Kabubble

Whisky Tango Foxtrot is a bit of a chaotic movie, but in many ways that represents the chaos of life in the 'Kabubble' as the press corps called Kabul during the (latest) Afghan war. Journalist Kim Baker is thrown into the life of a foreign correspondent and the film watches her 'journey' and (to an extent) how her values change... As with many films, it leaves you with the question as to how or even if you might have changed in similar circumstances.

Given that it was filmed thousands of miles from Afghanistan, it gives a plausible representation of what life must have been like. The script and editing are tight and some of the characters are simply delicious, especially the general played by Billy Bob Thornton. This is gritty and sometimes funny story based on real events. Go see this.

One of the things I admire about the armed forces is their capacity to be uncompromising and inflexible. Without giving anything away, there is a moment in the film where a marine says to the principal character something like "No way Mam, not going to happen, not on my watch!"

Sometimes leaders have to be that definitive too: sometimes the no (or yes) has to be written in big bold letters, as it were. This might be on matters of strategy, organisational values or simply a procedure that is (rightfully) sacrosanct. But any leader needs to know what their boundaries are.

When was the last time you were definitive? (Why?)

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Blog 171: in my 2014/15/16 series of blogs about leadership ideas to be found in the movies of our time. You can read here as why I began doing this (with updates at the end of 2014 and 2015). Please subscribe to this blog if you want to read more. Thanks. Click the label 'film' to see all the others.

#leadershipinfilms | #WhiskyTangoFoxtrot

A totally glorious movie!

I had to be persuaded (by my good wife) to see Florence Foster Jenkins as I could not quite get what the point of it was... But I am very glad that she did, because this is a thoroughly marvellous movie that blends humour, pathos and romanticism into an almost perfect fusion. Combine this with the sets, costumes and music (yes, the music - especially Frédéric Chopin) and this is a beautiful and uplifting film.

Meryl Streep continues to surprise and amaze me with her acting: there is nothing this woman cannot do. Watch her eyes in this film, especially. And Hugh Grant is fabulous: he really does have depth after all! And the rest of the great ensemble combine to tell a strange but poignant story that will delight you. Go see this!!

We all know the story of the emperor's clothes where he is persuaded to believe his new garments are so fine that although he cannot see them, they are there nonetheless. In a not dissimilar way, the lead character in this movie is allowed perhaps even encouraged to believe she can sing. When does self belief become self delusion?

Leaders need to believe in themselves and have confidence in what they are saying, doing and deciding. But leaders also need people who can tell them the truth, even if it hurts. Without these truth tellers, leadership can become a very fragile thing...

Who are your truth tellers?

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Blog 170: in my 2014/15/16 series of blogs about leadership ideas to be found in the movies of our time. You can read here as why I began doing this (with updates at the end of 2014 and 2015). Please subscribe to this blog if you want to read more. Thanks. Click the label 'film' to see all the others.

#leadershipinfilms | #FlorenceFosterJenkins

My kind of film

There is one word that sums up Our Kind of Traitor: taut! This is a gripping thriller of the highest calibre with strong acting and a plausible narrative that will keep you guessing as it weaves between Marrakesh, Paris, London and the Alps.

I could make a case that this could well have been a TV series and maybe could still have attracted the same calibre of actors. But sometimes, you need the quiet of cinema to focus on the plot line and sink into feeling that you are part of the film. This is an excellent edge of the seat movie. Go see it!

A critical part of the story is when one character decides to trust another with something of life threatening importance. And for the sake of the story, these two people have never met before but are randomly thrown together.

Some people have argued that some of the most successful leaders are those that are able to spot and appoint the best people to their management teams. But there are some strong arguments in favour of more rounded selection processes that assess candidates for a position. Without a doubt, good leaders are able to get the measure of people, often fairly quickly. But whether this is a skill that can be unpacked and acquired is a moot point...

What clues do you look for when seeking to choose someone?

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Blog 169: in my 2014/15/16 series of blogs about leadership ideas to be found in the movies of our time. You can read here as why I began doing this (with updates at the end of 2014 and 2015). Please subscribe to this blog if you want to read more. Thanks. Click the label 'film' to see all the others.

#leadershipinfilms | #OurKindofTraitor

Bad sequel

Bad Neighbours 2: Sorority Rising really ought not to have been made. Not because some of the 'humour' is borderline (if not over the border) sexist, racist and probably other 'ist's too. No. It is because the storyline is chaotic, unconvincing and lacking any comedic integrity. The cinema was mostly empty so I think people are voting with their feet.

Some American humour is very good: I am a fan of such programmes as The Big Bang Theory because the humour is subtle and builds. Whereas this film is just crass and clunky with about much grace as a concrete junk yard. Do not bother going to see this film.

Feeling valued or undervalued is a key theme within the movie and provides a modicum of narrative integrity (but not much!) I write this blog on a day in the middle of Mental Health Awareness Week and on IDAHOT2016 day itself as well. In different ways, both campaigns are about truly valuing other people no matter what their mental health status or orientation is. The campaigns are about creating a world in which all are respected and valued, without prejudice, discrimination or worse still hate and threats of violence.

Leadership begins and ends with valuing people. Unless you really value people and those same people know that you value them, your leadership will not exist. You might manage or instruct them, but unless you value those people, you will not be leading them.

