Leadership Lesson from The Martian (2015)
Leadership Lesson from The Martian (2015)
Directed by Ridley Scott | Starring Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Jeff Daniels
The Martian is a 2015 science-fiction film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Matt Damon as
astronaut Mark Watney, who is mistakenly presumed dead and left behind on Mars after a violent
storm forces his crew to evacuate.
At first glance, the film appears to be a survival story. Watney must produce food, conserve
resources, repair equipment, and solve one technical problem after another. Its deeper leadership
lesson, however, is about communication: how people separated by distance, expertise, authority,
and even national boundaries create enough shared meaning to act together.
Arrival: Understanding Before Action
Arrival (2016) Directed by Denis Villeneuve | Starring Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, and Forest Whitaker.
Arrival is a 2016 science fiction film directed by Denis Villeneuve and starring Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, and Forest Whitaker. The film follows Dr. Louise Banks, a linguist asked to help the world communicate with mysterious visitors whose language, motives, and meaning are unknown.
At first glance, Arrival appears to be a story about aliens. However, its deeper leadership lesson is about how leaders interpret meaning when the facts are incomplete, emotions are high, and the pressure to act is immediate.
Twelve spacecraft have appeared around the world. No one knows why they are there or what their occupants want. Governments want answers. Militaries prepare for the possibility of conflict. Political leaders face frightened populations. Every hour without an explanation increases the pressure to make a conclusion.