The Barbie Effect

She made her debut in New York City on March 9, 1959. This tall, curvy, blonde bombshell took the nation by storm and has gone on to remain a social influencer for the past six decades. She’s re-invented herself multiple times, adapting to the changing culture. She’s a trendsetting, global traveler who has inspired countless young girls over the decades to believe in themselves and their potential.

She’s a household name and was recently the star of a major motion picture.

Her name?

Barbie.

If you don’t know the origin of Barbie, it’s a fascinating story.

Barbie was the brainchild of Ruth Handler, co-founder of Mattel. She observed her daughter, Barbara (the doll’s namesake), playing with paper dolls and saw a need for a doll that allowed young girls to imagine themselves in adult roles, rather than just as babies.

It was a forward-thinking idea during a time when baby dolls dominated the toy marketplace. Introducing an adult doll to young girls encouraged them to consider not only the role of motherhood but also various career paths they may want to pursue in the future.

Barbie was inspired by the Bild Lilli doll, a German novelty toy created for adults but later became popular with children. Ruth Handler and her Mattel Team created the Barbie doll, naming it after her daughter, Barbara.

Barbie debuted at the American International Toy Fair in New York City on March 9, 1959, sporting a black and white swimsuit. Barbie was a BIG hit, selling 300,000 units in the first year after release. She quickly became a cultural and fashion icon in the toy industry.

In 1961, Ken was introduced as Barbie’s boyfriend. He was the epitome of a clean-cut collegiate American. He too came with an extensive wardrobe with a preppy, Ivy League flair.

Over the years, the Barbie brand has expanded into a multimedia franchise, including video games, animated films, television and internet series, and a live-action film. She has been celebrated (and criticized) for her portrayal of female beauty and aspirations, as well as her influence on social values.

Many historical figures have been immortalized as Barbie dolls. These include Helen Keller, Susan A. Anthony, Florence Nightingale, Ella Fitzgerald, Bessie Coleman, Madam C. J. Walker, Ida Wells, Maya Angelou, Anna May Wong, and Rosa Parks. Other inspirational women Barbies include Kristi Yamaguchi, Jane Goodall, and even celebrities, past and present.

The first celebrity Barbie doll, modeled after British fashion model, Twiggy, was released in 1967. Other celebrity Barbie characters include Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, Stevie Nix, Shania Twain, and Zendaya to name a few.

Throughout the decades, Barbie remained a fashion icon for the times. In the 70s and 80s, she appeared on store shelves as Peace and Love Barbie, Disco Barbie, Malibu Barbie, and Peaches ‘n Cream Barbie.

In the 90s and 2000s, she appeared as Bead Blast Barbie, Back to School Barbie, Midge Ski Fun Barbie, Pretty Hearts Barbie, Caboodles Barbie, Holiday Hostess Barbie, Make a Valentine Barbie, Paint and Dazzle Barbie, Olympic Gymnast Barbie, Arctic Barbie, Steppin’ Out Barbie, Olympic Skater Barbie, Western Stampin’ Barbie, and the highly popular Totally Hair Barbie.

From the world of movies, there’s also been a Wizard of Oz Dorothy Barbie, a 101 Dalmatians Barbie, an Eliza Doolittle Barbie, and a Disney Fun Barbie. Barbie’s also been an astronaut, a filmmaker, a model, a flight attendant, a pilot, a police officer, a CEO, an architect, a nurse, a doctor, a beekeeper, a dolphin trainer, a scientist, and even a president.

She’s had her own Dream House, a sparkly pink convertible, a Barbie Dream Plane, a Jeep, a Doll House, a Scooter, a Ski boat, a swimming pool, a bicycle, a cook and grill set, an SUV, and (most recently) an Electric Car.

Barbie has had everything she’s ever wanted. She’s done anything and everything she wanted to do. Barbie has traveled anywhere she wanted to go, got to become anyone she wanted to be, and has been the center of attention of an admiring fan base for more than sixty years.

This is the Barbie Effect.

In life, groups tend to promote people who command the most attention. Mattel has done an incredible job doing this with Barbie over the past six decades, keeping her relevant to the times and adapting to the changing cultural trends. Barbie has become one of the most successful franchises in the history of dolls and toys.

