Movies and Videos
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A. Copyright issues
Teachers and workshop presenters use a wide range of movies and video clips to illustrate different aspects of servant leadership when teaching courses and presenting workshops. It is assumed that viewing and sharing videos or video clips directly from YouTube or TedTalk is usually not a copyright issue, since those platforms were created to share videos. The exception would be the use of a “pirated” or unauthorized video or movie.
When it comes to movies, copyrighted works may be shown without a license to nonprofit educational institutions for “face-to-face teaching activities” because Section 110(1) of the federal Copyright Act provides a limited exception for such showings.
To download a PDF of Section 110, click here.
Others may pay fees to organizations like the Motion Picture Licensing Corporation or Movie Licensing USA (for K-12) for the right to show specific movies. There are no copyright issues when a teacher or presenter simply tells the story related in a movie, using her or his own words, without showing the actual movie.
B. YouTube
Here are some videos of talks related to servant leadership or the skills of servant leaders that are available on YouTube:
Dr. Jim Lemoine, “What is leadership? A story, and a surprising answer”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FLWYTLTNeE
Interview of Jack Lowe, Jr., at the Greenleaf Conference in 2012
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJzdEv96Zjk
Interview of Mary Miller at the Greenleaf Conference in 2012
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTqpPJ_CAZM
Kelvin Redd interview on servant leadership
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLq9BlP3ejA
Ernesto Sirolli, “Want to help someone? Shut up and listen.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chXsLtHqfdM
Thai Life Insurance, “happiness is helping others”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcruIov45bI
Liz Theophille, “Servant leadership: How to lead with the heart”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ0gave2WJc
Ian Fuhr, “The subversive power of servant leadership”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKrTEEHID50
Cheryl Bachelder, “Dare to Serve”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBWP2dASNSk
David Marquet, “Greatness” presented by Inno-Versity
C. Dr. Keith's comments on 33 movies and videos
To download a PDF of Dr. Keith’s comments, click here.
Here are some comments on videos and movie clips that I have used in my teaching and workshops. My comments are based on my own knowledge of the videos and clips as well as descriptions found on internet sources like YouTube and Wikipedia.
The video clips are organized under the following topics:
1- Characteristics of Servant Leaders
2- Power Model vs Service Model of Leadership
1- Characteristics of Servant Leaders
• Thai happiness video (the desire to serve)
This video is available on YouTube, currently under the titles “Unsung Hero” as well as “Happiness is helping others.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcruIov45bI
It is a 3-minute video created as an advertisement by Thai Life Insurance. The narrative voice is in Thai, but the video is subtitled. This is an example of small acts of service or kindness that make a difference in the lives of others.
The clip shows a young man who stops to put a plant under a water drain so it can get rain, feeds a dog, helps a woman get her food cart up on the curb, gives his seat on the bus to a young lady, gives a bunch of bananas to an elderly lady, and donates money to a child for her education. Each act has a result—the plant grows, the dog becomes his companion, the woman with the cart begins to enjoy life, the young lady beams at him happily, the elderly lady gives him a big hug, and the child is able to buy her school uniform and go to school. The subtitled voice says that the man is “still anonymous” but he witnesses happiness, feels the love, and receives what money can’t buy— a world made more beautiful.
• The Collector of Bedford Street (the desire to serve)
The Collector of Bedford Street is a 2002 documentary about director Alice Elliott's neighbor, Larry Selman. Larry has an intellectual disability and is unable to take care of himself. However, each day, he goes out into his neighborhood in New York City to ask people to donate to nonprofit organizations that serve the community. Each year, he raises thousands of dollars for good causes. When Larry’s primary caregiver, his uncle, becomes unable to care for him, his neighborhood comes together to protect his independent lifestyle by establishing an adult trust fund in his behalf.
I show the first part of the video, starting at 00:00 and running until 04:22. The first few minutes introduce Larry and describe his work as a collector of money for charitable causes. This clip points out that any of us can be of service and make a difference, regardless of our talent or gifts.
• Dave (definition of servant leadership)
Dave is a 1993 movie about Dave Kovic, who runs a temporary employment agency in Washington, D.C. The movie stars Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver.
Dave happens to look exactly like the President of the United States, so he has a side job impersonating President Bill Mitchell. The Secret Service asks him to pretend to be the President, leaving a hotel after the President gives a speech. This is to done to cover up Mitchell's extramarital affair with a member of his White House staff. During his “rendezvous” with the staff member, Mitchell suffers a stroke, leaving him in a coma.
White House Chief of Staff Bob Alexander and Communications Director Alan Reed convince Dave to continue playing the role of president, so they can stay in power. They tell Dave that Vice President Gary Nance cannot assume responsibility because he is mentally unbalanced. Bob Alexander has a plan to use the situation so that he can become President. Only Bob, Alan, the Secret Service, and the medical staff know of the switch. First Lady Ellen Mitchell doesn’t suspect anything at first, because she and the President lead separate lives, in contrast to their public image of a closely knit couple.
It turns out that Dave is a better President than Mitchell. Dave cares about people, and wants people to have jobs. This new energy and caring is noticed by the First Lady, who discovers that Dave is not her husband. She and Dave decide to work together to do some good. So Dave blackmails Bob into resigning by threatening to reveal the switch to the public, then announces a plan to find a job for every American who wants work. A few days later, Nance returns from Africa, and Dave learns that Nance is a good man.
Dave knows that Nance should become the President. As the video clip begins, he calls a joint session of Congress so he can make a speech. During his speech, he admits to Mitchell's role in a scandal, but introduces evidence proving that Alexander was the mastermind and Nance is innocent. Then Dave pretends to have a stroke, falling to the floor (this is where the video clip ends). They carry Dave out to a waiting ambulance and switch him with Mitchell on the way to the hospital. When they get to the hospital, it is the body of the real President that is taken from the ambulance, while Dave walks home.
I use this video because of Dave’s last words before he pretends to pass out. He apologizes to the American people. He says: “I should have cared more about you than about me. I should have cared more about what is right than what is popular. I should be willing to give up the whole thing for something I believe in, because if I’m not… I don’t belong here in the first place.”
After the scene in the video clip, Nance becomes acting president under the terms of the 25th Amendment and is sworn in as president five months later when Mitchell dies. Bob and eight other members of the Mitchell administration are indicted two days after Dave's jobs initiative passes. And there is a happy ending. Dave decides to run for city council and the First Lady comes to the office to volunteer. As they embrace, Duane, who was Dave’s Secret Service guard at the White House, emerges to stand guard outside Dave’s office door.
