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In this episode, Heather hosts a solo show. In a concise and powerful episode, she connects a classic movie, “The Gladiator,” to caring leadership.
Maximus, the protagonist of the movie played by Russel Crowe, exemplifies that people can lead from any place, with or without a title. He produces a strong and effective team of gladiators by using key caring leader tactics. He takes the time to build trust, by doing exactly what he says he will do. He puts himself on the line for his team, and proves that he believes in the power of the team. Lastly, he shows the gladiators that it is possible to work together as a team and succeed.
Takeaways:
- People can lead from any place, with or without a title.
- Build trust by following through.
- Show your team that teamwork is the path to success.
- If you put yourself on the line for your team, your team will in turn throw themselves on the line for you.
- Show up in a way that produces greatness inside of others as well.
The Gladiator
Last weekend, I watched the movie, with my kids, The Gladiator with Russel Crowe. I forgot how inspirational it was actually. He was someone who was very close with the emperor of Rome, who had a son but he wasn't a great leader, and people did not want to follow him. So, Russell would be the one to be the emperor. He was not a part of the family and the bloodline. He was just someone who had rose into the ranks and had impressed him through his leadership capabilities.
It’s how you demonstrate trust. - @HeatherRYounger #leadershipwithheart Share on X
Leader without a Title
The character played by Russell Crowe who's going to be the next emperor ended up being a gladiator rising through the ranks. He ended up fighting in front of the new emperor who killed his father and who was not really worthy of position.
Russell Crowe didn't have a title. He was just a gladiator. He was looked at as a slave, someone who was forced to do the work. But in the end, he was able to bring these other gladiators along and produce a super strong team.
He took the time to build the trust. He built the trust by doing what he said he would do. He let them know there was going to be a particular strategy, and every time he went on executing that, the result he promised actually happens.
He put himself on the line for the team. There were many different instances where he would throw himself really in the middle of the Coliseum and make sure there's his followers from a distance, and right there in front of him. They were not having to get into the fight or they would not die because he was putting himself on the line, or he knew he had superior capabilities, but he also has a deep belief in the power of team.
He showed them what was possible when they work together as a team. I remember seeing that they're really all going to just be wiped out but they all stuck together. They followed him.
What do you do for your people? How do you show them what's possible in the team? - @HeatherRYounger #leadershipwithheart Share on X
(Your team members) will go over and above, and they will then throw themselves on the line for you. - @HeatherRYounger #leadershipwithheart Share on X
Over and Above
There is really no greater compliment from a leader, than to set your desires aside and to put the team, first. The team members know and they will go over and above, and they will then throw themselves on the line for you.
When you think about whether you have a title or not, it's not the title that you have. It’s how you demonstrate trust. What do you do for your people? How do you show them what's possible in the team?
How do you create that broad stroke of the vision for them? —to understand what is possible, so they can feel like they're part of something bigger than themselves, and to be in that group with people who are like-minded, focused on winning, and allows winning to actually take place.
You have the ability to show up in a way that produces greatness inside of them. - @HeatherRYounger #leadershipwithheart Share on X
It made me think so much of how people can lead. They can lead from any place without a title. - @HeatherRYounger #leadershipwithheart Share on X
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