The silver screen has always been a method of conveying inspiration to many, and perhaps the broadest field in which this occurs is change management. A review of two different videos, one entitled “That’s a Leader” and the other entitled “Close Your Eyes and Listen to This – Inspirational” will show the two different styles conveyed in the videos, and explain whether or not both styles have the ability to be effective.
In the first video, entitled “That’s a Leader” a portrayal of two different leadership styles is presented. The soldiers are training, each being given their own group of men, as Mel Gibson’s character and his superior review the training exercise. The first soldier stops his men, has them check each other’s feet and works to make sure that all of his men will be able to persevere in the long haul. He is concerned about the integrity of the group as a whole. He shows what needs to be done, and then has the rest of his men do the same, teaching them the proper way to hold the group together (“That’s a Leader,” 2012). The second man, is then shown, driving his men, yelling at them to keep moving forward, concerned not for their well-being but for how the men are able to make him look good (“That’s a Leader,” 2012). One is said to be a leader, while it is said of the other that he simply wants to win medals. The first soldier is shown to be an effective leader because he is able to influence the individuals and groups within the organization, assisting them in establishing goals, guiding them toward the achievement of these goals, allowing those individuals to become effective (Nahavandi, 2009). As an effective leader the young man identifies the standards that are considered to be important, or beneficial to the group, and he works to reinforce those values within the group in order to support the vision and purpose of the group (Gil, p.161). The second leader is a successful leader because he is driving his men to succeed in their target mission, but he is not doing so in an effective manner, as he is failing to allow those individuals the necessary tools that they need in order to be able to do their job to the best of their ability (Nahavandi, 2009).
Use your promo and get a custom paper on
"Managing Change: Video Review".
The second video is a clip of a variety of quotes from stars, either speaking as themselves, or speaking as characters from a movie (movie quotes). It is meant to be an inspirational clip, with these words spoken while the text in the center of the video simply states “Mind is everything. Every thought you create manifests itself in the real world; if you didn’t achieve something you strive for – you simply didn’t believe in it enough – Mario Novak” (“Close Your Eyes and Listen to This” – Inspirational, 2012). The quotes combine to create a flowing piece of dialogue, discussing perseverance, integrity and greatness, all working to sum up the one quote that stays on the screen, written above. The last quote used in the clip ends with “Are you ok with being average?” (“Close Your Eyes and Listen to This – Inspirational,”2012). This type of inspirational message works on a psychological level, forcing individuals to prove that they are better than average by shaming them over the fact that they perceive themselves as normal.
Each of these different leadership styles can be effective; however some are more effective than others. The leadership style being used and how effective that particular leadership style will be will depend on a variety of factors, including the type of people that are being lead, their psychological makeup, the motivators that they find work the best for them, and the manner in which the leader is most comfortable leading. An individual who works best using an effective leadership strategy may not do well using a successful leadership strategy, and vice versa, as less than ten percent of leaders are classified as both effective and successful (Nahavandi, 2009). Through an understanding of the group dynamics, it will be possible to determine the most efficient leadership style to implement, and the best way to bring the group to success.
- Boone, G. (2012). That’s a leader. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/
- Gill, R. (2006). Theory and practice of leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
- HeartRequired. (2012). Close your eyes and listen to this – inspirational. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com
- Nahavandi, A. (2009). The art and science of leadership (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.
