Maybe it’s just because I’m a huge Bruce Springsteen fan, but I found this article from U.S. News and World Report fascinating. It’s called “What Springsteen can teach CEOs,” and it’s written by Rick Newman. I was hooked as soon as I read the first paragraph:

“Let’s say you manage a venerable but aging brand with a huge, rabidly loyal customer base,” Newman writes. “Your merchandise sells on name alone, and there’s strong cash flow from a product lineup stretching back 30 years. But the growth of your enterprise has slowed, and your core customers — once the highly coveted 18- to 34-year-old demographic — are getting gray and paunchy. What’s your strategy for staying relevant?”

That’s Springsteen to a T. But it could also be Maytag or IBM, Ford or Chevy, Wrangler or Levi Strauss. Heck, it could even be the CPA profession.

So, what can The Boss teach bosses? Newman boils it down to six themes:

1. Never let your customers rest.
2. Innovate.
3. Give the people what they want.
4. Share credit.
5. Set expectations. Then reset them. And reset them. And …
6. Love what you do.

Read Newman’s take on how Springsteen addresses each of these themes here, then answer this important question:

Does anyone have an extra pair of tickets I can buy?