Ryan Reynolds returned as the Merc With A Mouth: Deadpool/Wade Wilson this weekend. More importantly, Hugh Jackman returned to the big screen in his role as the X-Man Wolverine. I have to say I haven’t been this stoked about a film in a long time. Seeing Hugh Jackman suit up in the classic comic book-accurate Wolverine suit blew my mind! (It appears the yellow spandex suit would’ve worked!).
But I’m also sad. Plenty of great films have been released in the past couple of weeks, including Twisters, that many moviegoers will overlook because of Deadpool & Wolverine. This film is going to destroy box office records.
What’s the story/premise of Deadpool & Wolverine? Deadpool needs to find the Wolverine. If you watched Logan, you know Logan/Wolverine is dead. He died saving the life of X-23/Laura (Dafne Keen). What happens when Deadpool discovers Logan’s healing factor didn’t bring him back to life? He jaunts across the multiverse to find a Wolverine that will help him.
I won’t go into much more detail as it may spoil the movie for you (stop reading now if you don’t want to be spoiled). Do know that the film is jam-packed with action and great cameos.
WARNING: I know many readers of this blog are church leaders or believers. Deadpool & Wolverine may not be for you. It is violent, vulgar, and intense.
Quotes And Leadership Lessons From Deadpool & Wolverine
1. Deadpool:
I’m excited to be here. It’s been a while.
The last Deadpool movie was in 2018. That was four years ago. It’s been a while since Ryan Reynolds donned the red and black Deadpool suit to appear on the big screen.
In the opening scene, Deadpool shares that he’s excited to be back. He’s been waiting. And now it was time to shine.
And shine, he did.
What can leaders take away from this Deadpool quote? Let your people know you’re excited to be there. Whether it’s your first day, fourth year, or final day.
The way you come into the office and interact matters. Make sure your people know you’re excited to be there.
2. You don’t need a large organization to be successful:
Deadpool heads to Logan’s grave. He believes he can dig up Logan’s corpse, and it will reanimate. He’s got that healing factor, after all, right?
Wrong…
The Time Variance Authority (TVA for short) shows up. A large number of TVA agents attack Deadpool, who is outnumbered. But is it the end of Deadpool? No!
Deadpool, by his lonesome self, takes out a large number of TVA agents. Okay, maybe not entirely by himself as he uses Logan’s adamantium skeleton to beat the TVA agents.
Still, Deadpool tears through hundreds (?) of TVA agents and comes out victorious. He didn’t need a large crew.
We think that we need a multi-million dollar organization to take on our competition. We don’t.
We can get things done with a small number of committed individuals. Find those individuals and encourage them to do the best work they can.
Small organizations can be nimble and quickly shift priorities. Learn how to effectively lead your small organization to success.
3. Deadpool:
I want to matter.
Deadpool travels to Earth 616. Earth 616 is the universe where the Marvel Cinematic Universe is set.
In the two previous Deadpool movies, we discover something about Deadpool: He wants to matter. In Deadpool & Wolverine, he verbally states this.
He’s trying to join the Avengers. He gains an audience with Happy Hogan when he really wants to talk to Tony Stark.
They go through an interview of sorts. During the interview, Deadpool tells Happy that he wants to matter, which is why he wants to become an Avenger.
Do you know what your people want? They want to matter. They’re working their tails off to be of value to your organization.
If they’re struggling to see their value, it’s your responsibility to help them see it. You can guide them, offer words of encouragement, and be there for them.
4. Happy Hogan:
But the Avengers don’t do the job because they need it. They do the job because people need them.
Deadpool wanted to be an Avenger, so he could matter. He needed this.
Happy turned Deadpool’s desire on its head. He shared why the Avengers do what they do: The people need them.
What’s your reason for leading? Are you like Deadpool and desire to matter? Do you want to have meaning? Or, do you lead for the right reason? The people you’re leading need you, so you lead.
Think about this. Your reason for leading is an important idea to grasp. Many leaders get it wrong. They want to feel important, take control, be the hero. That’s not what leadership is about. Leadership is about the people you lead and their needs.
5. Surround yourself with the people you care about:
Deadpool was brought to a surprise birthday party. In this scene, we get to see the people that matter most to him:
- Vanessa (Morena Baccarin)
- Peter/Peterpool (Rob Delaney)
- Blind Al (Leslie Uggams)
- Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand)
- Yukio (Shioli Kutsuna)
- Colossus (Stefan Kapicic)
- Shattersar (Lewis Tan)
These are the people who matter most to him. They’re also part of the reason he wants to matter. He wants to live up to what he believes are their expectations of them. They push him to be better, to do better.
When you surround yourself with the people you care about the most, you will go above and beyond and push yourself to improve.
Find the people you love and surround yourself with them. They matter. So do you.
6. Bad leaders have no concern for others:
Deadpool is brought to the TVA, where he meets Mr. Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen). He’s the head of a rogue TVA unit and is hellbent on destroying timelines that are set to expire.
He informs Deadpool that his universe, the 10005, is going to die. It will take thousands of years for it to cease to exist.