What do people say about how much you value them?

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Blog 168: in my 2014/15/16 series of blogs about leadership ideas to be found in the movies of our time. You can read here as why I began doing this (with updates at the end of 2014 and 2015). Please subscribe to this blog if you want to read more. Thanks. Click the label 'film' to see all the others.

#leadershipinfilms | #BadNeighbours2

Questions, questions, questions...

I like questions and so it is no surprise that my first book majors on asking questions. But prompted by an invitation to come and talk about why questions, especially good and 'cracking' questions, are so important has got me thinking about quite why I like questions so much.

Fundamentally, I like questions because they create a space, a pause, a vacuum which pulls in thoughts, reflections and insights. Indeed, all human knowledge, if not endeavour of all kinds, begins with questions

• What is happening here?
• What is causing this?
• Why is this different from that?
• What is the difference that makes the difference?
• What is over there?
• What is on the other side of that?
• Who am I?
• Who are you?
• Why are we here?

We are surrounded by questions and far fewer answers. Anyone who has been around a two year old knows that. But questions drive us forward, even when we have no answers to hand

One of my favourite psychological models is that of George Kelly who postulated that essentially, human beings are scientists. He argued that we spend our days attempting to understand the physical and social world around us. We ask questions, we invent experiments, we observe results and we interpret our world using patterns, reflections and hypotheses. (In my view, the reason why soap operas are so popular is that it allows us to vicariously test our theories of human behaviour: "James said that to Phoebe last week, I reckon next week... she will do this...")

So we are scientists. And what do scientists do? They ask questions and create methods for answering those questions. Without questions there would be no science, no progress, no light.

All questions are good, but some questions are better than others... I particularly like questions that:

• get underneath what is happening, that open the bonnet as it were
• take people to a different place, where they did not imagine they could go
• can be repeated, gently probing deeper and deeper layers of understanding or self awareness
• challenge people, making them wriggle but not squirm
• open up new vistas, new possibilities, new ideas...
• surprise people and make them smile with a tilted head
• that suggest ideas, but in a way that means the person comes to those ideas in their own fashion
• make people stop, and momentarily dumbfounds them as they struggle for an answer
• build bridges, rapport, common cause and mutual understanding
• help people praise and value themselves, and what they have achieved
• make people laugh, perhaps nervously or confidently or both

Poor questions do the opposite of these. So...

• What kinds of questions do you like?
• What questions work best for you?
• How do you make sure that not only is the content of the question good, but the way it is asked makes it good too? 

Cry in the sky

Eye in the Sky is the best film I have seen about modern warfare. You will probably hold your breath for the entire length of the movie. The narrative, direction and acting will not let you go for one second. This is a film that will make you glad that you are not a general, a front line soldier or a senior politician (unless you already are one of these).

This film illustrates a classical ethical dilemma (I won't say which) that will have you sitting uncomfortably in your seat as you are forced to imagine what you would do, at every twist and turn, as the scene plays out (this is a real time film, like High Noon). Go see this film for its own sake. But also see it for Alan Rickman's last role which he acts superbly: I will not forget one particular line he delivers very well, near the end of the movie.

The aspect of leadership I want to highlight in this movie is that of networked leadership. It is sometimes easy to think of leadership as if there is only ever one leader in a context. What this film more than adequately illustrates is that leadership is never singular: it is almost always a complex dance involving several people.

Networked leadership involves clarity about one's own and others' roles and authorities, an ability to influence and not resort to command, a deep capacity to listen and appreciate others' perspectives and a willingness to find consensus, and value that consensus as the best way forward. To say that is not easy, is an understatement. This film illustrates this brilliantly.

How effective are your networked leadership skills? 
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Blog 167: in my 2014/15/16 series of blogs about leadership ideas to be found in the movies of our time. You can read here as why I began doing this (with updates at the end of 2014 and 2015). Please subscribe to this blog if you want to read more. Thanks. Click the label 'film' to see all the others.

#leadershipinfilms | #EyeintheSky

Liberty Equality Fraternity?

Bastille Day is good electric roller coaster of a thriller: action, chases, twists and turns, with (I think) some cinematic references to The French Connection and Diva (and probably others). I won't list them, but there are some narrative holes... but you can gloss over those and ignore them. (Or they might irritate you to bits!)

Direction, cinematography and acting is tight: Idris Elba putting in his bid to be the next Bond perhaps? Clearly the movie is set up for a sequel which I think could and should be better than this one: more plot and less set up. A good film to see

A key point in the narrative hinges on spotting patterns and and having the intuitive confidence to act on this. Seeing patterns is what (in part) makes us human, I believe. We can all see shapes in the clouds...

But how well do we harness this ability in the workplace? As a leader, do you create the conditions in which people with a hunch, can act on it? Or is your workplace so constrained by strict procedures, and limits on authority so tight that the ingenious power of your staff to spot and act on some pattern happening is squashed?

How can leaders ensure that patterns can be harnessed?

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Blog 166: in my 2014/15/16 series of blogs about leadership ideas to be found in the movies of our time. You can read here as why I began doing this (with updates at the end of 2014 and 2015). Please subscribe to this blog if you want to read more. Thanks. Click the label 'film' to see all the others.

#leadershipinfilms | #BastilleDayMovie