By Vick Vaishnavi, Contributor
The poster of 12 O’clock High, the 1949 Gregory Peck-led vehicle centering on the underperforming 918th Bomber Group, hangs framed in my Aveksa office. This is not because of its reputation as one of the best WWII films to emerge from the glut of late 1940’s war-centric cinema, but as a constant reminder of the timeless lessons of leadership the film triumphed. Through juxtaposing the leaderships styles of Colonel Davenport and Brigadier General Frank Savage, 12 O’clock High explored what it meant to be an effective leader of troops. Its lessons, which I will explore in this week’s column, can be translated from the harrowing skies above WWII Europe to the (significantly less dangerous) modern workplace. First, however, it is important to understand why leadership is needed and define what leadership is. Leadership is needed to convert challenges into opportunities. Effective leaders, like Gregory Peck’s General Frank Savage, possess the ability to: Direct with a clear sense of responsibility Understand people, their emotions, and their motivations Acknowledge that leadership is not a popularity contest The last bit is especially true. Davenport was relieved of his post as a direct result of his over-identification with his troops. Considering himself one of the “boys” made him popular with those in his command but also undermined his ability to lead. General Savage, however, understood that as a leader, he must make the difficult decisions that may put him at odds with those under him.
From: http://www.forbes.com/sites/vickvaishnavi/2013/04/11/5-leadership-lessons-for-todays-executive-2/