I play the scene that starts at 1:32:24 and runs until 1:38:27. The scene is the one in which Dave addresses Congress and then pretends to pass out. This video clip includes a good definition of servant leadership in politics
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2- Power Model vs Service Model
• Babe (power vs service)
Babe is a 1995 film about an orphaned piglet whom a farmer, Arthur Hoggett, wins in a "guess the weight" contest at a county fair. Hoggett lets Babe stay in the barn with a Border Collie named Fly, her mate Rex, and their puppies. Rex and Fly are sheep-dogs who round up the sheep for Hoggett. One day, Hoggett looks out his kitchen window and notices that Babe is standing between a group of white chickens and a group of brown chickens, and he imagines that Babe separated them. He began to wonder if Babe could do what a sheep dog does.
One day, Hoggett brings Babe with him to the shear the sheep. He tells Babe to move the sheep out of the pen. Fly tells Babe to be mean to the sheep, but Babe learns that he doesn’t have to threaten the sheep, all he has to do is ask the sheep nicely. The sheep march out in perfect order, astonishing Hoggett and Fly. The service model of leadership, not the power model of leadership, worked best for Babe.
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The recommended clip starts at 37:11 and runs until 44:36. This is the scene in which Babe learns how to do what a sheep dog does—but differently. It is the scene titled “A Pig That Thinks It’s a Dog.” It is a fun way to contrast the power model and the service model of leadership.
• Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (power vs service)
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World is a 2003 film set during the Napoleonic Wars in the early 19th century. The main characters are ship captain Jack Aubrey (played by Russell Crowe) and Dr. Stephen Maturin, the ship’s surgeon (played by Paul Bettany). The film's plot and characters are adapted from three of the twenty novels in the Aubrey–Maturin series by Patrick O’Brian.
Aubrey, captain of the HMS Surprise, is ordered to fight the French privateer Acheron, which is plundering the British whaling fleet. Acheron ambushes Surprise, causing heavy damage, and then slips away. During the battle, Lord William Blakeney, a young mid-shipman, is injured. His arm has to be amputated.
Aubrey talks with the sailing master, who suggests heading for shore to repair the ship. Aubrey praises his knowledge, but overrules him, ordering that Surprise be refitted at sea. In the midst of the refitting, he takes time to visit William Blakeney in the sick bay, taking him a book to read. The book is about Lord Nelson, the great British admiral, who also lost an arm. Aubrey exercises power, but he does it respectfully. He pays attention to the needs of his men and encourages them in simple and quiet ways.
I play the scene that starts at 20:26 and runs until 26:26. This is the scene in which Capt. Aubrey interacts with his sailing master and then a young midshipman.
• Henry V (power vs service)
Henry V is a 1989 movie based on the play by Shakespeare. The role of Henry V is played by Kenneth Branagh.
The historical background is that Henry V of England invaded France, and after months of laying siege to coastal French cities, he had lost many men from battle and disease. As he moved into France, the French army waited. They finally confronted Henry V in 1415 on a field near the town of Ajincourt.
Henry’s army was vastly outnumbered by two to one, or three to one, or worse (nobody really knows). Also, the French were fresh. But Henry V was an able commander and tactician. He placed his men at the end of a meadow that was lined with trees, and he had England’s extraordinarily effective archers— the longbowmen. Also, it had been raining, and the meadow was muddy.
When the French attacked, the trees created a bottleneck, and they could not get all their mounted, armored knights on the field at once. Their heavy armored horses and knights got bogged down in the mud. The English began picking them off with their archers, until the French could not get past the piled up bodies of their own dead men and horses. When it was over, the French had lost as many as 7,000 men, while the English had lost about 400. It was one of the most famous victories in the history of combat.
I play the scene that starts at 1:28:54 and runs until 1:39:06. This is the scene in which Henry V gives an inspiring speech to his troops and then the battle of Ajincourt begins. The speech, written by Shakespeare, is one of the best-known motivational speeches of all time. The recommended clip features the speech, followed by the beginning of the battle.
While Henry V is hugely respected and greatly revered by the English to this day, I do not think he was a servant leader. He was a Christian with many good qualities, but his desire for power got the best of him. The fact is that he did not have to attack France— England was in no danger from the French. Henry just wanted France and felt that he was entitled to it. He did conquer France, but it came at a great cost. Tens of thousands of fathers, brothers, and sons died in the battles, and the cost of the war emptied the treasury in England. England was more powerful, but life was not better for the English people. And the English control of France lasted only a generation.
I use the Henry V video clip together with the Gandhi video clip (see next comment) for the sake of comparison. Each clip starts with a speech and ends with horses charging— French armored horses charging the troops of Henry V, and police horses charging Gandhi. My view is that both men were great men, but Henry V was not a servant leader, while Gandhi was a servant leader.
• Gandhi (power vs service)
Gandhi is a 1982 film based on the life of Mohandas K. Gandhi. The role of Gandhi is played by Ben Kingsley.
The movie shows Gandhi in South Africa, where he lived for many years, working for the Indians who were laborers there. It was in South Africa that he began to develop his ideas about nonviolent resistance. The movie shows him addressing an auditorium filled with Indians, whose rights as British citizens were being violated by the British. After his speech, he is seen leading a peaceful protest near the mines where the Indians work. He and the protestors are attacked by police on horseback. The protestors see the police coming, and they lie down on the ground. The horses will not trample them, and the police cannot reach them, so the police gallop away. Nobody is hurt.
Gandhi is hugely respected and greatly revered by people all over the world. I think he was a servant leader. He never held an elected office, but he led the liberation of India against the most powerful empire in the world. That liberation was peaceful, with comparatively little loss of life. Gandhi cared about the poor, sought ways to improve the economy, expanded women’s rights, and tried to eliminate the caste system. The nation was better off due to his leadership.
I play the scene that starts at 25:53 and runs until 35:13. This is the scene in which Gandhi gives an inspiring speech to his followers and then joins a protest march. As noted above, the Henry V video clip and the Gandhi video clip can be used together for the sake of comparison. Each clip starts with a speech and ends with horses charging— French armored horses charging the troops of Henry V, and police horses charging Gandhi. Both men were great men, but Henry V was not a servant leader, while Gandhi was a servant leader.
• Lincoln (power vs service)
Lincoln is a 2012 movie focused on the passage of the 13th Amendment. The role of Lincoln is played by Daniel Day-Lewis.
