The concept of "leadership" in our minds is flexible. We can consider a leader to be someone whose behavior inspires us, and someone who helps us study ourselves on a deeper level. But if you stick to the dictionary definition of the word "leader Leader / S. I. Ozhegov, N. Y. Shvedova. Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language " — "a person who enjoys authority and influence in some collective" — then it turns out that cinema often misleads us. And here are just five examples.
Modern films have accustomed us to the idea that managers are inferior beings obsessed with performing routine tasks. Think of Dwight Schrute from the TV series "The Office" or Peter Gibbons from the comedy "Office Space". In contrast, there are leaders. They are not like everyone else and breathe a special air filled with inspiration, unique vision and brilliant strategic thinking. But it wasn't always like that.
For example, Lucius Fox appeared in the Batman universe even before the word "manager" became a dirty word among screenwriters. The CEO of Wayne Enterprise, who handles the mundane affairs of Bruce Wayne, is not only an incredibly effective manager, but also a man of great character. Interestingly, he's not in the latest Batman movie, and maybe that's saying something.
The opposition of managers to leaders is firmly rooted in the minds of people, including those who are preparing to make a career in the field of management. And this is a dangerous point of view, because an organization where there are only inspiring leaders with a "global vision" and there are no managers who are responsible for the fundamental work processes will collapse very quickly. In addition, in such circumstances, leaders will not be able to inspire others for long. If they don't roll up their sleeves and ensure efficient distribution of work, they will quickly lose respect in the team.
Like Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games or Neo from The Matrix, they take responsibility because others want them to. This myth is best formulated in the film "Two Popes", where the cardinal, quoting Plato, says that the most important quality of a leader is the lack of desire to become one.
In fact, research shows K.-Y. Chan, F. Drasgow. Toward a theory of individual differences and leadership: Understanding the motivation to lead / Journal of Applied Psychology that it's the opposite: the most important indicator of a future leader is not intelligence or character, but the motivation to be one. The belief to the contrary makes most of those who take on this role because they want to doubt how worthy they are, because their leadership is not related to any crisis or the will of the people.
Leaders who are kind to themselves are kind to everyone else. It's okay to want to lead others, take the place of a leader, make mistakes and learn from them.
Ted Lasso starts coaching an English football club, knowing very little about the game. And although he has almost no power in his new role, thanks to a combination of modesty and kindness, he turns the players into a real team in which everyone loves each other.
An amazing series "Ted Lasso" (at least its first season) is a useful reminder for all leaders about how important it is to redirect some of their efforts to empathize with others and take care of them. But if you follow only this principle, it's a terrible model.
Leadership is impossible without power. Yes, its source does not necessarily have to be a position or experience. It can also be personal, so-called referential power, which is based on charisma or an exceptional mind. However, the strong manifestation of these qualities requires tremendous self-confidence, and it is fueled by positive social feedback. In other words, even personal power originates in social power, which must be fought for one way or another.
The leader must understand how power works, how to get it and use it with full efficiency, while maintaining the norms of morality. Research says L. Wang, B. P. Owens, et al. Exploring the affective impact, boundary conditions, and antecedents of leader humility / Journal of Applied Psychology that modest leadership, which has been so praised lately, is ineffective when the leader lacks power.
Because the results will prove him right anyway. This formula definitely works in movies, because the audience likes to watch the main character succeed , no matter what and in spite of other people's opinions.
For example, the protagonist of the biographical drama "The Man Who Changed Everything" promotes his innovative way of selecting players and managing a baseball team. But he makes no effort to convince, persuade or otherwise influence the leadership and scouts who are responsible for finding talented athletes.
If a leader in real life had tried to make changes without first "selling" his idea, finding his first followers and reliable allies, his grandiose plan would have failed long before the opening credits stopped playing.
Sometimes, especially when we idolize our leaders (which is even called in research J. R. Meindl. The romance of leadership as a follower‑centric theory: A social constructionist approach / The Leadership Quarterly "falling in love with a leader"), we expect them to know everything about the job and what is best for us. And we refuse to be responsible for our decisions, our choices and our own development.
This myth leads to very serious consequences for young people who are still thinking about whether they have everything they need to become leaders. According to research, the concerns in such a situation are Z. Aycan, S. Shelia. “Leadership? No, thanks!” A new construct: Worries about leadership / European Management Review a significant deterrent. They influence what we expect from leaders and what they expect from themselves.
Of course, cinema leaves its mark on our whole life, and not only on our idea of leadership. Most good paintings ask the age-old questions "How to live?" or "What is a life not lived in vain?" and try to answer them at least partially. The key is to keep critical thinking and enjoy movies, rather than transferring screen stories to the real world.
