Business Lessons: War Films

I had the opportunity to vote (in 2008) for the best ten films in ten different categories (in a survey conducted by the American Film Institute) and think that all of the 100 winners are worthy, as are many of the other 400 nominees. For whatever reasons, there was no category for WAR films. Here are my ten favorites, listed in alphabetical order:

1. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)
Business Lesson: The trust, respect, faith, and loyalty of youth must never be betrayed.

2. Attack (1950)
Business Lesson: The potential damage that toxic leaders can commit is incalculable.

3. Braveheart (1995)
Business Lesson: As Sun Tzu suggested (and Don Corleone concurs), “Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.”

4. Paths of Glory (1957)
Business Lesson: When involved in a corrupt culture that you cannot leave, at least for a while, do what you can to protect those for whom you are responsible from toxic leaders.

5. Full Metal Jacket (1942)
Business Lesson: Recognize and avoid the “breaking point” of every person for whom you are responsible.

6. Platoon (1995)
Business Lesson: Extreme pressure does not develop character, it reveals it…for better or worse.

7. Saving Private Ryan (1991)
Business Lesson: However vast and complicated an organization may be, the importance of each individual in it must never be underestimated.

8. Spartacus (2001)
Business Lesson: A positively engaged worker is the organization in which she or he is actively and productively involved: “I am Southwest Airlines!”

9. Twelve O’Clock High (1950)
Business Lesson: As Full Metal Jacket also demonstrates, it is very important to recognize and then take into full account human limits.

Note: Stress in the workplace is inevitable and, for some, a serious problem. Supervisors must be very alert to early-warning signs of it and respond appropriately in a timely manner.

10. Zulu (1964)

Business Lesson: The best way to earn a competitor’s respect is to demonstrate professional competence, moral courage, and personal commitment.

It is possible to stretch correlations between the battlefield and the business workplace and yet the fact remains that in both, leaders must possess a combination of professional competence, impeccable character, respect for everyone involved (including opponents), and the trust and respect of those whom they are privileged to lead.

You can check out the wealth of resources provided by the American Film Institute and the Internet Film Database. Here are links to their Web sites:

http://www.afi.com/

http://www.imdb.com/

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