I hunkered down to watch Avatar 3D over the holidays, expecting a thoroughly visually entertaining and tree hugging feel good movie. I left with thoughts of leadership failures, looking beyond the resume, and making life changing career choices because its simply the right thing to do. If you haven’t seen this movie, and intend to, I may ruin it for you, you’ve been warned.
Leadership
The hard core ass-kicking Marine security leader who takes no prisoners, no bullshit, and no losses (as Marines are wont to do) has one thing in mind.
Win.
At all costs.
He takes every step a military leader should take. He motivates his troops with WIIFM (whats in it for me) , with patriotism (or perhaps Corporate Loyalty) and with sense of duty. He creates a common enemy to drive his hard charging forces to do the things they are trained to do, without question.
Which, honestly, is the point, if you have a war to win.
Except this isn’t a war. This is economic gain. This is “we came to your home to dispossess it of something we need, and have no intention of leaving until we get it, even if that means we have to kill you.”
This doesn’t sound familiar at all, right?
The leadership failure comes from the guy at the top, the man who has the authority and responsibility to not let aforementioned hard core ass-kicking Marine loose, until he’s exhausted all other options, and then, only maybe.
This particular leader had no spine. He lets the Military run roughshod, makes uninformed decisions, and acts rashly, while his “top notch team of scientists, advisers and engineers” which he is paying a small fortune to, being that they live on a planet in another galaxy that doesn’t even have AIR that’s breathable, scream at him to stop and think. He takes the expedient way out. (see previously mentioned lack of spine) And in no way, actually thinks.
So what’s leadership to do?
Can we start with “lead”?
Leadership is about making the decisions and having the conversations that might ruin your career. And if what you are about to do is in an argument with your gut, then DON’T DO IT.
Leadership is saying this is a BAD decision. And standing your ground. because, inevitably, you will be caught, maybe not this time, but eventually.
We all know what the right thing to do is, the tough part is doing it.
The Corporate Spineless Administrator knew it, and did nothing.
It ends badly for him.
If we all started calling leaders on their stupidity, they might, maybe, possibly, stop being stupid, and start doing the right thing.
But we certainly won’t know until we try.
Stay tuned for parts 2 and 3.
Because I’m longwinded on this one apparently.
Bravo- you nailed it!
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Tammy, excellent post. I can still remember a tweet from months ago that was one of my most-retweeted ever. It fell along these same lines. I said that I was so sick of spineless, wimpy HR and wanted to know who was with me. Apparently there are a lot of us.
Tammy-
WOW, Very insightful post from viewing a movie! It really shows what an impact the cinema can have on one’s profession and daily interactions.
Really love your writing, and you inspire me. So looking forward to meeting you.
Your friend,
Shennee
As a former Marine, I identified strongly with this character, and one other in the movie. By the end, I wanted to hate him, (your anti-leader) but he was doing the job he was meant to do. (it was the wrong thing, which may be one of the reasons I’m no longer active duty, but that’s another story)
It really is all about the blue creatures.
Sometimes leaders are really the Anti-Leader. Anti-Leaders won’t listen to anyone, no matter how much you try to talk them out of something or show them how wrong a decision may be. I saw Avatar, and the hardcore marine leader simply is an Anti-Leader. They are so easy to hate, especially when what they are doing hurt harmless people, or blue creatures.
Looking forward to the coming parts of this series!