Whenever I hear Go go Power Rangers I’m instantly transported back to my youth. Those few words remind me of heading home from school and turning on the TV to watch the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers.
I’d sit glued to the TV screen while 5 rangers battled the evil monsters Rita Repulsa would unleash upon the Power Rangers and Angel Grove.
Now, we get to see the Power Rangers reimagined. And I gotta say, the new Power Rangers movie was pretty good.
Power Rangers treated us to the original characters portrayed by new actors. Jason Lee Scott is now played by Dacre Montgomery, Kimberly Hart is played by Naomi Scott, RJ Cyler portrays Billy Cranston, Ludi Lin is Zack Taylor, and singer Becky G. is Trini Kwan. Gone are the squeaky clean days. These new Power Rangers found each other in detention and breaking into an old mine.
Enough with the details, we’re going to dive into the leadership lessons from Power Rangers the movie!
CAUTION: Power Rangers spoilers below
Leadership Lessons And Quotes From Power Rangers
1. Zordon as the Red Ranger:
I’m sorry…
As Power Rangers the movie opens, we see the Red Ranger fighting against a threat. We then pan over to the Yellow Ranger and see she was fatally injured. Zordon tells her he is sorry.
Great leaders are willing to say sorry when things go south. They know someone’s got to accept responsibility and it must be the leader.
2. You can’t outrun bad decisions:
Jason Lee Scott was a standout football player. There was also a rough side to Jason.
After putting a cow in another high school’s gym locker room, the police arrived. He tried to outrun them. And thought he did.
Then the accident happened. He crashed into a parked car and injured his knee, killing his chance at a football scholarship.
There are leaders who think they can outrun the bad decisions they’re making. Throw more money at the problem, snort a little coke to dull the pain of the problems you’re facing, or cover up the problem by getting rid of people who disagree.
You can’t outrun these bad decisions. You have to begin to change the way you make decisions.
If you’re trying to outrun bad decisions, stop. Turn around and make better decisions.
3. One bad choice can change the course of your life:
Because of the accident Jason was in, his life changed. He no longer had the prospect of becoming a star football player. He wouldn’t have the same choices in life.
You may not consider the choices you’re making to be major life decisions. Yet every small choice you make directs the course of your life.
Be aware of the choices you’re making. They’re either steering you in the right direction or taking you away from your goals.
4. Stand up for others:
There was another consequence of Jason’s accident. He had to attend detention at Angel Grove High School for the rest of the year. In detention, he saw a bully pick on Billy Cranston.
Knowing he had to do the right thing, he stepped in and defended Billy (even though he didn’t know Billy at that time).
Great leaders won’t let injustice happen. Great leaders stand up and speak up for those that can’t.
5. Billy Cranston:
My brain doesn’t work the same way as yours.
We discover Billy is on the autism spectrum. He shares with Jason that his brain doesn’t work the same way as his. It’s different.
Leaders are the same way. Your brain doesn’t work the same way as others. You see things differently.
6. Have faith in your team:
Once Jason, Kimberly, Trini, Zack, and Billy got their powers, they began to test them out. In one scene, we see Trini jump across a chasm. The rest of the Power Rangers follow suit. Except for Billy.
Billy was scared. He didn’t have the faith in his abilities. The rest of the team did.
They encouraged him to jump. Billy relented and jumped.
While his jump wasn’t as far as the others, he was able to reach the other side.
You chose the members of your team for a reason. They have a skill set that you saw in them.
Have faith in those skills and trust your team.
7. Sometimes you have to push others:
While Billy made the jump, he didn’t land on the other side. He hit the wall and was hanging on to the lip of the cliff. Eventually, he lost his grip and fell.
This led to his discovery of a body of water. He called up to the rest of the gang and told them to come on down.
This time, Trini was fearful. Kimberly solved her fear by grabbing her and jumping with her into the abyss below.
There are times your team members are going to be scared. They’re not going to have faith in themselves or what lies ahead.
Your job as a leader is to push them past their mental boundaries. Take their hand and show them they can succeed.
8. Leaders can lose their way:
Later in the movie, we discover that Rita Repulsa had once been a Power Ranger. She lost her way and became evil.
Did you know great leaders can go bad? They can.
Leaders can lose their way like anyone else. That’s why great leaders surround themselves with people who will keep them accountable.
9. Zordon:
No, you speak for all of them.
Jason pushes back against Zordon, played by Bryan Cranston of Breaking Bad and Malcolm In The Middle fame (and he voiced the characters Twin Man and Slizzard in the original Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers!), as he’s told that he is the leader. Jason is then told he speaks for all of the Power Rangers.
He’s the leader. He’s the guiding voice.
This one can be a tough pill to swallow. While you may allow your team to speak up, you are the voice of the team. You, as the leader, have the final say.
Speak up!
10. Trini’s Dad:
That’s the problem. You ask her 4 questions before she can answer the first.
Trini’s mom laid into Trini. You heard a rapid-fire series of questions that Trini couldn’t answer. Then Trini’s dad spoke up.
He stood up for his daughter by letting her mother know she couldn’t ask a million questions at the same time and expect an answer.
This struck me. I’ve done this. I’ve asked someone multiple questions at once and didn’t give them the chance to respond.
When asking questions, you have to give the other party a chance to answer.
