By 
Tom Hanks’ character, Captain John Miller, has become an inspiration and an example to me in my attempts to become a better manager. I learn something new every time I see this character in the movie.
But I admit that I learned these lessons the second and subsequent times I watched the movie. The first time I saw the movie, I couldn’t get the opening scene out of my head for… well… forever. That scene is still there and I realize sometimes I’m afraid to watch it. The movie was free to my Verizon FIOS account over the 4th of July holiday and I watched it from start to finish at two different times. But enough of filler for this first short article. To the meat of it.
This is what I observed:
• He didn’t ask for more of his men that he wasn’t willing to do.
• Set appropriate limits. He was his superior and they were his subordinates. While he was friendly, they weren’t friends and the lines weren’t crossed.
• He treated his men with respect even when he had to punish them.
• He complied with who and what he had. Accurately assess strengths and weaknesses.
• He showed vulnerability to his men.
I think the last observation needs more explanation.
In the scene where Captain Miller lets the German go, he almost loses control of the situation when Private Reiben refuses to “get ready” and Sergeant Horvath threatens to kill the soldier for insubordination. Captain Miller could have tried to rely on his authority to resolve the situation, but he did something that required more courage and was infinitely more powerful in effect than he did. He showed vulnerability. Captain Miller literally revealed who he was and how he felt about it. Many of us, myself included, equate vulnerability with weakness. I don’t do this anymore. Google the word vulnerability. Read the definitions. vulnerable (vln r- -bl). adj. 1st Susceptible to physical or emotional injury. So to be vulnerable and SURVIVE actually requires STRENGTH. Watch the scene again, at some point. The effect created when you reveal that you, too, can feel hurt and scared goes beyond what threats and displays of anger can achieve.
Yesterday I asked myself the question; “Would you want me as your boss?” and found that the answer was “Not all the time.”
But I can always learn to be better. Just watching movies.