The movie shows Lincoln at a cabinet meeting, explaining why he signed the Emancipation Proclamation, and why he is pushing so hard to get the 13th Amendment passed before the civil war is over. Lincoln was well aware of his use of power and had doubts about whether he was justified in using it the way he did. He felt that ultimately, whether he was right or not was up to the public, and the American people had re-elected him to office.
I play the scene that starts at 23:16 and runs until 30:46. It is the scene in which Lincoln talks about his use of power and his goal of getting the 13th Amendment passed. This video shows a servant leader using power for the greater good, while being very aware that power is only a tool and should be used very carefully.
• Gettysburg (power vs service)
Gettysburg is a 1993 film about the battle of Gettysburg, which was fought from July 1 to July 3, 1863, during the American Civil War. The role of Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain is played by Jeff Daniels.
The movie Gettysburg is based on Michael Shaara’s book, The Killer Angels. The battle of Gettysburg is portrayed historically, and Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was a real person who played a role in that battle. However, the story about the 120 mutineers, may have been made up by Shaara for dramatic effect.
The story as told in the movie is that on the morning that the 20th Maine was to march to Gettysburg, Chamberlain and the 20th Maine were assigned 120 mutineers— men who were no longer willing to fight. One issue was that the mutineers thought they had signed to serve for two years, but it turned out they had signed for three. A bigger issue was that they felt they were being treated “like dogs” by their leaders.
As shown in the movie, the Army tried to “break” the mutineers by starving them, marching them in chains, prodding them with bayonets, and threatening to shoot them. The Army had all the power anybody could have over other human beings, including the power to kill them. Army commanders used a lot of power, but it didn’t work: the result was resistance. As their leader said, “They’re trying to break us. We ain’t broke yet.”
Chamberlain had only 250 men, and it made no sense to him to have to guard 120 men who could still fight if they wanted to. His goal was to get them to join up again. He did a series of things that a servant leader would do. When the mutineers were delivered to him, Chamberlain’s first act was to dismiss the guards. That sent the signal that the mutineers were no longer prisoners. Then he offered the mutineers food. Then he listened to the man the mutineers had selected to speak for them, sharing their grievances.
Then Chamberlain went to talk to the mutineers. He told them he wouldn’t shoot them. He told them that when the battle was over, he would try to get justice for them, but in the meantime, they were moving out, and the mutineers would be coming along. Then he inspired them by reminding them of what the war was about, and how they were fighting to make other men free. He argued that, in the end, they were fighting for each other. He said that if they wanted to join up again and get their muskets back, they could have them, and nobody would say anything. He closed by saying that he thought that if they lost at Gettysburg, they would lose the war, so he would personally be very grateful if they would join the fight. Later in the movie we learn that 114 of the 120 mutineers decided to join up again (and during the battle, 3 more joined).
The re-joining of the mutineers is important to the story of Gettysburg because the 20th Maine was ordered to hold the left flank at Little Round Top. They were ordered to hold it to the last man. It was thought that if the Confederate Army made it past the flank, they could win the battle, and as a result, win the war. They would march on Washington, D.C. and hand Lincoln a letter from Jefferson Davis saying that it was over, and the South as a separate country.
Historically, the 20th Maine did in fact hold the flank. When they ran out of ammunition, they fixed bayonets and charged the Confederate soldiers, taking many prisoners. In Shaara’s historical fiction, one reason the 20th Maine was able to hold the flank was that they had 117 more men— the mutineers who rejoined in response to the way they were treated by a servant leader. If Chamberlain had not been a servant leader and the 117 men had not rejoined, the Union might have lost the battle of Gettysburg, and the United States of America might have become two countries.
I play the scene that starts at 13:41 and run until 30:17. This is the scene in which Col. Chamberlain receives the 120 mutineers and convinces them to rejoin the Union army and fight at Gettysburg. This scene provides an extraordinary contrast between the power model of leadership (which didn’t work) and the service model of leadership (which did work).
• Defiance (power vs service)
Defiance is a 2008 film based on the true story of the Bielski brothers of Belarus during World War II. The three Bielski brothers in the movie are played by Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, and Jamie Bell.
The Nazis moved through Eastern Europe, killing Jews. Four Bielski brothers survived (Tuvia, Zus, Asael, and Aron). They fled to the forest, where they encountered other Jewish escapees, mostly non-combatants, whom they decided to protect. They raided local farms for food and supplies and moved their camp whenever they are discovered. When the two eldest brothers, Tuvia and Zus, disagreed about the future, Zus left the camp to join a local company of Soviet partisans, while Tuvia remained with the camp as their leader.
After a hard winter of sickness, starvation, putting down an attempted mutiny, and constant hiding, the camp learned that the Germans were about to attack them in force. Asael stayed behind to delay the Germans, but is unsuccessful— only Asael and one camp member survive to rejoin the rest of the group. Meanwhile, the group arrives at the edge of the forest and are confronted with a seemingly impassable marsh.
Tuvia does not know what to do. He squats at the edge of the marsh and begins to tremble. He believes that it is all over. He checks his wife’s pistol, to make sure it works, and tells her to shoot herself before being taken by the Nazis.
Then Asael arrives and tells everyone that they can do it. He tells them to give him their belts, so they can form a human chain and cross the marsh together. Tuvia stands, gives Asael a kiss on the cheek, and follows him. Asael is the new leader. They cross the marsh with only one casualty but are immediately attacked by a German platoon supported by a Panzer III tank. Just in the knick of time, Zus arrives with his partisan force, which has deserted the Soviets to rejoin the group. Together they defeat the Nazis. Tuvia and Zus reconcile, and Tuvia is once again the leader of the group.
I play the scene that starts at 1:50:50 and run until 2:07:31. It is the end of the movie, including information about the historical Bielski brothers. This clip shows a strong leader, Tuvia, giving up his power and his leadership when he ran out of ideas. He was willing to turn over the reins and follow his younger brother during a crisis. Power was only a tool to be used in serving the community. When he no longer knew how to use it to serve others, he gave it up to somebody who did know what to do. When the crisis was over, he emerged again as the acknowledged leader.
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3- Key Practices
• Strictly Ballroom (self-awareness)
Strictly Ballroom is a 1992 Australian romantic comedy. In the movie, Scott Hastings is a young Australian ballroom dancer who comes from a family with a history of competitive ballroom dancing. His mother has great hopes for him as a contender for the Pan-Pacific Grand Prix Dancing Championship, a ballroom dance competition that is held in Australia.
