The Oscar-winning biopic King Richard is a fantastic film. Will Smith gives an award-winning performance as Richard Williams, the father of Venus & Serena Williams. Both actresses playing the tennis superstars as youngsters are exceptional and in my opinion, Jon Bernthal should have been given the Best Supporting Actor nod. The movie shows the young lives of these future tennis champions and their relationship with their father. There is a lot we can take from the story, so let’s have a look at some business lessons from King Richard. There may be some spoilers ahead.
Believe In Your Plan
The first of our lessons from King Richard is belief. Richard had a plan from the very beginning and had absolute belief in that plan. Even when other people didn’t. He knew that his daughters were going to be game-changers and stood firm in that faith. Bringing this into the business world, you will often come up against people who don’t have the same belief in your idea. Don’t let them put you off. If you know where you are going and how to get there, keep moving forward.
Be Open
In the film, we see some back and forth between Richard and one of the early coaches. It’s all about the stance that the player is taking on the court. Richard wants it to be more open whilst the coach goes with the traditional closed stance. The coach thinks that he is right because he is the coach. It is important to be open about doing things differently. Taking advice outside of your own knowledge and giving things a go. We must also be open in business to everything that comes out way. Using our strength, we can smash that ball back and take the point.
Support Is Key
Family is paramount throughout the entire film. Having someone to lean on for support is key. The parents push their children, yes, but it is in a supportive way. Studies are always put first and that is respected. Even when Venus loses the tennis game, is downtrodden, and feels blue, family shows up. Her parents hug her and their belief is still there. Furthermore, a legion of fans is out, cheering her name. Surround yourself with people you can trust and who will help and support you. The business world can be hard and often hostile. Having people you can turn to is crucial.
Know Your Worth
The parenting and self-belief put in place by Richard ensure that his daughters know what they are worth. There is one point in the film where Venus has to make a decision and it is her decision to make. It turns out to be the right one because she knows what she is capable of. This is one of the lessons from King Richard that we all often forget. We underplay our skills or don’t think that we’re all that good. Know your value, see that talent in yourself that others perhaps do or don’t, and understand what you are worth.
Remember Who You Are & Where You Came From
Even though the family move from Compton to Florida, they never forget where they came from. At the end of the film, we see actually footage and photographs from real life. Richard holds up a sign all about the Williams girls from Compton. Pride in your roots is something we should all have. The women have gained a lot of success but have also used it to give back. They have helped set up the Yetunde Price Resource Center which is a violence prevention foundation in Compton where they grew up. In our lives, we should never forget where we came from and those people who helped us in our humble beginnings. If you can give back or help someone else up the ladder, do so. Pay it back as well as forward.
Have Fun
During every game, Richard tells his daughters to have fun. That can so often bypass us as we forget the reason we started something in the first place. If we are not enjoying what we’re doing, what’s the point? We actually perform better if we are happy! Think about your situation and if you are not having fun, maybe it is time to make a change.
It’s a great film, one I really enjoyed. I know the awards it won were slightly overshadowed by other things that happened at the ceremony but pushing all of that aside, it’s a wonderful story and is well worth a watch. What lessons from King Richard will you take?
