Aaron Sorkin’s new film Being the Ricardos—in regards to the First Couple of TV Sitcoms, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz—began streaming on Prime Video this week, and social media already has tons of questions, ranging from the casting selection of Nicole Kidman to whether or not or not the time period “gaslight” would have been used as a verb within the Nineteen Fifties.
Casting and alleged anachronisms apart, enterprise leaders can learn so much from the barrier-breaking girl who achieved a lot within the working world throughout a time when most American girls have been homemakers like . . . Lucy Ricardo. Let’s break down 5 leadership takeaways from 70 years in the past which might be simply as relevant right now.
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Feminine bosses rule
Ball was not simply the face of I Love Lucy but in addition a studio government; she and then-husband Arnaz began Desilu Productions. She maintained loads of management over the TV present that put the pair on the map collectively. Her creativity and imaginative and prescient have been noteworthy, and he or she’s the one who fought CBS to get her Cuban-born husband to play reverse her on the present.
Self-branding is essential
The collection that made Lucy a family title for generations comprises her actual title as a result of she shared it together with her character. (Arnaz had no such luck; his character was named Ricky as a result of they didn’t need the couple on the present to be confused with the real-life couple.) Subsequent tasks additionally included “Lucy” within the title, comparable to Ball’s later sitcoms, The Lucy Present, Right here’s Lucy, and Life with Lucy. The title of her forward-positioned manufacturing firm additionally contains a part of her title. Her branding course of prolonged to merchandising, too. Ball’s crimson hair was unforgettable and, like her enshrined moniker, made her laborious to substitute. In accordance to the Library of Congress, her present generated tons of merchandise, together with paper dolls, jewellery, clothes, knickknacks, and a comic book e book collection.
Have a supportive staff
The folks backing Ball ranged from I Love Lucy head author Jess Oppenheimer, whom she credited for a lot of the present’s success, to Arnaz, who was astute sufficient to have reruns in thoughts (earlier than reruns have been even a factor!) by insisting the collection be recorded on better-quality 35mm movie slightly than kinescope. And whereas performing, Ball loved the back-and-forth with two different gifted costars, William Frawley and Vivian Vance, as Fred and Ethel Mertz. (Enjoyable-ish reality: Although they performed a married couple, Vance and Frawley hated one another off display screen.)
Choose your battles
Certain, it’s best to learn this in elementary faculty, however these in administration roles want to keep in mind it greater than most—and a little bit refresher by no means harm. Along with Arnaz, Ball gained two notable battles throughout her profession: incorporating her real-life being pregnant into I Love Lucy as a storyline and guaranteeing that Desilu Productions retained the possession rights to the collection.
Take possibilities
On the time Ball’s signature present was created, TV was a younger, unproven medium. Her willingness to star on a TV sitcom may have risked her future prospects in motion pictures and her status as a “critical” actor. In Ball’s private life, divorcing Arnaz in 1960 (after their present was over) may’ve put the enjoyable, slapstick view of their TV marriage in jeopardy. However, staying true to herself, she went on to see her profession proceed to thrive for many years.
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