The forms of dance required for the championship are highly stylized, with little room for interpretation or individual creativity. Scott feels stifled by the required steps, and begins to develop his own style, which is not “strictly ballroom.” He loses a dance competition after introducing some of his “radical” steps into his routine, to the horror and shame of his mother (who is in tears); the head of the dance studio (who is gravely concerned); and Scott’s dance partner (who leaves him for a rival male dancer).
It is only a few weeks before the next Pan-Pacific competition, so try-outs begin to find Scott a new partner. One night, while secretly working on his own steps at the studio, Scott sees a novice dancer, Fran, practicing there. Fran is a very plain-looking, shy beginner, but she shows Scott some pasodoble steps, and Scott becomes interested. One night Scott walks Fran home and finds that she lives in a tiny house next to the railway tracks with her father and grandmother. Fran’s father sees that Scott has potential and teaches him an authentic version of the pasodoble.
As the try-outs for Scott’s partner continue during the day, Scott and Fran continue to practice the pasodoble at night. Fran grows more attractive and self-confident. But Scott’s mother and the studio director still want Scott to win the Pan-Pacifics, and to do that, he must dance the required routines with a traditional dancer. Scott can only have one partner for the championship competition, so he has to choose. He succumbs to the pressure and agrees to dance with another dance, Liz. Fran is deeply hurt. She goes back to the beginner's class at the dance studio.
At the Pan-Pacific Grand Prix, Scott is preparing to dance with Liz, but is pulled aside by his father, who tells him about the truth about his parent’s past. Fran, her father, and her grandmother are at the Pan-Pacific, hoping that Scott will change his mind and dance with Fran instead. As the dance number is about to begin, Scott has only minutes to decide. Who should he dance with?
In the video clip, Scott chooses Fran. He decides to dance with someone he cares about, and to do the dance steps he wants to do— not the steps prescribed by the rules of the competition. He enters the dance arena with the longest knee-slide in the history of cinema and begins dancing the pasodoble with Fran. The President of the Federation stops the music, disqualifies Scott and Fran, and orders them to leave the floor. At that point, Scott’s father begins to clap, slowly, rhythmically, and others in the crowd join him. Scott and Fran begin to dance to the rhythm of the clapping, until Liz (whom Scott chose not to dance with) plugs the music in again, and Scott and Fran finish their dance, to the enthusiasm of the crowd. As the movie ends, people come out of the stands and fill the dance floor, dancing among themselves.
I play the scene that starts at 1:15:49 and runs until the end at 1:30:07. This is the scene at the end of the movie in which Scott chooses to dance with Fran. I use this story as an example of the key practice of self-awareness and personal values. The clip is about a young man making a choice about who he is, and who and what he values most.
• Dr. Sirolli TedTalk (listening)
This is a TedTalk by Dr. Ernesto Sirolli titled, “Want to help someone? Shut up and listen.” It is available on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chXsLtHqfdM
Dr. Sirolli is one of the world’s leading consultants on the topic of economic development. I play the first three minutes of the video, during which Dr. Sirolli tells the story of an experience he had in Africa with an Italian NGO when he was a young man. They did not listen to the Zambians, and as a result, they had a big surprise— one night 200 hippos came out of a nearby river and ate all of the tomatoes they had grown.
After that experience, Dr. Sirolli invented an enterprise facilitation system in which he does not initiate anything or try to motivate anybody. Instead he becomes a servant of people who already have passion, energy, and imagination. He helps them to identify resources and make connections so that their dreams can come true. Over the years, he and the Sirolli Institute have worked with 300 communities and have helped entrepreneurs around the world to develop more than 40,000 new jobs.
• The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill but Came Down a Mountain (listening, changing the pyramid)
The Englishman who Went up a Hill but Came down a Mountain is a 1995 film based on a story heard by Christopher Monger from his grandfather about the real village of Taff's Well, in the old county of Glamorgan, and its neighbouring Garth Hill. The story takes place in 1917, during World War I.
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Two English cartographers, George Garrad and Reginald Anson, arrive at a Welsh village to measure its nearby mountain. However, after their first outing, they had to announce to the villagers that their mountain was actually a hill, because it was about 16 feet short of the required height of 1000 feet to qualify as a mountain. The villagers are outraged. They have lost their men to war. They are not going to lose their mountain also.
The villagers decide to carry dirt up to the top of the mountain to create a mound that will raise the mountain to 1000 feet. Morgan the Goat, who runs the village inn and pub, and the Reverend Jones, who doesn’t approve of Morgan, each emerge as leaders of the effort. They conspire to keep the cartographers in town so that the villagers will have time to build the mound, bucket by bucket and wheelbarrow by wheelbarrow. In the process, Anson becomes attracted to a local woman, Betty, and Johnny Shellshock begins to heal, overcoming his fear of the mountain.
On the last day, Rev. Jones, who has carried dirt up the mountain several times, dies of a heart attack. As he dies, he reconciles with Morgan, whom he asks to make sure that he is buried on the mound. Night falls, and it becomes too late for Anson to make another measurement. However, Betty convinces him to stay on the mound with her overnight. As morning dawns, Anson and Betty are engaged, and Anson makes a new measurement that concludes that the villagers have succeeded— it is again a mountain.
I play the scene that starts at 1:09:39 and runs until 1:33:11. This is the end of the movie, in which the villagers make their final effort to build the mountain and Anson stays overnight to measure the mountain’s height again in the morning. I use this movie to show how a group of people who are focused on what they need to do, and listen to each other, can achieve their purpose without electing a leader or forming an organization. They listened, pitched in, and got the job done.
• Shoes of the Fisherman (listening, changing the pyramid)
Shoes of the Fisherman is a 1968 movie about a Catholic Archbishop, Kiril Lakota, who is played by Anthony Quinn. Kiril is unexpectedly set free by the Premier of the Soviet Union after twenty years in a Siberian labor camp. He is sent to Rome, where he is made a Cardinal. When the Pope suddenly dies, Kiril is among the Cardinals who must elect a new Pope. The Cardinals talk to Kiril and are impressed by his ideas and his humility. He is elected Pope by spontaneous acclamation in the Sistine Chapel. He becomes Pope at a time in which the world is on the brink of nuclear war due to a Chinese–Soviet feud, made worse by a famine caused by trade restrictions brought against China by the United States.
