What 16 Movies Can Teach Us About Life and Leadership

Movies can be an amazing source of insight and inspiration.  They fill our  hearts and heads with heroes, stories, songs, and scenes we can draw from.

Maybe you think of the theme song to Rocky when you work out.  Maybe you think of “waxing the car” or “painting the fence” while you master your craft.  What’s important is that you choose the stories, scenes or heroes that  serve you.

Here is a sampling of 16 movies and what they can teach us about life and leadership:

1. 300 – Play to your strengths.
2. The Bad News Bears – The right coach can turnaround any team, from worst, to first.  It’s about the journey and the destination.
3. Kung Fu Panda – The right team can kick arse.  You’re the sum of your network (remember the Furious Five.)
4. Peaceful Warrior – Make every move about the move.  A warrior acts, only a fool reacts.  Don’t become a victim of your own limiting beliefs.  The people that are the hardest to love, probably need it the most.  Want more? … check out Lessons Learned from Peaceful Warrior.
5. Surf’s Up – Find a way, because that’s what winners do.  When there’s no wave to ride, make one.
6. The 13th Warrior – Your competition always has a weakness.
7. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest – Win the heart, the mind follows.  Find the best in everyone.
8. Star Wars – Keep your ego in check (and carry a big light saber.)  Your intuition can serve you well if you master it.
9. Raiders of the Lost Ark – Make every project an adventure.
10. The Lord of the Rings – The best heroes can come from the strangest places (who would have thought to check the shire?)
11. Rear Window – Use your emotions and intuition as input.  Check your facts.
12. The Wizard of Oz – You had it in you all along.  You just needed somebody else to bring it out.
13. Slumdog Millionaire – Smart and gets results can change your lot in life.
14. Bonnie and Clyde – Passion + smarts makes for a great team.
15. Rocky – You gotta have heart.  Sometimes it’s about going the distance.
16. It’s a Wonderful Life – Know your value and what you bring to the table.

What movies do you draw from?

Taken from http://sourcesofinsight.com/2009/11/23/what-16-movies-can-teach-us-about-life-and-leadership/

7 Ways To Make Your Site More Dynamic

7 Ways To Make Your Site More Dynamic

Posted using ShareThis

What Star Wars teaches us about career management

It's been really difficult using the Force to convince your HR manager or boss to see things your way.By Thomas Wailgum
29 Oct 2009

FRAMINGHAM, 28 OCTOBER 2009 - It's been really difficult using the Force to convince your HR manager or boss to see things your way: Your threats of turning fellow workers to the Dark Side sound hollow and that Jedi mind trick you've been working on for the past six months doesn't seem to be getting you anywhere. Your big promotion? You might as well be working in the Spice Mines of Kessel.

So what's left? Use the implicit wisdom and shared experiences of those inhabitants of a galaxy far, far away to raise your profile and keep your reputation free from coworkers' derogatory "bantha fodder" references.

"You have failed me for the last time, Admiral." -Darth Vader

File Under: Employer Selection; Workplace Culture; Employee Grievances

Star Wars Moment: Several Empire commanders are either choked, threatened or murdered for challenging Imperial authority and/or failing on their respective missions. In one memorable scene in Episode V, Captain Piett is quickly promoted to Admiral Piett just after the former Admiral Ozzel is choked to death by Lord Vader, due to his clumsiness and stupidity.

Real-World Lesson: If your company's chain-of-command allows for the somewhat indiscriminate sacking and/or killing of employees for speaking up or failing on business initiatives, find a job elsewhere.

"I suggest a new strategy, R2: Let the Wookiee win." -C-3PO

File Under: CRM; Relationship Building; Networking

Star Wars Moment: C-3PO advises R2-D2 to allow Chewbacca to win at a space-age chess game aboard the Millennium Falcon. Wookiees can "pull people's arms out of their sockets when they lose," advises Han Solo. "Wookiees are known to do that."

Real-World Lesson: Always allow your boss or most important customer to beat you at golf, get the best seat at a restaurant and tell the same story you've heard 30 times before.

Read More Here http://bit.ly/1LmJuc

Space hotel says it's on schedule to open in 2012

By Stuart McDill – Mon Nov 2, 4:32 pm ET

BARCELONA (Reuters) – A company behind plans to open the first hotel in space says it is on target to accept its first paying guests in 2012 despite critics questioning the investment and time frame for the multi-billion dollar project.

The Barcelona-based architects of The Galactic Suite Space Resort say it will cost 3 million euro ($4.4 million) for a three-night stay at the hotel, with this price including an eight-week training course on a tropical island.

During their stay, guests would see the sun rise 15 times a day and travel around the world every 80 minutes. They would wear velcro suits so they can crawl around their pod rooms by sticking themselves to the walls like Spiderman.

Read more here http://bit.ly/3cMDGf