9 Best Movies About Leadership That You Should Watching Update 04/2024

Movies About Leadership

Leadership lessons can also be found in movies, TED Talks, and other forms of media such as podcasts. But there are few locations where leadership lessons can be found as richly as on screen.

Many notable men and women have shown leadership mettle in movies throughout Hollywood’s history, from adaptations of real-life stories to imaginary heroes.

A List of the Best Leadership Films.

The best location to begin your search for ideas on how to improve your organization’s leadership is from the comfort of your couch with a bowl of popcorn in hand. To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list of nine films that teach you about the ins and outs of leadership.

1. 12 Angry Men (1957)

12 Angry Men (1957)

Lumet’s 1957 legal drama, starring Henry Fonda as an architect judging on a murder prosecution, has long been regarded as one of cinema’s greatest works. One of just two non-guilty jurors, director Peter Fonda tries to persuade the other ten to overturn their verdict, and the movie follows his efforts in this regard.

Even the most doubtful of jurors, as represented here by Lee Cobb’s Juror Number 3, can be won over and persuaded by calm and measured analysis in this fascinating examination of the influence of perception and background on decision-making. 12 Angry Men is a fascinating study of how perception and background can influence a decision-making process. Emotional intelligence, empathy, and the capacity to deal with a wide range of personalities are essential traits for any leader, and Fonda’s Juror No. 8 is a great example of this.

2. Patton (1970)

Franklin J. Shaffner’s Oscar-winning epic is as much a study of leadership as it is a biography, although it takes a less delicate approach than David Mamet.

the US Army general George C Scott, who was played by George C Scott in this film Patton.

Aside from Patton’s famous opening speech, which was based on some of the general’s actual speeches, the movie also shows how leaders can cultivate a specific culture within their organization, as demonstrated by Patton’s implementation of strict discipline on his beleaguered subordinates in this scene..

However, its depiction of its protagonist’s weaknesses is maybe the most valuable aspect of the novel. Patton’s lack of self-awareness and lack of empathy are shown in a scenario in which he chastises a shell-shocked soldier for being cowardly. It’s important to remember that, no matter how talented and accomplished you are, it’s important to practice self-reflection, and this film serves as a warning about the dangers of doing so.

3. The Social Network (2010)

The Social Network (2010)

The character study of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in David Fincher’s 2010 film is maybe an obvious pick given the startup-based environment, but it still has lot to offer from a leadership viewpoint.

Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake), the fast-talking, confident hustler who has an undeniable visionary streak but lousy management skills, is one of the potential leaders in the film; he is played by Timberlake. The Winklevoss twins, on the other hand, are strong in their ability to function as a team, but they end up relying too much on the larger institutions that support them.

Of course, Jesse Eisenberg’s character is the film’s and the real-life company’s victor because of his ruthless and perceptive decision-making talents that make him the film’s and the company’s protagonist. It’s hard to deny that The Social Network captures the pure exhilaration of starting your own business empire from the ground up, even if it is dramatized, but there are still numerous important nuggets to be found.

There is no need that I enjoy listening to someone lie if they want to sit on my shoulders and proclaim themselves “tall,” but I think they have the right to do so. You have the bare minimal amount of my attention. My colleagues and I at Facebook are accomplishing things that no one in this room, including and especially your clients, are capable of doing intellectually or creatively.

4. The Bridge Over the River Kwai (1957)

The Bridge Over the River Kwaitells the tale of a British Army commander imprisoned in a Japanese labor camp under the direction of Colonel Saito, played by Sessue Hayakawa in the title role. An interesting look at how various management styles may lead to vastly different outcomes is provided by this plot, which frequently leaves the behavior of both protagonists in doubt.

When given the responsibility of building a transit bridge, Colonel Nicholson in Guinness inspires his soldiers with courtesy and respect even under adverse circumstances, while Saito in Hayakawa imposes cruel dictatorship. For project managers, this movie provides many interesting facts on how to motivate people and how to make difficult decisions on behalf of other people in the team. There are “a lot of lessons” to be learned from the film that Warren Buffett has referred to as his favorite, Yahoo! Finance reported in 2019, and numerous management gurus have lauded the film’s many leadership teachings.

