Ever wonder why some people seem hungry to develop and improve, while others … don’t? They may be hungry to get promoted of course, but less keen to develop the skills they need to get there. Maybe you’ve even fallen into this trap yourself? A few years ago, I was… Read More »Why mindset is key to development
Despite being over 60 years old, Twelve O’Clock High is apparently still required viewing at U.S. service academies and training schools. While many movies have valuable leadership lessons, few are about the very nature of leadership itself. Twelve O’Clock High is different. It’s a movie that reveals both the power and… Read More »Is Twelve O’Clock High the definitive leadership movie?
Leading any group can be hard. But imagine that group is riven with gang rivalry and hate, with an ever-present threat of physical violence. And that you’ve woefully underestimated the challenge. That’s the situation facing Erin Gruwell (played by Hilary Swank) in her first teaching job at the newly-integrated Woodrow… Read More »How Erin Gruwell can help you lead a difficult team
Watching Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln, it’s striking how little America seems to have changed politically in 150 years. Two diametrically opposed ideologies still lie separated by a narrow middle ground. Similarly, it’s distinctive how relevant Abraham Lincoln’s leadership is for our contemporary world. Here are five lessons from Lincoln’s struggle to… Read More »Lead like Lincoln: leadership lessons from honest Abe
As leaders, a key part of our role is to develop and grow our people. Everyone wants to grow, right? Do well in life? So what holds them back? Coach Carter is one film that explores this question. It tells the true story of high school basketball coach Ken Carter… Read More »Break the bonds that stop your people from growing
With Olympic fever gripping the UK, it seems a good time to revisit Miracle, the 2004 film that depicts one of the great Olympic underdog stories. I was only 11 during the 1980 Winter Olympics, but can still clearly recall the elation of the US ice hockey team following their… Read More »Seven Olympic leadership lessons from Miracle
Harrison Ford may have headlined 1993’s Oscar-nominated thriller The Fugitive, but it was Tommy Lee Jones who stole the show with his portrayal of grizzled US Marshal Samuel Gerard. Such was his impact that Jones got his own spin-off five years later in US Marshals. Gerard exhibits many impressive leadership… Read More »Great movie leaders: Samuel Gerard, The Fugitive
While Coach Carter received little attention on its original UK release, it’s full of powerful leadership lessons. The story of Ken Carter, who returns to coach basketball at his former school, is based on true events. Rather than simply improving the team’s results, Carter truly believes he can improve his students’ lives.… Read More »Four powerful leadership lessons from Coach Carter