The love nudge

Although The Love Punch features some of my favourite actors, I didn't go with high expectations. I was not disappointed. The trailer suggested something of an unlikely plot, set in some beautiful parts of France with a few giggles along the way. And that indeed is what the film was like. No Trade Description Act infringements to report here. (Although I still don't quite get 'love punch'... is this punch as a mildly intoxicating party drink or a thump? I am none the wiser.)

The plot is contrived, ludicrous, and impossible frothy stuff. But I am guessing it was a total romp to make and who wouldn't turn down the chance to 'act' in silly costumes (including some rather well fitting wet suits which pitches an ex bond actor against Timothy Spall) in some lovely places. It was a bit of fun but I don't think it is going to win any awards.

As for a leadership theme, I think it going to have to be about being dauntless! Just think of a goal and believe you can do it, and you will! At least that is the message of the film (I guess). And of course the leadership literature is full of dauntless leaders who sail across oceans, win chests full of medals, turn businesses around because they believed it possible...

So all one has to do is believe in a goal as much as they did and you will achieve your goals too. Maybe. Perhaps. But the trouble with these heroic models of leadership (inspirational though they are) is that the we don't get to hear the stories of the heroes who failed. They may too have just as ardently believed in their mission. But it did not work out due to other factors outside their control.

There will be the NLP practitioners / gurus / black belts (or is that six sigma...?) who will sagely say: ah but those who failed clearly didn't believe in their goals enough... or hadn't visualised their achievement properly... or hadn't ticked all the boxes of some other list of essential goal setting behaviours. Yada yada.

By all means: be dauntless, be courageous, envision your goals. But just don't expect that is all you need to do. But then I am sure you don't...

Which dauntless leader do you admire the most? (And what is their secret do you think?)

_____________

This is the twenty fifth of my new series of blogs about leadership ideas to be found in the movies of our time. You can read here as why I am doing this. Please subscribe to this blog if you want to read more. Thanks. Click the label 'film' to see all the others.