In the movie, the new Pope finds himself alone in his chambers at the Vatican. He introduces himself to his butler and after a brief conversation, convinces the butler to find him a common priest’s garb and advise him on how he can escape the Vatican. He escapes, and walks the city, enjoying the sights and sounds of daily life, no longer isolated. He is almost hit by a car driven by a woman who is a doctor on her way to take care of a dying man in a crowded apartment building. The Pope offers to help, and at her request goes to the local drugstore to get the medicine she needs to give the patient. Joining her in the man’s apartment, he offers a Christian prayer, and is informed by a family member that they are Jewish. He switches to a Jewish chant. Afterwards, the doctor realizes who he is, and asks for advice about her marriage. The Pope offers advice, but then cars from the Vatican arrive, and he reluctantly goes back to the Vatican.
I show the scene that starts at 1:34:58 and runs until 1:51:50. This is the scene in which the Pope talks to his butler and then escapes from the Vatican dressed as a priest in order to connect with the daily life of the people of Rome. I use this clip as an example of the need to stay in touch with the people you serve.
• Down Periscope (developing colleagues)
Down Periscope is a 1996 military comedy that is one of those wacky, corny movies in which the underdogs (the good guys) win against all odds. Surprisingly, there are many leadership lessons in the movie, including the importance of accepting your colleagues and drawing out their best, for their good and the good of the mission.
Lt. Cdr. Thomas Dodge, played by Kelsey Grammer, is being considered for a third time for an assignment as the captain of a submarine. Previously, he has been passed over because of his unorthodox command methods. Rear Admiral Yancy Graham, who dislikes Dodge, speaks out against Dodge's promotion. But Vice-Admiral Dean Winslow, the Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic, likes Dodge and his unorthodox methods. He taps the Lt. Commander to participate in a war game to test the Navy's defenses against attack from diesel-powered submarines that Russia has been selling off to America's adversaries.
Dodge is given command of a “rust bucket,” a World War II-era diesel-powered submarine, USS Stingray. Dodge's orders are to "invade" Charleston harbor without being detected, and if successful at Charleston, to sink a dummy ship in Norfolk harbor using two live torpedoes. Winslow tells Dodge to “think like a pirate.” If Dodge wins, Winslow will consider giving Dodge the command of a nuclear submarine.
Adm. Graham, who wants Dodge to fail, handpicks the "crew from hell" for Stingray. While not happy about the very strange crew he is assigned, Dodge accepts them, and draws out their best. The crew includes Lt. Emily Lake, who is assigned by Graham to serve as the sub's diving officer, part of a "special program" to see if women can successfully serve aboard submarines.
Using unorthodox tactics and taking full advantage of an Atlantic storm, Dodge and his crew are able to sneak into Charleston Harbor and set off signal flares. When approaching Norfolk, Dodge employs a dangerous maneuver that involves carefully passing through the two propellers of a commercial super tanker to avoid the active sonar of the naval ships and aircraft that are tracking them. Dodge asks Lt. Lake to conduct the maneuver, and she declines. In order to get her to step in and do it, Dodge does it badly. At the last minute, Lt. Lake jumps in, issues the correct commands, and safely brings the submarine between the propellers and under the tanker’s hull. Later, she realizes that Dodge set it up so she would step in, and she thanks him.
Because of the Stingray’s maneuver under the tanker, the Orlando, the submarine that was tracking the Stingray, has lost contact. As the tanker turns away from Norfolk, the Stingray is once again visible on radar, and has to make a run for it. By the time the Stingray is "targeted” by the Orlando, Dodge has already fired two live torpedoes at 900 yards into the target ship at Norfolk, winning the war game.
Returning to port, Graham is chastised for his actions by Admiral Winslow and denied a promotion. Winslow informs Dodge that he will now be given the command of a new Seawolf-class submarine, along with a "proper crew" to man her. Dodge respectfully requests that his entire Stingray crew be transferred with him, because he would not be eligible for his new post were it not for his current crew. Winslow agrees.
I play the scene that starts at 1:05:10 and runs until 1:14:07. This is the scene in which Lt. Cdr. Dodge takes the risk of convincing Lt. Lake to step up and guide the submarine through the dangerous maneuver. I use this clip is an example of a leader who is willing to take risks to develop his colleagues.
• Jack Lowe, Jr. (developing colleagues)
This video clip is an interview with Jack Lowe, Jr. during the Greenleaf Servant Leadership Conference in Indianapolis in 2012. It is available on YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJzdEv96Zjk
The clip tells the story of the introduction of servant leadership at TDIndustries. At the time of taping, Jack Lowe, Jr. was the CEO of TDIndustries, a specialty construction firm based in Dallas. Their employees are called “partners.” Lowe says that each partner must be able to do his or her job, and each must grow others. If they can’t do both, they can’t work at TDIndustries. I use his video clip as an example of a successful company that applies servant leadership principles, especially the importance of growing people.
• Mary Miller (developing colleagues)
This video clip is an interview with Marry Miller during the Greenleaf Servant Leadership Conference in Indianapolis in 2012. It is available on YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTqpPJ_CAZM
Mary Miller was the Human Resources Manager at the Delphi brake assembly operations in Dayton, Ohio when they were told that their operations would be closing down in two years. Applying servant leadership principles, they produced great results, even though everyone knew that they would be losing their jobs. One thing they did was to set up Individual Development Plans, which consisted of the ways in which each employee wanted to grow during their final two years, in order to help them get their next job. I use this video as an example of the importance of growing people, even in hard times.
• The Straight Story (coaching not controlling)
The Straight Story is a 1999 biographical road drama based on the true story of Alvin Straight's 1994 journey across Iowa and Wisconsin on a lawn mower. The role of Alvin Straight is played by Richard Farnsworth.
When Alvin hears that his estranged brother Lyle has suffered a stroke, Alvin makes up his mind to go visit him and hopefully make amends before his brother dies. Because Alvin's legs and eyes are too impaired for him to have a driver’s license, he hitches a trailer to his recently purchased thirty-year-old John Deere 110 Lawn Tractor, with a maximum speed of about 5 miles per hour, and sets off on the 240-mile journey from Laurens, Iowa to Mount Zion, Wisconsin. The movie is about his adventures along the way. It is a very, very slow-paced, thoughtful movie.
In the movie, Straight passes a girl who is hitchhiking. Unable to get a ride, she shows up that night at his camp, where he is sitting at a campfire cooking weiners (hot dogs). At first, she is standoffish, and even makes rude remarks about his lawn mower and trailer. However, she is hungry, so she accepts a weiner for dinner.
