GUEST COLUMN: 5 Movies That Can Teach You About Management

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5 Movies That Can Teach You About Management

by Kevin Faber

Movies are generally meant for entertainment, but they can also teach lessons. Watching a movie to learn about something is a friendly alternative to mundane training sessions or online courses. You can be amused while you learn. If you are a manager or leader in your company, don't overlook the possibility of realizing valuable skills and advice from a movie. Your workday is probably strenuous enough — why not give yourself a break and do some training while eating a bowl of popcorn on your sofa?

If you're looking for management inspiration in the form of a film, here are five examples.

1. Moneyball

This 2011 film is about building a baseball team. The coach has almost no money to work with, but he does have the help of an economist with experience in the baseball industry. The two don't have the budget for tools like lead management technology. They only have ideas and hard work. Together, the two use statistics and old-fashioned grit to build a successful team.

2. 12 Angry Men

This 1957 classic movie may be decades old, but it has plenty of wisdom to impart to leaders. It depicts the story of a trial of an 18-year-old young man accused of killing his father. A guilty verdict means the death penalty, so the stakes are high, and the jury has much to consider. This courtroom drama is not about a company manager. However, it offers critical lessons to anyone who leads a team. The jurors in the movie must work together to reach a weighty decision, bringing their own personalities, values and ideas to the table. Like a workplace with multiple employees, jury members must collaborate to obtain a goal.

3. Norma Rae

This drama from 1979 is about a woman who labors in a job she resents. She is a worker in a textile factory, and the conditions are poor. She cannot ignore the toll it takes on her health, but she needs the work to raise her children as a single mother. Norma Rae works to improve conditions for herself and her fellow workers. In the end, she succeeds. The managers in the movie are a poor example of leadership because they try to thwart her efforts. However, the film offers a lesson in how not to behave as a manager and how an employee doesn't need a title to be effective.

4. Office Space

This comedy was released in 1999. It is another example of how managers should not behave. The office workers who report to them feel undervalued and sometimes dehumanized by their supervisors' choices. The employees craft a plot to get even with the company when they learn they are about to be fired. Sometimes, large companies can feel impersonal. Managers may need to make an extra effort to recognize workers' efforts. They may also need to take measures to help their staff members perform their best.

5. Invictus

In this 2009 drama, Nelson Mandela aspires to ease racial tensions in South Africa through the sport of rugby. Mandela, the first Black president of South Africa, is an excellent example of leadership. He is faced with crime, poverty and rampant racism, yet he believes uniting his country through a rugby team can ease the problems South Africa faces. While he is met with distrust, his leadership and personal strength inspire others to persevere and meet his goal.

If you're looking for a more light-hearted way to improve your management and leadership skills, try watching a few movies on the subject. You may be surprised at the lessons you pick up from these classic plot lines.