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Coffee, Cocktails, and Clarity: Real Women, Real Talk for Personal and Professional Development
How Not to Lead: Isaac Hayes III & the Fanbase App Debacle
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SHOW DESCRIPTION
Ever feel like a social media meltdown is a masterclass in leadership? In this impactful episode, I'm breaking down the explosive clash between Isaac Hayes III and Franchesca Leigh (Ramsey). We're digging into the five major leadership lessons we can all learn from this, especially around handling feedback, communication, and avoiding those costly mistakes. Did Isaac's response reveal deeper issues? Absolutely. Let’s talk about how misogyny and immaturity can tank your brand (and your app, Fanbase!). If you're ready to turn criticism into growth, this episode is for you. Let's get real about leadership, social media, and learning from other people's mistakes.
TL;DR
In this episode, I analyze the Isaac Hayes III/Fanbase app social media controversy, extracting 5 key leadership lessons about handling feedback, communication, and avoiding costly mistakes.
Time Stamps
00:00 Introduction to Coffee, Cocktails, and Clarity
01:20 The Importance of Feedback in Leadership
04:07 Effective Communication for Leaders
05:13 Continuous Learning and Growth
06:17 The Impact of Leadership Attitude
07:36 Can Fanbase Recover?
08:34 Conclusion
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Credits
Podcast Editor: Payton Cross Productions
Coming up next on Coffee, Cocktails, and Clarity. If you want to grow, you've got to listen. Feedback can sting. It showed misogyny and cowardice. Nothing he later said and did, showed that it would help him, his company, or his app. We would've worked even harder to help his app become what he wants it to. He could have left us with a sweet taste instead of adding to the bitterness. This is a special episode of Coffee, Cocktails, and Clarity. I don't even have time to tell you what I'm drinking today. I just want you to grab your drink, sit back, and listen to what I'm about to share. Hey girl, have you been looking for a safe space for women to have authentic conversations around everything that impacts our life, careers, and relationships? I'm Shai Boston, and on this show, I talk about all things connected to our personal and professional development so we can live our best and authentic lives. Grab a drink. Sit back and let's have a chat. It's time for some Coffee, Cocktails, and Clarity. The crash out on socials of Isaac Hayes III regarding criticism he received from influencer Franchesca Leigh(Ramsey) about his Fanbase app is a whole lesson in leadership and communication. There's too many things to take away, but Here's 5 key points that I feel is important for every leader to know. Transformational and servant leaders know how to take feedback. Let's just be honest. Feedback can sting. We're human. It hurts, and sometimes we take it personally when we shouldn't. But here's the thing: if you want to grow, you've got to listen. Truly powerful leaders, the ones who lift others up, see feedback as a gift, not a personal attack. They use it to become better versions of themselves and create better products and services. Isaac took feedback about his app and turned it into a personal attack on himself before responding and turning it into a personal attack against Franchesca. It showed pettiness. It showed immaturity. And, because he has a history of verbally and socially attacking women, it showed misogyny and cowardice. Nothing he later said and did, showed that it would help him, his company, or his app, achieve its objectives. Leaders, learn how to receive and use feedback, even as a seasoned leader. Effective leaders know how to lead and follow. There comes a time when leaders should step back and follow the guidance received from their clients and teams so they can continue leading effectively. When leaders don't take feedback well, it prevents those who have the best interest of them and their organization from speaking up. Instead, they did what many have done with Fanbase, including myself, leave in droves. This whole situation cost Fanbase upwards of$500,000, as of this recording, in investments at a time when they desperately needed to raise more capital. If Isaac had just listened to and followed the feedback, that not only Franchesca but so many others, including those on the app that actually use it on a regular basis provided, he could have come across as the leader people wanted to follow. His app, would've been given a second chance by so many of us. And we would've worked even harder to help his app become what he wants it to. Effective leaders communicate effectively. Communication is not about speaking your mind or solely having your opinions heard. Effective leaders prioritize understanding. In this situation, Isaac could have taken the feedback of Franchesca, and like I said, so many others of us, and had open conversations with them offline. He could have used his own platform to have open discussions with those that he is targeting to use his app, to find out their concerns, their likes, etc. Even those that currently use the app, he could have done this with. It doesn't matter the size of the organization or the team. When a leader demonstrates their willingness to listen and communicate in a way that is open and welcoming, in a way that shows they are listening to understand and not just reply, it moves the organization so much farther. It generates ideas and it makes everyone and everything so much better. Effective leaders are learners. Leaders should be about growth, not just for their teams, but for themselves. If one doesn't listen to feedback, how can they grow? If one doesn't recognize they have room for growth, then how can they remain an effective leader? This was an opportunity to learn about his target audience's pain points. It was time to learn what they liked. It was time to learn what Isaac could have done to keep his loyal users of Fanbase while learning what it would take to gain new users. Instead, all he learned was the pain that can come when you have a repeated lapse in leadership, failing to learn from mistakes, feedback in their team. When you stop learning, you stop leading, you stop growing, and so does your organization. Attitude reflects leadership. One of my favorite quotes from the movie,"Remember the Titans". Your energy speaks volumes as a leader." It's your calling card. It's usually the only glimpse into your organization's culture that others will have. Unfortunately for him, the way Isaac lashed out at Franchesca, left a bitter taste in the mouth of many of the app users and potential users. We're already reeling from the changes that is coming about within the social media world. They're making us feel some type of way with all of these changes, with leaders that are doing things people don't understand or like. It's causing us already to feel bitter. And, unfortunately, Isaac just added to that bitterness. This would've been a great time to demonstrate why his app is different, why his leadership is different, and he could have left us with a sweet taste instead of adding to the bitterness. The bottom line, cultivate an attitude that elevates you, your leadership, your team, and your brand. Not one that diminishes it. Can Isaac Hayes III and Fanbase come back from this controversy? Possibly. There will be a lot of work to be done. There will be a lot of work to regain trust. There will be a lot of work to change the reputation that has now been cemented by previous actions and current actions. It will take improvements in the app itself in order for it to become something that people will feel is more user-friendly rather than more cumbersome. It's going to take a lot for him to get this app and his organization on the same playing field, on the same level, as so many of these other big apps that are already being used. It's going to take a lot for him to demonstrate that he's the type of leader that others should actually follow. So... what did you think about today's episode and topic? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Or, you can tell me how you're going to use today's information in your day to day life. You can do that by leaving me a message on my fan page at Fanlist.com/CoffeeCocktailsClarity. In the meantime, may you and yours be safe and well, until we meet again for more Coffee, Cocktails, and Clarity.
