Thursday 30 June 2016

I don't like bullies

Central Intelligence is an intelligent film. It is also very (laugh out loud) funny and has that narrative circle that I particularly like. There is a special sub plot around bullying that gives the film a powerful undertone. And did I say it was funny?

The plot works (just) although it is not quite Homeland. And it is full of some neat cinematic references. The comedic acting is well timed and seeing 'The Rock' act like putty is delicious. This is a class buddy movie just shouting out for a sequel or two as there is plenty of scope to take the story forwards. Go and see this soon, you will not be disappointed.


No leader should be a bully. Aside from the fact that bullying is wrong, it does not work. I knew of a leader who was known as 'The Exocet' because if anything went wrong on the shop floor and he got to hear about it: he would be there in a flash and explode at anyone who happened to be standing nearby. This behaviour did not help with the company's efforts to build quality into all that it did.

Bullying creates fear and dutiful compliance when in fact what businesses need are people who enjoy being at work and feeling free and confident to innovate. By all means, people should be held to account, but this can be done without the need to resort to bullying in all of its forms.

How do you create confidence in the workplace?

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Blog 182: in my 2014/15/16 series of blogs about leadership ideas to be found in the movies of our time. You can read here as why I began doing this (with updates at the end of 2014 and 2015). Please subscribe to this blog if you want to read more. Thanks. Click the label 'film' to see all the others.

#leadershipinfilms | #CentralIntelligence

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