I am amazed that some films are made

I saw Maze Runner in a cavernous auditorium surrounded by whispering Serbs reading the subtitles. So it was maybe not the best place to appreciate this movie. The film is something like a cross between Lost, Lord of the Flies and Sinbad. It left me cold and with an overwhelming desire to take the 'copy & paste' function away from CGI programmers.

The acting, plot line and direction were as clunky and wooden as a puppet on a string. The twists were 'meh' and it contained about as much suspense as salt & sugar bag of popcorn (gosh... will this be a sweet or a salty mouthful...?!). The end features one of the most shameless set-ups for a sequel that I have ever seen. So don't bother: not even if I you are bored late at night in an Eastern European city...

"Hey, look... I think I can see a story in there somewhere... maybe?"

Leadership is a big theme within the film: as in 'who exactly is the leader?' But among the staged fights, heroic deeds and muscular camaraderie, there is a quieter form of leadership that relies upon thinking, contemplation and analysis. Without this kind of leadership, the story could not have ended (well... sort of ended: see above).

Of course, there will always be the need for bold & extrovert leadership that provides a visible focus for people to focus their energies and spirit upon. But where there is yang, there must also be yin to achieve balance and sustainable progress.

Does yin leadership balance with yang leadership in your organisation?

_____________

This is the fiftieth of my 2014 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.