When we last saw Superman on the big screen, he was learning the ropes of the superhero thing. In Man of Steel, we see Henry Cavill play the caped hero. Only he’s not yet a hero.
He’s hunted by the US military. People are scared of him. And he creates a lot of chaos and damage.
And that’s where Batman Versus Superman comes in.
Bruce Wayne, better known as Batman, saw the mayhem poured out on the citizens of Metropolis. He saw this chaos and knew something had to be done.
Not only does Superman have Batman coming after him, the whole world is questioning him and his motives. Can he be trusted? Will he turn? Who is he really?
These questions and concerns led Batman, Superman, and other DC heroes into a battle that I believe is worth watching.
Quotes And Leadership Lessons From Batman V. Superman: Dawn Of Justice
1. Life can change in a moment: In the opening moments of Batman Versus Superman, we see Bruce Wayne’s parents gunned down in front of the young boy. His life, in a moment, was dramatically altered forever.
I pray that none of you have experienced that kind of life-altering moment but we all have times in our lives that forever impact us.
For me, life changed when Pam and I got married. Then it changed again when we added an additional dog to our family. Then it changed when we had to put him down. And it changed when I lost my job.
Life comes at us quickly. We’re not always prepared for what’s in store for us.
However, we can find comfort in knowing that life changes, regardless of whether or not we want it to. We can also keep going.
The choice is yours.
2. Leadership requires us to take decisive action: As Bruce Wayne is running towards a Wayne Enterprises business in Metropolis, he sees people that need help. He runs to them and does his best to get them to safety.
He didn’t think about it. He just acted.
We can hem and haw a lot when it comes to making a leadership decision. We may want more information or we may not want to make the choice at all.
Yet we need to take action. And take action quickly when it is required of us.
Don’t hesitate when you have to choose.
3. Lois Lane:
I’m not a lady. I’m a journalist.
While I typically believe that defining yourself by what you do a dangerous thing, hearing Lois declare who she was the right thing to do.
She fully accepted what she did and who she was. She wasn’t ashamed. She was proud of it.
Do you fully accept that you’re a leader? If not, you need to.
4. Leaders left unchecked are dangerous leaders: Bruce Wayne was concerned about Superman and his unchecked power. He knew people become dangerous when left unchecked.
The same goes for leaders.
When a leader has no one to answer to besides himself, he becomes a danger to those he leads. He has no accountability and no one guiding him.
Set up a checks and balance system if you don’t already have one. Don’t let yourself become consumed by the power you wield as a leader.
5. Lois Lane:
I’m saying there’s a cost
Yes, yes, yes Lois! You hit it on the head.
Everything we do has a cost.
6. Perry White:
The ask, Lois…
Lois wanted to request something from Perry, the Editor-In-Chief of The Daily Planet newspaper, but was beating around the bush. Perry wasn’t having any of that.
He told Lois to come on. Spit it out. Go for the ask.
We’ve all found ourselves doing what Lois did. We stumble over our words trying to get to what we want to ask.
What we need to do is “Go for the ask,” as Perry put it.
When there’s something you want or need, ask for it.
7. People will disagree with your opinions: When Clark Kent, who is the alter-identity of Superman, runs into Bruce Wayne, they discuss the recent happenings.
It’s a tense moment as you see two people who are strong in their own rights, disagree on an important topic to one another.
By doing your thing and leading others, you’ll rub people the wrong way. You’ll come upon people who vehemently disagree with you.
That’s perfectly okay. Realize this and move on.
8. Your story is connected to others: Leading can be a very lonely journey. One where we forget that we have others that we can rely on.
In Dawn of Justice, we see how the stories of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman, and more are connected. They’re not alone.
You’re not alone either. Your story is connected to those you lead, to your family, to your friends.
9. Perry White:
You don’t get to decide what’s right.
This is a very thought provoking quote for leaders.
We may set the rules. We don’t set what’s right or wrong.
10. People want to know what you stand for: People were scared of Superman. He had power beyond measure. He wasn’t easily controlled.
Because of this, people wanted to know what he stood for. That’s why Senator Finch called out Superman and asked him to appear for a Senate committee hearing about him and his powers.
The same goes for you. Your team and, to an extent, your customers want to know what you stand for.
Be open and honest about it. Let them know who you are and why you’re doing what you’re doing.
11. We need to be reminded of who we are: In his quest to bring accountability to Superman, Bruce Wayne went to extreme measures. Only when Superman mentioned the name Martha did Bruce snap out of it.
We can easily lose sight of who we are and why we’re leading. This is why we need to have reminders along the way.
Create guideposts that you can look at if you get lost.
12. Clark Kent/Superman:
This is my world.
While Superman wasn’t born of earth, he claimed earth as his planet. It’s what he loved and what he desired to protect.
Do you have that kind of passion and love for where you lead? You need to if you want to lead effectively.
13. Critics will put down the work you do: Batman Versus Superman has gotten horrendous reviews from the critics. Some of them downright dirty.
However, after watching the movie, I walked away entertained and felt I got my money’s worth from the movie.
It’s not a blockbuster movie but it’s not a bad movie either.
Critics will try to bring you down. Don’t let them.
14. Try again: Ben Affleck played another superhero long ago. In the movie Daredevil, Affleck played Matt Murdock and Daredevil. This movie was also panned by critics. It was also hated by movie goers.
Many people thought Affleck shouldn’t have been given the opportunity to play Batman. They’d be wrong.
In his second outing as a superhero, Affleck did a commendable job in the role.
Don’t let your initial failure stop you from moving forward.
Batman Versus Superman SPOILER
15. You may have to make the ultimate sacrifice: As Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman were battling Doomsday, Superman took a fatal stab wound to his chest.
He gave all protecting the planet.
In very rare circumstances, you may be called to lay it all on the line. Are you willing to lay down your life for those you’re leading?
Question: Have you seen Batman Versus Superman: Dawn of Justice? If so, what leadership lessons did you take away from the movie? If you haven’t seen the movie, what was your favorite lesson or quote that I shared?
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