Story Brunch
1. The Revenant
Probably the best movie to learn the lessons about resilience and overcoming adverse situations in life, two attributes critical to any leader. The awakening of inner strength when you have to face a grizzly bear or survive injuries in sub-zero temperatures lying immovable for days or bear the loss of a son, pulling all your stuff together to settle the scores, loyalty, and dedication to the task- this movie has it all. No wonder Caprio got his first Oscar for The Revenant.
2. 300
This movie depicting the Great Spartans- one of the most ferocious warriors ever in world history, is considered one of the best epic historical fantasy action movies. So many leadership lessons to learn from the lead character King Leonidas who leads a small battalion of 300 Spartans against a far more numerous and powerful army of the Persian God-King- Xerxes and sacrifices his life at the end.
3. 12 Angry Men
If one watches the movie with a learning approach, he won’t need to touch any book on the art of persuasion. A rational, calmer approach toward other men while putting forward arguments logically can make you emerge as a leader. Collective critical thinking leading to good decision-making is the motto of the movie.
No wonder this movie finds its place in corporate orientation programs very often.
4. The Wolf Of Wall Street
Jordan Belfort starts his career as an entry-level broker in a firm and gradually makes it big to own a money-spinning firm himself. The plot revolves around unethical business practices and their unintended consequences for the lead and his family, not the lessons to be learned here, obviously.
What to be learned here is how he led the team of broker-employees, the way he kept them motivated, rewarded them with the growth of the firm, and constantly pushed them to achieve more.
5. Queen Of Katwe
The journey of a lower economic strata girl from Uganda to become an international Chess champion and pulling out her family from hardships gives us an important insight into management skills and how to emerge victorious despite unfavorable circumstance.
6. Moneyball
The movie depicts beautifully the task of a baseball coach to mentor and transform his team on a low budget. Using old-fashioned techniques and ideas and statistical analysis of players’ values, the team starts doing wonders.
7. Steve Jobs
A story of resilience against failures, substitution of lack of skills with high-end vision, the struggles revolving around starting his own company and products,this movie has it all to motivate you to become a tech leader.
8. The Pursuit of Happyness
A classic tale of survival of a father-son duo through economic hardships, homelessness, and struggles, to reach the pinnacle of success. An ordinary salesman when given a chance to lead, proves his mettle in the corporate world.
9. Ocean's Series
Ocean’s series consists of a trilogy- Ocean’s 11, Oceans’12, and Ocean’s 13.
The teamwork and management done by George Clooney, balancing the responsibilities, the aspirations of each, and the concern for his group members are hallmarks of good leadership. The elaborate planning and maintenance of calm under adverse conditions are worth taking note.
10. The Godfather
The masterpiece was directed by Francis Ford Coppola and based on a novel by the same name written by Mario Puzzo. Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone is the most sophisticated crime boss you are ever going to watch in a Hollywood flick. The way he manages his crime syndicate, his family, and the government officials, shows his ability to lead the cartels. His calm approach toward the most unnerving incidents is a lesson in management.
11. Bahubali 1/2 (Indian)
Official coronation means nothing to men who rule the hearts and minds of the people. Bahubali is a similar story of courage, valor, and planning in which the protagonist not only defeats the strong enemies of the state by meticulous planning, but also settles final scores with his villainous uncle who had dethroned and killed his father through treachery, and chained his mother for decades. A leader loved by the masses finally took his throne.
12. Rocketry : The Nambi Effect
An Indian biographical drama film, based on the life of Nambi Narayan, a leading scientist at ISRO, India, the movie depicts the story of a man who set out to bring liquid propulsion technology for rocket launches to India. His academic brilliance at Princeton,his foot-in-the-door technique to get guidance under reluctant chemical rocket propulsion Professor Luigi Crocco, earning a fellowship at NASA , sacrificing a fat pay cheque to serve India, and leading his colleagues to a rocket launch operation in France,every sub plot details the skills of a leader.