Straight deduces that she is running away from home because she is pregnant. Straight does not criticize her. Instead, he talks about his own family. He suggests that her family might not be happy about her “problem,” but he was pretty sure they missed her, and at least she would be at home in a proper bed instead of sitting around with an old guy like him. He says that individual twigs can be broken, but if you bind a number of them together, they are too strong to break. Those twigs bound together, well, that’s family. Alvin offers to let her sleep in the trailer, but she says she will sleep on the ground. In the morning she is gone, but on the ground where the campfire had been, there is a bundle of twigs tied together. She got the message and is headed home.
I show the scene that starts at 37:25 and runs until 49:13. This is the scene in which Alvin Straight talks to the young woman who is running away from home. I use it as an example of coaching.
• David Marquet “Greatness” (unleashing the energy and intelligence of others)
“Inno-Versity Presents Greatness by David Marquet” is available on YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqmdLcyES_Q
This is an animated “whiteboard” talk given by Marquet, who commanded a submarine. He decided to stop giving orders, and instead, to give his crew intent. Over time, he got the whole crew thinking and responding, with the result that they got the highest inspection ranking ever given. I use this clip as an example of unleashing the energy and intelligence of others.
• Bill Gates “The next outbreak” (foresight)
In 2015, Bill Gates gave an 8-minute TedTalk titled “The next outbreak? We’re not ready.” It is available on YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Af6b_wyiwI
The talk was given five years before the COVID-19 pandemic. In the video, Gates describes what we need to do to protect ourselves from a pandemic in the future. I use it as an example of foresight.
• Hidden Figures (foresight)
Hidden Figures is a 2016 American biographical drama film loosely based on the 2016 non-fiction book by Margot Lee Shetterly about black female mathematicians
who worked at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) during the Space Race. The movie, set in 1961, features Katherine Goble Johnson (played by Taraji P. Henson), Mary Jackson (played by Janelle Monae), and their unofficial acting-supervisor Dorothy Vaughan (played by Octavia Spencer). The three African-American women work as human computers in the West Area Computers division of the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. Their unit is segregated by race and sex.
Dorothy Vaughn learns of the impending installation of an IBM 7090 electronic computer that threatens to replace human computers. Looking ahead, she realizes that she must take action. She visits a public library to borrow a book about Fortran, a computer language. The librarian scolds her for visiting the whites-only section, where the book about Fortran is located. Vaughn steals the book and teaches herself and her West Area co-workers how to do programming. In the movie, Vaughn visits the new IBM machine, and gets it to work— something that the IBM employees had been unable to do.
The movie includes a scene with Katherine Goble Johnson, who is finally invited into an all-white-male meeting of military and project officials who are trying to plan the recovery of the space capsule after John Glenn’s flight. Asked without advance warning to do the calculation, Katherine goes to the blackboard. While all the men watch, she figures it out.
When NASA realizes that more programmers are needed to run the IBM computer, Vaughn and her co-workers are ready. Vaughn is offered a job programming the IBM computer but accepts only on condition that all 30 of her co-workers are transferred as well. Dorothy Vaughn and her co-workers march triumphantly to the IBM site to start work as programmers.
I play the scene that starts at 1:19:03 and runs until 1:28:43. This includes the scenes in which Dorothy starts the IBM machine, Katherine Goble Johnson does the math for re-entry of the capsule, and Dorothy leads her team to the IBM office to start new jobs. I use this clip as an example of how servant leadership is not a quick fix. It requires foresight and patience.
• McFarland, USA (foresight)
McFarland, USA is a 2015 American sports drama film based on the true story of a 1987 cross country team from a mainly Latino high school in McFarland, California, that wins a state championship.
In 1987, football coach Jim White (played by Kevin Costner) is fired after he loses his temper and accidentally injures a team player in the locker room. He and his family relocate for his new job at McFarland High School in McFarland, California, which is predominantly Latino. The rest of his family has trouble adjusting to the Hispanic neighborhood and regret that they cannot move to Bakersfield. White is first hired as assistant football coach but loses his football coaching status when he pulls a player out, fearing he would be badly injured on the field.
The movie shows the hard life of the boys, who work as pickers when they are not in school. White discovers that some of his students are strong runners. They run to and from work and school. He has the school's principal authorize cross-country as a sport and he organizes an all-boys team. He drives alongside one of the boys, whom he concludes is running fast enough to win in competition. Using unorthodox recruiting methods, White gets a team put together.
Under White's guidance, the team becomes outstandingly successful, winning nine state titles over fourteen years. All the members of the first team become the first in their families to go to college or into military careers. Almost all members continue to attend the practices that Jim White held for successive school cross country teams even after graduation from college. White continued teaching and coaching in McFarland until his retirement in 2003.
I play the scene that starts at 22:19 and runs until 33:16. This includes the scenes in which Coach White uses unorthodox methods to put together the school’s first running team, and the team starts to practice. I use this video clip as an example of foresight, and how servant leadership takes time and patience.
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5- Leading Change
• Darkest Hour
Darkest Hour is a 2017 war drama that describes Winston Churchill’s early days as prime minister during the Second World War. Churchill is played by Gary Oldman. The movie focuses on the May 1940 War Cabinet Crisis. Nazi Germany's army was sweeping across Western Europe, threatening to defeat Britain. This led to an argument at the highest levels of government as to whether or not Britain should try to make a peace treaty with Adolf Hitler.
The movie shows Churchill uncharacteristically riding the London underground. He asks the people on the train about their attitudes toward the Nazis and the prospect of war. Their willingness to fight the Nazi’s encourages him. The movie ends with his famous speech before parliament that mobilized the nation.
I play the scene that starts at 1:39:29 and runs until 1:58:54. This is the end of the movie, in which Churchill listens to his fellow citizens on the underground and then addresses Parliament. I use this video clip as an example of leading change in a nation.
• Rosabeth Moss Kanter
Rosabeth Moss Kanter’s TedTalk, “Six keys to leading positive change,” is available on YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owU5aTNPJbs
Rosabeth Moss Kanter is a professor at Harvard Business School, specializing in strategy, innovation, and leadership for change. The six keys that she discusses in the video clip are: (1) Show up, (2) Speak up, (3) Look up, (4) Team up, (5) Never give up, and (6) Lift others up. I use this video clip as a general introduction to the process of leading change in an organization.
