5 Leadership & Life Lessons From Whitney Houston

Posted by Scott Williams
23 Comments
February 19, 2012
Controversy | Leaders | Leadership | Life Application | Next-Level Leader | Quotes

I was trying to decide on whether to write a blogpost about leadership blind spots or write about Whitney Houston.  I had several people suggest that I simply write about both of them or merge the two.  So here it goes.

5 Leadership & Life Lessons From Whitney Houston

  • 1. You Have What It Takes – Kevin Costner said that although Whitney Houston was hugely successful, she still asked this question, “Am I good enough, pretty enough & will they like me?”  His response was this, “You were great, beautiful & they loved you.”  You have what it takes, you must truly believe it deep down inside.
  • 2. God Does The Fixing - Whitney Houston was quoted saying these words, “Any way you fix me Lord, I’ll be satisfied.”  There is a lot of power and humility in that quote.  Lord I’m broken, I know I need fixed, not sure what fixed means, but I so desperately need whatever help you can give me.
  • 3. You Have To Step Out To Find Out – As Whitney Houston’s Musical Director Rickey Minor talked about his experience with Whitney Houston singing the Star Spangled Banner.  Rickey said they were trying to figure out how to make it special and they didn’t know what they were doing.  Rickey said you have to step out and he said it this way, “God said Go For It, Go Ahead… We did it and it changed my life.”  You have to step out to find out.
  • 4. Stop Ridiculing & Give Love - Whitney’s death showed how easy it is for people to ridicule instead of seeing the bright side of things.  Many people were quick to point out her challenges and shortcomings instead of the positives of her life.  Whitney’s funeral showed what happens when people point out the positive aspects of someone’s life – It Inspires! Whitney’s bodyguard Ray Watson talked about what performers like Whitney go through just to give people a little entertainment.  His final words were, “Stop Ridiculing & Give Love!”
  • 5. Your Life Can Be A Larger Impact Than You Know - Whitney will go down as one of the best vocalists in modern day history.  Whitney sold millions of records, in addition to making millions of people smile, laugh, sing and dance.  Although she made an impact on this world before she left this earth, it’s arguable that her funeral may have had the most eternal impact of any artist to date.  The world was watching as God’s orchestration of some of the most amazing communicators of the gospel.  During a moment that many thought was going to be a low or sad occasion, God used Whitney Houston’s Homegoing Celebration to lift the name of Jesus High.

We are naive at best if we don’t understand how much Whitney’s funeral impacted the world with the Gospel.

Share your thoughts on the above lessons or lessons that you learned from Whitney Houston’s Career, Life and Funeral.

  • http://twitter.com/jongardner1989 Jonathan Gardner

    This tweet from Rick Warren summed it up well.
    @RickWarren: #WhitneyHouston’s funeral shared the Gospel today with more people today than most of us ever will.”

    • ScottWilliams

      well said by Pastor Rick…  

  • Edchoy05

    Lots to learn here, and mourning takes time, but isn’t this one of the biggest and most tragic losses of life that was completely unnecessary? Where is the accountability? Let’s learn also from the mistakes! She died WAY too early and young, what does this teach the next generation?

    • ScottWilliams

      That’s another great point.  We have lots to learn

      • seanda

        i think that whitney had impact alot and i think of her as a role model i love her and  R.I.P whitney

  • http://jonathanpearson.net/ Jonathan Pearson

    Well said!

  • http://www.DrAngelaBisignano.com/ Angela Bisignano

    A wonderful post Scott. Whitney was a beautiful and gifted woman. I loved that her funeral had such an impact by giving so much honor to God. He was broadcast around the world and He took center stage in all of it. Although I never got a chance to meet Whitney, I did get to see her love for God, especially in her interviews. She didn’t shy away from the truth and how God was influencing her life. Another leadership lesson we can learn from her: be courageous about how God is influencing your life, especially when you have a public stage.

    • ScottWilliams

      I like that lesson… Courageous makes sense and is necessary

  • Tlanders2002

    Well said! I’m beginning to see that God’s plan is working. He got glory from her funeral & Whitney probably wouldn’t have had it any other way. People wake up, God is speaking, He’s trying to tell us something. Please have an ear to ear. It’s funeral how the world may have viewed Whitney as troubled, but God looked at her heart & saw the goodness. He was tired of people messing with his baby. So she went from Glory to Glory. Do you know Christ? Do you want to get to know Him?
    Tasha A

    • ScottWilliams

      Preach Tasha…

  • Anonymous

    I like the quotes you were able to capture for this post.  These are all worth filing away.  Go Win Scott!

    • ScottWilliams

      totally agree, I need to do that

  • http://www.travelgal4u.com/ Travelgal4u

    Everyone’s life has value and each are capable of great things.  I wish that Whitney understood that and valued herself more.  The service was spirit filled and just what was needed.  I have listened to Whitney and a lot of others over the years and marveled how God creates such talented people.  Whether you are a singer, actor, writer, artist you make life a joy.. Thanks

    • ScottWilliams

      Well said…  we all have the capability of greatness

  • http://www.jackiebledsoe.com/ jbledsoejr

    This is a great post! Thanks for sharing Scott. Love this quote

    “Any way you fix me Lord, I’ll be satisfied.”

    Reminds me of something my grandma or mother would say back in the day.

    • ScottWilliams

      Amen & Amen

  • http://twitter.com/LampPostHS Harriet Yoder

    Excellent post. I started watching the funeral service because of your Tweets and ended up watching all of it. I cried, laughed, and came away with a different perspective of Whitney Houston.

    You hit the target with your take on the lessons. Thank you!

    • ScottWilliams

      Thanks…  I was glad people were blessed by my tweets, there were a lot of them.  I got lots of thank you’s

  • Pjfloresworld

    You can preach the gospel all you want at any sinners funeral. It may reach a live person listening and watching, but it can’t change the eternity for the one in the casket. If Whitney didn’t avail herself of all these Spirit-filled people in her life and turn to Jesus they did her no good in death.

    • ScottWilliams

      From all pastor, family and interview accounts Whitney had a relationship with the Lord. Praise The Lord!

  • Pjfloresworld

    In the end not much to learn from Whitney. What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul. Mark 8:36

  • http://twitter.com/WHBKfanShenice Shenice Williams

    I thought the blog was very well written.   She would’ve liked the way u brokedown  the funeral in its entirety.   I shared  on fb to Whitney Fan page.

  • Faye

    I totally agree with you.  Pastor Marvin Winans said when he met Whitney that she was going to be his missionary.  Last Saturday, she was.  Probably no one besides Billy Graham has had so many people’s minds tuned to the Gospel at one time.  She brought the world to church and we should all do as the message directed–”Prioritize”.

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