Movies are a great way to unwind and take your mind off of everyday life. However, they can also be an excellent tool for learning experiences that can be applied in places where you lead. For example, you can learn a lot about leadership and success from many different movies. There are all different types of leadership that can be used in instances of coaching, and you can see it visually reflected amongst various films. Below, we will look at some of the lessons movies have taught us about leadership, as featured in an article on Cranfield School of Management.
Remember the Titans
This movie shows us how important and influential it is to lead by example. This movie is based on the true story of an African-American football coach who was appointed during the first season of a racially integrated team. During one of the heart-gripping scenes, the captain tells the team member that he has a poor attitude. The team member’s response was: “Attitude reflects leadership, Captain.” The truth is that leadership is hard, and it can be frustrating when things are not going as planned or you feel that your team is not responding to you the way you would like them to. However, for a team to run efficiently, you must avoid taking frustrations out on the team. Attitudes are contagious, and if you inspire change through a positive attitude, your team will follow suit.
Miracle on Ice
Following the United States Olympic Hockey team, this Disney movie is an excellent example that you can’t just give up when the going gets tough. This movie starts from the inception of the 1980s American Ice Hockey team, and it takes you through the extraordinary wins and losses of the team up to the finals in Lake Placid. The team had only four players with any experience in professional (minor league) hockey at all, so it really goes to show that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. As a person in a position of leadership, take away what US Coach Herb Brooks did. There’s something to be said for never giving up.
Rocky Balboa
This film’s most important message is to deal with adversity as well as you do triumph. You should take the good with the bad and keep moving forward no matter what attempts to stand in your way. Rocky Balboa showed us this during his fights in his personal life and in the ring. You will be knocked down over and over again, but you have to stand back up and try again each time.