Mr. Paradox also tells him he doesn’t want to wait. He’s going to use the Time Ripper to bring about its destruction sooner.
There’s no concern for the countless number of lives that could have been lived out. Mr. Paradox is only concerned about efficiency.
Beware if all you’re considering is your organization’s efficiency. Yes, that’s important, but there’s something more important.
The people.
Make sure you are concerned about your team. When you are, you will talk to your team members, find out about important events, and give them the room they need to grow.
Be concerned for those you lead.
7. Some things aren’t given enough time:
I was super excited to hear Tyler Mane (he’s one nice dude. I met him at the Grand Rapids Comic Con, and he was a delight to have dinner with) return as Sabertooth. Sabertooth is Wolverine’s arch-nemesis. They’ve had countless battles.
In Deadpool & Wolverine, they have one more battle. It lasts all of 5 seconds when Wolverine beheads Sabertooth.
It wasn’t enough time to see my boy back as Sabertooth. I wanted more!
We can make things move quickly, just like the Wolverine and Sabertooth battle in this movie. We build it up and then chop it down.
Give things time to marinate. Let them work out.
You’ll find things are more fulfilling that way.
8. You may not look like the leadership type but you can be a leader:
Wolverine and Deadpool are sent to the Void. It’s where the TVA sends people and things to be rid of them. The TVA had already sent Charles Xavier’s twin sister, Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin), there as a child. She rose in power and ruled the Void.
There were also remnants from other 20th Century Fox films. One was Chris Evans’s Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Chris Evans gained immense popularity as Captain America). Cassandra made quick work of Johnny Storm by ripping the flesh off his body. Once she was done, she looked at Deadpool and told him he didn’t look like the world-saving type.
We discover, as the movie progresses, Deadpool is the world-saving type.
Many people have a preconception of what a leader looks like: a button-up suit, slicked-back hair, and college-educated. There’s a preconceived notion.
But that notion gets broken every day. There’s no stereotype for a leader. They come in all shapes, sizes, and sexes.
Be the leader you were created to be.
9. Deadpool:
Read the room.
Deadpool assembles a team of heroes from the Fox movie universe. This lineup included:
- Elektra (Jennifer Garner)
- Blade (Wesley Snipes)
- Gambit (Channing Tatum)
- X-23/Laura
He got these heroes pumped up. They were ready to take on Cassandra Nova and save the universe. Then Wolverine pipes up.
He tells the room that they’re all going to die. Talk about a downer.
You have to be aware of the room you’re in. What’s the attitude like? How are people feeling? Who needs encouragement?
How you enter and interact with a room can make or break your influence. Know the room before you speak.
10. Great leaders will bring out the best in others:
X-Men villain Pyro (Aaron Stanford) shoots Cassandra. He believes she’s dead, but she’s not. She is revived. Only she’s upset.
There’s a way to save her. Deadpool and Wolverine would have to remove the Juggernaut’s (Aaron W Reed) helmet she was wearing. The helmet was preventing her from using her telepathic powers.
Wolverine goes to remove the helmet and tells Cassandra the reason why. He’s doing it not because he likes her. He’s saving her life because of Charles Xavier. His respect and love for him overrides his need for safety.
Xavier was a great leader. You can have the same impact and influence on the people you lead.
Do what’s right. Do what’s just. Your influence will leave a lasting legacy.
11. Be willing to laugh at yourself:
Cassandra Nova teleports Deadpool and Wolverine back to their universe. Where do they land? In a shoe shop called Liefeld’s Just Feet.
Comic fans have long ribbed Deadpool creator Rob Liefeld for his poor feet renderings. There’s been lots of jokes and angst about them (BTW, Liefeld’s artwork rocks).
When they landed there, it was a humorous nod to the fan-hate but also a way to have a laugh at their expense.
You have to be willing to laugh at yourself. There will be plenty of haters, but there is only one of you.
You’re going to make mistakes. That’s okay. You can laugh at yourself and move on.
12. Deadpool:
I’m not doing this because I need it. I’m doing it because they do.
Deadpool heads into the room with the Time Ripper. He knows that it will likely kill him, but he moves toward it with confidence. He’s going to stop the device from destroying his universe.
Why?
He’s moved on from his selfish motivations. Now, he knows why he’s doing what he does: for others.
Leaders may start with selfish motives. They may desire fame, fortune, respect. Then something flips.
They discover the true reason for leading. It’s for others. For those who need a leader.
Be the leader who does it for the people.
13. Deadpool:
Sometimes the people we save, save us back.
Deadpool and Wolverine join hands as they stop the Time Ripper. Both survive. So does Deadpool’s universe.
Throughout the film, Deadpool discovers many life-changing things. One of those is that the people you serve can be the people you need.
Deadpool’s friends saved him. They transformed him. He’s a better person because of them.
Know that you need the people you’re leading. You may be the leader, but they can also lead you.
Be willing to allow them to step into positions of authority, even if you don’t want them to. They can be exactly what you and the organization need.