6- Meaning and Motivation
• Daniel Pink (motivation)
Daniel Pink’s 2009 Ted Talk titled “The Puzzle of Motivation” is available on YouTube at:
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrkrvAUbU9Y
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Pink provides a critique of the limits of extrinsic motivation, based on research, and some examples of the higher levels of performance achieved through intrinsic motivation. I use this video clip to provide background on motivation in the workplace. Servant leaders focus on intrinsic motivation because it can lead to higher levels of performance than extrinsic motivation.
• Dr. Michael Steger (meaning)
Dr. Michael Steger’s 2013 TedTalk titled “What makes life meaningful?” is available on YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLFVoEF2RI0&t=903s
Dr. Steger explores the importance of meaning, various sources of meaning, and the idea that we can not only find meaning, we can also give meaning to others. I use this video to provide background on the question of meaning, which is an intrinsic motivator. Servant leaders are meaning-makers.
• Cool Runnings (meaning)
Cool Runnings is a 1993 American comedy sports film loosely based on the true story of the Jamaica national bobsled team's debut in competition during the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
A number of Jamaican athletes for various reasons fail to qualify in their own sports for the 1988 summer Olympics. Desperate, they convince Irv Blitzer to be their coach and create a bobsled team. Blitzer was a two-time American bobsled Gold Medalist at the 1968 Olympics, but he was disqualified for cheating and retired to Jamaica in disgrace. He lives an impoverished life as a bookie. When he agrees to coach the Jamaican team, they practice in a wooden wheeled “bobsled,” rolling down hillsides, and they stick their heads into a freezer to get an idea of what cold temperatures are like.
At the Olympics, they further develop their technique using an old, donated bobsled. They are laughed at by other teams, and they have their ups and downs, but they qualify for the finals. The movie shows a scene in the hotel, the night before the finals, when the team leader, Derice, asks Blitzer why he decided to cheat despite his gold medals and prestige. Blitzer tells Derice that he wanted to win— winning his whole life. What he learned was that "a gold medal is a wonderful thing, but if you're not enough without it, you'll never be enough with it." Derice asks, how will he know if he is enough? Blitzer says that when the race is over, he’ll know.
During the race the next day, one of the sled's blades detaches from a loosening screw, causing it to flip onto its side as it comes out of a turn, skidding, out of control, and stopping short of the finish line. Not hurt, the team members get out, pick up the bobsled, carry it on their shoulders, and cross the finish line, to the cheers of the crowd. The epilogue notes that the team returned to Jamaica as heroes, and when they went back to the Olympics four years later, they were treated as equals.
I play the scene that starts at 1:25:21 and runs until 1:34:50. This is the end of the movie, in which the Jamaican bobsled team crashes but still crosses the finish line. I use this video clip because it focuses on the meaning the comes from doing one’s best, whether one wins or not.
• Chariots of Fire (meaning and motivation)
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Chariots of Fire is a 1981 British historical drama film based on the true story of two athletes in the 1924 Olympics: Eric Liddell, a devout Scottish Christian who runs for the glory of God, and Harold Abrahams, an English Jew who runs to overcome prejudice. The movie also features Lord Lindsay, a fictional composite character, who runs for pleasure. The film's title was inspired by the line, "Bring me my Chariot of fire!" from the William Blake poem adapted into the British hymn "Jerusalem," which is heard at the end of the film. The original phrase "chariot(s) of fire" is taken from 2 Kings 2:11 and 6:17 in the Bible.
The movie starts in 1919, when Harold Abrahams enters the University of Cambridge, where he experiences anti-Semitism from the staff, but enjoys participating in the Gilbert and Sullivan club. He becomes the first person to ever complete the Trinity Great Court Run, running around the college courtyard in the time it takes for the clock to strike 12. He achieves a string of victories in various national running competitions. Meanwhile, he falls in love with Sybil, a soprano in Gilbert and Sullivan productions.
Eric Liddell, who was born in China of Scottish missionary parents, comes to Scotland to attend the University of Edinburgh. His devout sister Jennie, who also comes to Scotland, doesn’t approve of his plans to pursue competitive running.
When they first race against each other, Liddell beats Abrahams. Abrahams is disoriented and discouraged, but Sam Mussabini, a professional trainer whom he had approached earlier, offers to take him on to improve his technique.
When Eric Liddell accidentally misses a church prayer meeting because of his running, his sister Jennie accuses him of no longer caring about God. Eric tells her that he does indeed intend to return to the China mission, but he has his degree to get, and he has some running to do. He tells her, "I believe that God made me for a purpose. But He also made me fast, and when I run, I feel His pleasure."
The two athletes, after years of training and racing, are accepted to represent Great Britain in the 1924 Olympics in Paris. Also accepted are Abrahams' Cambridge friends, Lord Andrew Lindsay, Aubrey Montague, and Henry Stallard.
While boarding the boat to France for the Olympics, Liddell discovers the heats for his 100-meter race will be on a Sunday. He refuses to run the race because his Christian convictions prevent him from running on the Sabbath. Brought in to talk to the British Olympic Committee, they are at a stalemate until Lindsay, who has already won a silver medal in the 400-meter hurdles, steps into the meeting. He offers to give his place in the 400-meter race on the following Thursday to Liddell, who gratefully agrees. Liddell's religious convictions in the face of national athletic pride make headlines around the world.
Abrahams is badly beaten by the heavily favored United States runners in the 200 metre race, but he wins the 100-meter race. His coach Sam Mussabini is overcome that the years of dedication and training have paid off with an Olympic gold medal. Now Abrahams can get on with his life and reunite with his girlfriend Sybil, whom he had neglected for the sake of running.
Liddell runs the 400-meter race and wins. The British team returns home triumphant. As the film ends, the onscreen text explains that Abrahams married Sybil and became the elder statesman of British athletics. Liddell went on to missionary work in China. All of Scotland mourned his death in 1945 in Japanese-occupied China.
This movie is full of scenes that speak to the motivation and meaning of the three major characters, each of whom was a talented and successful British runner in the 1924 Olympics. I have used the following five scenes to highlight the motivation of Abrahams, Liddell, and Lindsay.
• 1-Scotland vs France (32:42 to 36:50)
In this scene, Abrahams goes to see Liddell race for Scotland against France. During the race, a French runner shoves Liddell, who falls to the ground, off the track. But Liddell gets up and catches up, winning the race, totally exhausted. Sam Mussabini tells Liddell’s coach to take care of Liddell, because he won’t find another runner like him. He tells Liddell that it wasn’t the prettiest race he has ever seen, but probably the bravest. Abrahams is astounded at what he has just seen Liddell do.
