Quotes And Leadership Lessons From Champions

A Reel Leadership Article

My latest book, Reel Leadership, is now available on Amazon. If you love movies and leadership, you will love this book.

Champions is a heartwarming story about a down-and-out basketball coach, Marcus (Woody Harrelson), who learns what it means to connect with his team, treat people with respect, and to tone down their anger. Marcus is an assistant coach who is fired from the Iowa Stallions. Why? Because he attacked the head coach, Coach Phil Perretti (Ernie Hudson of Ghostbusters fame).

This leads Marcus down a dangerous path of drinking, driving, and crashing into a parked police cruiser. In a moment of grace, the judge sentencing him sentences him to community service instead of jail time.

Quotes And Leadership Lessons From It’s A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood

A Reel Leadership Article

As I typed out the title for the latest Reel Leadership article, I couldn’t help but want to sing the song It’s a Beautiful Day in This Neighborhood. The title of A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood brings back all sorts of memories.

Yet, A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood won’t tell you the story you were expecting. At least it didn’t for me.

Mr. Rogers tossing his loafer from one hand to another

Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers

I was expecting this movie to be about Mr. Fred Rogers (Tom Hanks), his life, and Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. In A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood, you get to see people from Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. These include Mr. McFeely (Daniel Krell), president and CEO of The Fred Rogers Company Bill Isler (Enrico Colantoni), and producer Margy (Carmen Cusack). But these people aren’t the main focus.

If Only People Came With Warning Labels

Life could be so much easier… If only people came with warning labels.

You may be thinking “Yes! That’d be awesome. I could easily see the toxic people in my life.” or “I could recognize the people who will cause me trouble.”

Hurting people hurt people - People with warning labels

Photo by Lucas Clarysse

But those aren’t the warning labels I’m talking about. I wish people came with warning labels like:

If Only People Came With Warning Labels

I need help.

This warning label would let me know this person is struggling with a problem and needs help. He’s open to receiving help and won’t get mad if I step up to offer a few wise words like Yoda.

This would also let me know they’re looking for help and may strike out because of the pain their problem is causing them. Their warning label crying out for help allows me to brace myself for any attack I may face when I’m interacting with them.

How To Become A Disciplined Leader

The Disciplined Leader Series

You may be asking yourself a simple question by now. That question is: How do I become a disciplined leader?

The answer is simple. You do what a disciplined does.

What does it take to become a disciplined leader?

Photo by Dan Roizer

A disciplined leader:

Trains his mind-

There are things he wants to do. Yet he knows he cannot do everything he desires. He must take control of his thoughts and actions.

This means he no longer does things on a whim. Instead, he chooses to do things which will push him onwards and upwards towards the goals that have been set.

He doesn’t allow himself to get off-track. He pushes himself to be the best he can be.

The disciplined leader trains his mind through consuming uplifting content. He fills his mind with positivity and instruction. He may even partake in a bit of entertainment once in awhile.

Quotes And Leadership Lessons From Ocean’s 8

A Reel Leadership Article

There have been many classic heist films in the history of cinema. Heat, The Bank Job, Baby Driver, Ocean’s 11 and 12 (fun little fact, I viewed Ocean’s 12 at my bachelor party oh so many years ago), and Bonnie And Clyde to name a few.

Heist films are all about a team pulling off an impossible job. They rob a bank, steal a bunch of cars, or knock over a casino. You get to experience the thoughts and actions of a team as they go for the score of a lifetime.

Leadership lessons in Ocean's 8

Ocean’s 8 continues in this vein.

Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock) is finally released from prison after five years, eight months, and 12 days for her part in a previous Ocean robbery. Upon her release, she begins to implement a scheme she’s been devising for all those years behind bars.