But there’s a danger lurking within The Barbie Effect.

Narcissism.

In life, groups tend to promote people who command the most attention. We see that today with Hollywood celebrities, professional sports athletes, social media influencers, business icons, radio and TV personalities, and the like. What we often see, played out before our lives, is a collection of self-serving narcissists who are only concerned with themselves.

Narcissism is an inflated sense of self-importance, a need for excessive admiration, and a lack of empathy for others. These individuals tend to exaggerate their achievements and talents, believing they are superior to others. They possess an insatiable craving for attention and praise, often seeking validation from others. Narcissists believe they are entitled to special treatment or position, expecting others to cater to their needs and whims. They often take advantage of others to achieve their own goals without remorse or guilt, believing they are deserving of, or entitled to, excess.

Rather than remaining humble, they become arrogant, self-serving, and conceited. It’s often referred to as a “God Complex” where they see themselves, like the fabled Olympians, of worthy (and demanding) of worship, praise, adoration, and the sacrifice of others.

This is the dark side of The Barbie Effect.

Inside an organization, this can have a devastating effect on performance.

We’ve all seen our share of Prima Donnas in the sports world. Consider the narcissistic wide receiver, point guard, or other positional player who cares more about their fame, stats, and followers than the team. When they are on the playing field, it’s all about them and getting the personal win.

In the NBA, studies have shown that a narcissistic player on a team leads to lower team scoring, fewer assists, more team losses, and less overall improvement as a team.

Any organization desiring a high-performance, winning team needs to pay attention to the negative implications of The Barbie Effect to mitigate its potential damage. These can include:

· Mistaking confidence for competency

· Mistaking certainty for credibility

· Mistaking quantity for quality

Interestingly, some of the top high-performance teams don’t have the best talent. They may not have the best thinkers and individual performers on the roster. What they do have that sets them apart, and makes them successful, is a team of individuals who will identify and expand the best thinking from the Team and find ways to help each team member perform at his or her best, contributing to the success of the team.

This is known as Collective Intelligence.

We all possess individual intelligence. Collective Intelligence leverages the individual intelligence of each team member to enhance the group’s ability to more effectively think, problem-solve, and execute as a cohesive team. It’s how high-performance teams get more things done, in less time, through cooperation and collaboration.

When properly utilized and leveraged within an organization, Collective Intelligence yields a myriad of positive benefits that boost performance and enhance outcomes.

First, it allows teams to enlist and evaluate the collective insight, wisdom, and experience of each individual team member. It prompts a free exchange of ideas, allowing each individual to feel seen, heard, valued, and appreciated. All of us are better than any one of us, and by collecting, considering, and collaborating on everyone’s contribution, we identify more and better ideas, allowing the best ideas to be identified and implemented.

Secondly, fostering Collective Intelligence also fosters an environment where team members are able to learn from one another and grow together as a team. Learning opportunities create coachable moments, allowing individuals to share their unique expertise with others, making the entire team better as a result.

This open architecture approach to Collective Intelligence allows for each individual team member to find and thrive in their unique niche, based on their talent and ability, It also allows each team member to know their role, and the part they play, in the team dynamic and how their individual contribution also contributes to the overall team’s success.

Thirdly, Collective Intelligence allows the team to rally together as they align around a common goal or desired outcome. Each team member knows what a WIN looks like, and how their specific contribution helps to move the team forward in pursuit of the finish line. Once that happens, they can then celebrate the collective win, as well as each individual team member’s contribution.

Remember, top high-performance teams don’t always have the best talent. They may not have the best thinkers and individual performers on the roster. What they do have that sets them apart, and makes them successful, is a team of individuals who will identify and expand the best thinking from the Team and find ways to help each team member perform at his or her best, contributing to the success of the team.

Using Collective Intelligence, teams foster more and better ideas. This improves the available pool of options to consider, allowing more and better ideas to be considered, vetted, and explored, allowing the very best ideas to be formulated and implemented.

This is a formula for success.

In life, groups tend to promote people who command the most attention. When Collective Intelligence is effectively implemented within an organization, everyone is seen, heard, valued, and appreciated. This helps to negate the dark side of The Barbie Effect and creates an environment where everyone contributes, collaborates, and succeeds.