• 2-Abrahams Loses to Liddell (47:27 to 51:56)
This scene shows the race in which Abrahams and Liddell run against each other, and Liddell wins. Abrahams is stunned, disoriented, and is sitting alone in the stands after the race when Sybil comes for him. Abrahams doesn’t know what to do. Sybil praises him, but finally suggests that he grow up. Then Mussabini arrives and tells Abrahams that he can help him.
• 3-Liddel’s Sister Lindsey/Lord Lindsay (50:15 to 1:02:58)
This scene shows the interaction between Liddell and his sister, during which Liddell shares his belief that God made him fast, so when he runs, he feels God’s pleasure. The next scene is at Lord Lindsay’s estate, where he is encouraging Sybil to wait for Abrahams. Lindsay explains that he enjoys running, but he does it for fun. He doesn’t have to be the fastest man ever. After Sybil leaves, he practices running hurdles with a champagne glass placed on each hurdle. He tells his attendants to let him know if he spills any champagne as he leaps over each hurdle.
• 4-Olympic Committee Meeting (1:24:33 to 1:32:30)
In this scene, Liddell is brought into a meeting with the British Olympic Committee, including the Prince of Wales, the future King of England. They are unable to convince Liddell to run on the Sabbath. Then Lord Lindsay saves the day by offering to give up his position in the 400-meter race on Thursday.
In a conversation that takes place when the meeting is breaking up, one of the Lords notes that “I thought the lad [Liddell] had us beat.” The other Lord says: “He did have us beat, and thank God that he did.” He said that Liddell was a true man of principle, a true athlete. His speed was a mere extension of his life, its force. “We sought to sever his running from his self.” And nothing was worth doing that.
5-Liddel’s Last Race (1:52:05 to 1:58:22)
This scene shows the end of the movie, starting with Liddell’s 400-meter race, and continuing through to the team’s return to England.
Before Liddell’s race, the American coach remarks dismissively to his runners that Liddell has little chance of doing well, because Liddell is tired from the heats that he had to run that morning, and he is not a long-distance runner, he is a 100-meter runner. Now he has to run a 400-meter race. The American coach says that “rigor mortis will set in.” But one of the American runners, Jackson Scholz, says that the coach doesn’t understand Liddell. Sholz hands Liddell a note of support, quoting 1 Samuel 2:30: "He that honors Me I will honor.” Liddell defeats the American favorites and wins the gold medal. Returning to the stands, Liddell sees that his sister is there, cheering his victory. On the return to England, Abrahams seems to be as disoriented in victory as he was in defeat. He is the last person off the train, barely making it off the platform before they close the gate. Sybil is there waiting for him.
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4- Organizational Forms/Institutional Principles
• Henry Mintzberg (community)
“Henry Mintzberg interviewed by Karl Moore—excerpt” is available on YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gg461YRSyfM
In the video, Mintzberg is interviewed about leadership and talks about “communityship.” He argues that leaders are important, but we have overemphasized their role. Strong organizational communities produce the best results. I use this video to provoke ideas about the importance of a sense of community within an organization.
• Simon Sinek “Start with Why” (mission and purpose)
Simon Sinek’s 2009 TEDx talk “Start with Why: How great leaders inspire action” is available on YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4ZoJKF_VuA
This is one of the most-watched TED talks. Sinek says that it is not enough to tell people what you do, or how you do it. To connect with people, you need to be able to explain why you do it. I use this video clip as an example of the importance of mission and purpose.
• Remember the Titans (teams)
Remember the Titans is a 2000 American biographical sports film based on the true story of African-American coach Herman Boone and his attempt to integrate the T. C. Williams High School football team in Alexandria, Virginia, in 1971. Herman Boone is played by Denzel Washington.
During the movie, Boone orders his players to get to know a player of a different race. There is a confrontation between a black player, Julius, and the white team captain, Gerry. Gerry criticizes Julius for his bad attitude, and Julius replies that his attitude reflects the leadership. Later in the movie, Gerry and Julius become close friends. The team comes together and wins the state championship.
I play the scene that starts at 22:07 and runs until 30:48. This is the scene in which Coach Boone requires his team members to learn about each other. I use this clip to emphasize the importance of getting to know the members of your team if you want to have a successful team.
• Armageddon (teams)
Armageddon is a 1998 American science fiction disaster film about a group of deep-core drillers sent by NASA to blow up a gigantic asteroid the size of Texas before it hits Earth and destroys all life on the planet. NASA contacts Harry Stamper for assistance. Harry (played by Bruce Willis) is considered to be the best deep sea oil driller in the world. The movie shows Harry’s arrival in Houston, where he learns about the threat and the mission. Harry agrees to participate in the mission, but only if he can choose his own team. He says that you are only as good as the people you work with. The video clip shows the rounding up of the rather unusual team members, who agree to help, but only after their unusual list of demands are met.
I play the scene that starts at 23:13 and runs until 35:26. This is the scene in which the team is assembled. I use this video clip as an example of a motley team that is “the best at what they do.”
• Hoosiers (teams, coaching)
Hoosiers is a 1986 American sports film that tells the story of a small-town Indiana high school basketball team that wins the state championship. It is loosely based on the Milan High School team that won the 1954 state championship. The coach, Norman Dale, is played by Gene Hackman.
In the movie, Dale starts out with a difficult relationship with the players and the whole town. During the story, his relationship with the team changes. At first, he is autocratic, forcing the players to pass the ball before shooting. He plays part of one game with only four men on the court because his fifth player disobeyed the rule on passing and he benched him. He tells them they have to obey him or they are off the team. Gradually, team members respond to the coach’s rules, and they pass more often. When Jimmy, a star player, rejoins the team, they begin a winning streak.
The movie ends with the state championship game. With only a few seconds left and the score tied, Dale tells the team what to do. The opposing team will expect their star player, Jimmy, to take the last shot, so Dale says they will use Jimmy as a decoy. The players look down, not protesting, but not happy. Dale asks them what’s wrong. Finally, Jimmy says, “I”ll make it.” It is clear that the rest of the team wants Jimmy to take the shot. Dale says okay. He lets them decide. Starting out as an autocrat, Dale ends by giving leadership to the team. “I’ll make it,” Jimmy says—and he does. They win the game.
I play the scene that starts at 1:46:21 and runs until 1:50:44. This is the end of the movie, in which the coach lets the team decide the final play of the championship game. I use this video clip as an example of coaching and team building.
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