11. Great leaders inspire others:
Once Zordon and Alpha 5 put the Power Rangers to a test, the team felt discouraged. They were defeated by the threats put before them.
Jason was too. Yet he wasn’t going to let the team go their separate ways. he challenged and inspired them to return.
That’s what great leaders do. They inspire their team to come in and do the work.
Be the inspiration your team needs.
12. Alpha 5:
You’re not ready for this power
The Power Rangers soon discovered their vehicles, or Zords as they’re called in Power Rangers. Alpha 5 told the team they were not ready for the power of the Power Ranger Zords.
These machines were extremely powerful and had to be controlled by someone who had the knowledge to use them in the right way.
There are going to be situations you’re not ready for. Maybe it’s an opportunity for a promotion or a new job. You’ll feel discouraged.
Know that you’re not alone. To move ahead, you have to be ready.
13. Know your team:
One of the frustrations the Power Rangers had was that they could not activate their suits. Sitting outside, they began to discuss the reaons behind this.
Someone suggested their problem lies in the fact they didn’t know each other. So, they began to share about their lives.
The rag-tag team of Rangers got to know one another through storytelling.
Do you know your team? Do you even care to?
Not knowing your team can hold you back. There’s a special synergy that happens when you get to know your team. Make a point to find out one thing about your team members today.
14. You might not realize the person you’ve become:
Kimberly was scared to share her story with the rest of the team. However, she was willing to open up to Jason.
After sneaking into his house, Kimberly shared her story.
She slowly left herself become someone she didn’t recognize. Or even know she had become.
The truth is, when you’re not intentional, you will do the same thing. Be intentional with who you want to become. Then work towards that person.
15. Zordon:
We were both reckless with our teams.
The Power Rangers decided to attack Rita Repulsa. During the attack, they were captured. Then Rita killed Billy.
When the rest of the Power Rangers brought Billy’s lifeless body back to their secret base, Zordon opened up to Jason. He told him that they were both reckless and the recklessness cost both teams dearly.
You have to be conscious of the consequences of your actions. Not only how your choices will impact you but how your choices will impact those who serve under you.
16. Great leaders sacrifice for their team:
We discover one of the reasons Zordon and Alpha 5 wanted the new Power Rangers to be able to morph. In doing so, they would open up the Morphing Grid and Zordon would be able to take on a physical form once more.
With Billy laying on the ground dead, the Morphing Grid started to swirl. This signaled the Power Rangers were able to morph. They took their positions and began the morphing process.
Zordon had his chance. He could return to the physical world.
He chose not to. Instead, he allowed Billy to return to life. He sacrificed for the good of others.
Are you willing to set aside your needs? Simon Sinek shares in Leaders Eat Last how great leaders sacrifice for the great good of their team.
Be a great leader. Sacrifice for those you lead.
17. Success lies just beyond failure:
Rita called forth the monster Goldar. He was a creature made of gold, of course!
The Power Rangers, in their Zords, battled Goldar and Rita only to be pushed into a gaping hole in the ground that contained a Zeo Crystal. With one final push, you think the Power Rangers are finished.
You’d be wrong.
Just as you think they’re facing certain doom, the Power Rangers combine their Zords and form the MegaZord and save the day.
There will be plenty of times when you think you’re done for. You can’t continue on. You’re finished.
That may be true if you let it be. But you can look at that failure and turn it around. Find a way to make your latest failure into a success.
18. Jason Lee Scott:
We all have to move together.
The Power Rangers had never combined to form a MegaZord before. None of the Rangers knew how to move the new vehicle they were piloting.
Then Jason realizes what they must do. They have to move together.
And this is what great teams do. They find a common goal and move towards the goal in unison.
United your team and get them to move together.
19. Great leaders don’t always get public recognition:
The Power Rangers were all in their battle armor as they battled to save Angel Grove. No one could tell who the Power Rangers were.
Jason, Kimberly, Zack. Trini, and Billy didn’t get public recognition. Instead, they had to be satisfied with the work they did behind their masks.
The rough reality of leadership is you may lead well and never get the public recognition you feel you deserve. This shouldn’t stop you from leading.
Leading well is a reward in and of itself.
20. Look out for your family:
During the major battle in Power Rangers, Jason sees his father’s truck destroyed. He takes time away from his team to go and rescue his father.
Could he have kept fighting? Yes… Though he knew his family was important and took the extra effort to ensure his father was okay.
Where do you lie on this? Your family is important. You have to make sure you’re looking out for your family. You only get one.
If you want to get 7 quick wins with your family, check out the Ziglar 7-Day Family Challenge. It’s free and fun (I know, Pamela and I have already taken 3 of them).
Final Thoughts On Power Rangers
Having grown up with Power Rangers, I wasn’t sure what I was going to think of the new movie. I’ll be honest, I was pleasantly surprised with how they handled the new Power Rangers movie.
It was cheesy and reminded me of my childhood. I laughed and so did the almost full theater.
If you go in with the right attitude, you’re going to walk out having enjoyed a great throwback to a fun TV series.
Question: Have you seen the new Power Rangers movie? If so, what was your favorite leadership lesson or quote from Power Rangers? If not, what leaership lesson or quote from Power Rangers that I shared did you enjoy most? Share this in the comment section below.
Do you enjoy leadership lessons from the movies? Would you like more leadership lessons from the movies? Check out the Reel Leadership archives here for more leadership lessons from the movies.
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