this is certainly not the case at Chanel!
The reciprocal respect, understanding, love, appreciation and genuine care for each other the team at Chanel have for each other absolutely bursts off the screen – the way Karl talks about the premières, the way the premières talk about the seamstresses, the way everyone talks about the work they are all creating is amazing to watch – I challenge anyone to try to walk away from this episode not already trying to send their CV to Chanel!
Karl and Josephine, Cecile, Olivia, Josette (Chanel’s four premières) are the leaders we want to work for; they are the leaders we want to be; they are the leaders that make a difference in the lives of the people they work with, both at work, and outside work.
They absolutely embody every element of the NKD 4C Leadership Model:
We use this model as the basis for our own leadership and we use it as a starting point when working closely with businesses to develop or enhance theirs.
We help leaders:
- Strengthen their belief in their People
- Imagine all the Possibilities
- Advocate for Progress
Being a leader is a daunting task, but if you take your lead from the team at Chanel, and with a little help from the NKD 4C Leadership Model, you’ll see your designs jump off the page and come to life in the most amazing ways!
To unlock the leadership potential of your leaders… or to join us for an impromptu fashion parade in our office, why not get in touch with us at hello@nkd.co.uk.