5. Apollo 13 (1995)

Apollo 13 (1995)

Few films (such as Armageddon, Darkest Hour, and Thirteen Days) capture crisis leadership as well as Ron Howard’s riveting depiction of the real-life NASA mission’s aborted mission, Apollo 13. Leaders must work together to find a solution to a challenging situation, even if the workplace in question is thousands of miles above the Earth’s surface and the crisis more severe than most.

Like many of the other films on this list, the film stresses that there is more than one way to succeed as a leader, which is especially relevant for larger organizations. As a reference to the relationship between the astronaut Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks) and NASA flight administrator Gene Kranz (Ed Harris), this relates to Apollo 13’s interaction between the two characters. While each character leads their own team well, it is the openness and democracy of their collaboration that wins the day.

6. It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)

Frank Capra’s masterpiece, in which Jimmy Stewart’s George Bailey faces the consequences of financial disaster, is generally dismissed as a pure feelgood Christmas fantasy, yet it contains some important leadership models.

Even though Bailey’s loan and savings organization would be ruined as a result of a mistake made by one of his employees, in that scene he accepts responsibility for the failures of his employees. Strong leaders realize that accountability begins at the top and embracing responsibility rather than shifting blame is a characteristic of honesty. This is why this matters so much. The company’s work is something Bailey takes great pride in and tries to instill the feeling of ownership in his employees.

Capra himself declared the film’s major message to be the “individual’s belief in himself” – no matter how seemingly harsh the circumstances appear to be – in spite of the film’s fairly sweet climax.

7. Gladiator (2000)

Gladiator (2000)

A Hollywood blockbuster, Ridley Scott’s Roman epic, is bold, dramatic, and big-budget. There are numerous leadership lessons to be learned, not least from Russell Crowe’s titular general-turned-slave in the thick of the action.

With perfect loyalty, Crowe’s Maximus knows the names of everyone of his subordinates, clearly conveys his strategy to them, and leads from the front in order to guarantee their success in battle. The natural leadership instincts instilled in him even when he was stripped of his command and forced into slavery are still evident in the gladiatorial arena and political storms that rage around him.

Emperor Commodus, played by Joaquin Phoenix, shows us how to avoid making the same mistakes he did: ruling out of fear and failing to surround yourself with the appropriate people, regardless of how well-intentioned you are. As a swords-and-sandal revenge fantasy, Gladiator is easy to dismiss, but at its core, Scott’s film is an explanation of what it means to have responsibility, good or bad, for yourself and others.

8. Band of Brothers (2001)

There are lots of leadership lessons and takeaways packed into HBO’s star-studded star-studded 2001 miniseries that successfully plays like an extended film—and the ten-hour running time is no exception.

Each episode of Band of Brothers begins and ends with a prologue and an epilogue written by the real-life soldiers who fought in Easy Company during World War II. While commanding Easy Company, Major Richard Winters published several volumes on the subject of leadership. This allows them to expand on the principles of leadership and selflessness that have been widely discussed, with many of these musings coming from him.

Some of the most memorable sequences in the show deal with leadership’s duties and responsibilities, most notably “Breaking Point,” a half-hour of television so thought-provoking and instructive that it is now used in military schools as a teaching tool. There’s only one lesson here, though. Aside from the fact that Winters himself says so to the camera, “To be a leader is to show others the way. These aren’t the simple ones. You’re not afraid to take on the most difficult cases, are you? “For more information, please see the following link:

9. The Wire (2002-2008)

The Wire (2002-2008)

HBO’s iconic program The Wire is a tour de force when it comes to reflections on leadership and the myriad ways in which it might present itself.

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-leadership Blake’s style is frequently scrutinized, and the results can be mixed. The Wire believes that leadership is never black and white and that the constraints that we set on our organizations are frequently the greatest impediment to advancement and creativity.

Some time in the next several weeks, 11 or 12 uniforms will be seeking to you for help in some district somewhere. Some of them will make excellent police officers. There will be a few of them who are too young and too ignorant. Some of them are going to be jerks. But they’ll all follow your lead. The more faithful you are, the more loyal your friends and family members will be as well. You’ll be able to demonstrate that it’s all about the job if you do that. It doesn’t matter what you show them; they’ll play whatever you show them.