Leadership Lessons from the Movie 'Barbie'

Have you ever been to something that had been talked about and hyped up so much, that by the time you actually got to experience it for yourself it seemed like a big letdown? I definitely have, and thankfully, this was not one of those times.

I did not have Barbies when I was young. The closest I got was a teddy bear I named Jessica. I did buy Barbie for my daughter – and well, she was the kid that turned her into ‘weird Barbie’ after cutting her hair off and drawing all over her face.

Regardless, I loved the movie. There were so many moments and lines within the movie that I resonated with (clearly America Ferrara’s whole speech), that made me laugh out loud, cry (all of the montage scenes for a start), poke my husband (my husband ticked off the Duolingo scene, the and the guitar playing scene) and some that I need to go back to and spend some more time with.

Of course, being the leadership nerd I am, I had to look for leadership lessons from the movie . Here are a couple I got from it (without giving any spoilers):

1. Don’t take your support team for granted (aka Ken). Whether at work or at home, you can’t be a leader on your own, and forgetting that is not only selfish, it can have serious consequences.
2. Speak up, share your ideas, even if you’re scared (as America Ferrara does towards the end). Not every idea is brilliant, but you never know which one will land, and which one will spark someone else’s idea.
3. Surround yourself with smart, competent women. Support each other through good times and bad. Remind them who they are if they’re going astray from their values (all the Barbies)
4. Own your greatness (and we all have greatness). One of my favourite parts of the movie was the Barbies being given awards, compliments etc and simply saying ‘I know’ (along with a special ‘I know’ appearance in the real world IYKYK)

I would love to hear your thoughts – what other leadership lessons can you find in the movie. Add your thoughts in the comments below!