Six Films With Lessons For Leaders

As a managing director at a Fortune 500 company with thousands of financial advisors and employees around the country, I’m always on the lookout for insights into the mindsets and processes that exemplify productive partnerships.

Success in business depends on teams, and secrets of teamwork can be found in the most unlikely of places. For me, movies offer a wealth of takeaways for how to better engage with others, whether in a team of two or 200. Below are my top six films that exemplify something that is critical to all businesses: teamwork.

The Karate Kid (1984, Part II 1986): “Never put passion before principle.”

Is there a better film franchise about mentorship and ethics? “The Karate Kid” explores the relationship between teacher Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) and Daniel (Ralph Macchio), a teenage outsider. Miyagi’s patient, ethical instruction transforms Daniel, who in turn inspires and unites others.

Takeaway: Investments in human relationships are transformational, especially when emphasizing noble virtues. I especially love Miyagi’s line from the sequel: “Never put passion before principle—even if [you] win, you lose.” This vital truth should be the bedrock of every business, and the guiding principle of every team’s mission.

The Goonies (1985): “It’s our time…”

A bunch of misfit kids try to save their homes from foreclosure and end up in a race against time and bad guys to find a secret treasure. Lots of lessons here: Courage, perseverance, love of family and a sense of adventure help keep the kids together. Each child manages to be an essential part of the team without sacrificing individuality. Most importantly, these misfits seize the moment.

Takeaway: Don’t presume you have tomorrow, because it may never come. There always are people who suggest you wait for circumstances to improve. But often, opportunity knocks only once—going all out to win now is a hallmark of teams we remember and admire the most.

A League of Their Own (1992): “You make us all feel like we can do this.”

Penny Marshall’s beloved film about professional women’s baseball during World War II highlights leadership from unexpected people. The hapless manager of the Rockford Peaches, Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks), treats the all-female team as a joke. One player, Dottie (Geena Davis), takes it upon herself to help them shine. Leaning into tough love and drawing on her own dogged competitiveness, Dottie helps her crew discover their own reasons to step up.

Takeaway: Leadership is not always about hierarchy. In business, it’s crucial to identify natural leaders and empower them to use those gifts to inspire others.

Apollo 13 (1995): “Failure is not an option.”

Two teams thousands of miles apart—astronauts in space and the NASA crew in Houston—must depend on each other with life-or-death stakes. Gene Kranz (Ed Harris) utters a line so inspiring that it has become a rallying cry across industries: “Failure is not an option.” Each person’s contribution is crucial, but so is communication: All instructions, feedback, corrections, etc., must be conveyed, understood and executed impeccably, especially when working against the clock.

Takeaway: In an era when so many of us are siloed rather than together in the same room, teams must communicate brilliantly. “Apollo 13” shows what can happen when teams are aligned on goals and communications is world-class.

Miracle (2004): “Great moments are born from great opportunity.”

This true story about the U.S. hockey team that miraculously won the gold medal at the 1980 Winter Olympics reminds us that the magic we look for is often found in the work we avoid. Coach Brooks (Kurt Russell) tells his players they don’t have enough talent to win on talent alone—they will have to do it with hustle, flawless team cohesion and grit. When he shouts “Again!” over and over at his players during practice, it underscores the table stakes for winning. When they defeat the Soviet team, it’s really no miracle at all—it’s the payoff of hard work.

Takeaway: In business, as in sports, there is no substitute for hard work.

Wicked: Part I (2024): “Unlimited. Together, we’re unlimited.”

With 10 Oscar nominations this year, Wicked is a case study on how opposites can form winning, cohesive teams. Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Galinda (Ariana Grande) are the definition of different. One is a misunderstood outcast; the other is popular and privileged. But they form an unexpected friendship in their fight for a common cause.

Takeaway: Look beneath the surface when building teams. Differences always exist, but they don’t have to divide or prevent us from achieving great things together. Let the mission be the unifying force.

From educating us and raising awareness about important issues to changing perspectives and sparking conversations, movies can be incredible business tools. While the movies above reveal the ingredients of successful teams by highlighting ethics, embracing differences, superb communication, leadership at all levels, seizing the moment and hard work, other films may be able to help you highlight areas of importance to your business or organization.

That’s a wrap!