Love or hate her, Barbie holds a hidden hand, a super power of sorts for the leaders many of us crave. The production of the new Barbie movie exemplifies that rare leader who brings dissimilar folks together in ways that build on similarities and benefit all! How so?
Few will deny Barbie is iconic in this memorable motion picture, although she’s neither good nor bad! Producers, Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie have proven to highly diverse audiences that we can welcome vastly different ideas and unique individuals to fit all together at once without putting some things down in order to win points for one side only.
Think of it! Imagine being looked at by another person who differs with our idea and yet says sincerely, “You’re enough”. Imagine a flick that can draw deep diversity from every corner and then discover how many found something meaningful to take away. It’s no accident though. Dig a bit deeper into how this film was formed and we find a linchpin lesson for our divided humanity that can begin to propel more of us forward!
Sure, Barbie boldly presents a feminist film through brilliant comedy and the simplicity two talented producers saw embedded into the Matel brand. Yet that framework became their starter, as the producers approached Matel frequently to gather shared ideas and to ensure their production plans did not dishonor the Barbie toy and in hopes of using their talent to visibly honor the Matel brand.
These heroic producers wanted to hear wisdom from Matel every step of the way, and they valued all ideas shared. As concepts wiggled into shapes that satisfied all, they also grew to love the people who represented the Barbie brand. Can you see how genuine collaboration pre-empted the mean spirit that rises up so often to divide our communities when one side must lose in order to allow another side to “win.”
This hidden humility that enriched the Barbie collaborative approach is why those viewers who loved and those who hated Barbie both seemed to honor the legacy of a Barbie figure that amazingly has a finger on the pulse of where we are today!
Some of us saw the movie merely because of the buzz this film generated. Others were fans of the Barbie memories. But I was pleasantly surprised at this blockbuster’s ability to teach us how to unite our communities again by designing collaborations across differences.
Who’d have thought two producers or a Barbie blockbuster could emulate brilliant leadership that includes and values both those who love things we love and also those who may hate our ideas. Yet we see from this film gone viral, how unity follows when others see how we’re open to grow and learn from different perspectives as an evolutionary part of any shared talent that comes from diverse contributions.
LINKS TO BOOKS THAT RECHARGE OUR EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL HEALTH IN A TOXIC ERA
Grace Mindset Book – paperback
The Teen’s Growth Mindset Workbook – paperback
Growth Mindset Interactive Materials at TPT