“I didn’t fit in in high school and I felt like a freak. So I like to create this atmosphere for my fans where they feel like they have a freak in me to hang out with and they don’t feel alone. The whole point of what I do – The Monster Ball, the music, the performance aspect of it – I want to create a space for my fans where they can feel free and they can celebrate.”
In From Workplace to Playspace, I write about “Permission-givers.” They are the people who either by their example or encouragement give us permission to risk showing our whole selves, risk stepping out of our comfort zone and experimenting with new ways of thinking and being, and risk the discomfort that comes with learning and transformation.
Lady GaGa is a wonderful permission-giver and creator of playspace. She is also a “permission-taker” as she doesn’t wait to find out what the rules are, or wait for anyone else to give her permission, she just takes it. And by taking it and pushing the boundaries through her behavior, wild costumes and music, she opens up space for others to play with their own identities and capacities.
If you pay attention, you will find permission-givers and takers in every field, and in every successful organization. They are the people who don’t take themselves too seriously to play around with new and provocative possibilities, and risk doing things differently. They may challenge you out of your comfort zone simply by the non-traditional way they show up in the world. As they do, they are making more playspace for everyone.
One of the simplest ways you can create more playspace in your work and personal life is to notice and appreciate the permission-givers. Even better, be one yourself!
Tags: acceptance, creativity, Lady GaGa, psychological safety
Lady GaGa and Permission-Giving
I needed this perspective shift and reminder to be a permission-giver and to recognize them in all arenas in my life. I know how good it feels to just take the leap and be creative or do something unique or different from my usual patterns. Although I don’t necessarily relate to Lady GaGa’s music, I now can appreciate her better for one of the roles she is playing in society. Thanks for the much-needed reminder!
I love your lateral connections here