We are the world - retrospective management lessons?

I was a freshman in high school back in 1985 - the year the song We Are the World was recorded. Esquire recently published, 'We Are the World': Inside Pop Music's Most Famous All-Nighter which tells the story of how the recording session went down. The people in this story, who made that song, were all of the people on the radio in my childhood. This is a fun read if you are a person of a certain age. But also fun to think about how to bring together so many creatives to produce something so quickly. 

I think what is most interesting about this article is what is hinted at - which is how does one go about bringing together so many people who have high-demand social roles for so short of a time to make something which is (sort of) still iconic.

If you haven’t listened to it lately (or never heard of it), you can check it out on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/9AjkUyX0rVw My twenty something daughter came in the room while I was listening to it and said, “What is that?” I guess it hasn’t stood the test of time. But it brings back memories. Big hair, parachute pants, fingerless gloves…

What lessons are there here? Common vision, mission - everyone has a sense that there is something in it for them - a desire to be included. The producers reduced the transaction costs - holding the session when everyone would be in town anyway. There are some clever things recounted.

Plus, nostalgia.