Paper Example on Military Training: Power and Leadership Through Hollywood War Movies

Introduction

Organizational development has been a continuous process forged to initiate changes in procedures, decisions, and policies that result in the overall competence of an organization. This is a process that has evolved on different dimensions, and more so as depicted through Hollywood war movies.

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Facts

Military training has been one of the most exemplary activities when it comes to the demonstration of power and leadership. This has been a fact depicted in a number of military movies such as John Wayne's The Sands of Iwo Jima and The Flying Leathernecks and Demi Moore in G.I. Jane. The development of an organization is hence presented as the effort and abilities of a leader to unify their teams and those under them. Leadership, in this case, is a task that must be accompanied by manly wits. In G.I Jane, Demi Moore is not accepted to the SEALs until she demonstrates her 'manliness' through her physical prowess and foul language (Shafritz & Borick, 2015). John Wayne, on the other, is a man who is presented with the responsibility of raising men from boys who would take part in the Pacific war. Cultural differences are presented as a part of the military organization, and it is hence up to the leader to get past these differences and create a team that identifies with a unique culture created within the organization. Once this culture has been successfully established through drilling or dictatorship, teamwork emanates.

Decisions

There is a deliberate juxtaposition that tends to present leadership as a product of power as depicted by Hollywood. The leader hence has to possess some level or form of power to be recognized as capable of leading. The leaders, therefore, have to consider their way of leadership as the most effective one, and hence disregard the differences that might exist within those led. The leader is similarly illuminated in a different light. They are perceived as heroes who forego the relationships they might have with their followers for the sake of the attainment of the goals and expectations in hand. The leader cares but does not have the luxury to show so. The success of a leader is depicted by the ability of the team to function even if the leader is long gone. While this might have been the understood position of a military leader, the current corporate world presents numerous chances for leaders to evolve and adopt alternative ways of leading.

Solutions

The current technological and hence global world has presented a new image of leadership and organizational management. The convergence of cultures have diversified the workplace, and this has thus necessitated a more accommodative and integrative rather than a unified form of organizational management. Transformative leadership has been presented as the best mode as it actively involves workers and employees in decisions that directly affect them (Nanjundeswaraswamy & Swamy, 2014). Steve Jobs is such a leader. He is an individual who possesses different exemplary leadership traits and still went ahead to ensure that that was not all he presented to those he led. He hence created a transformational force in the way people experiences their entertainment and communication in the digital era.

Conclusion

Organizations develop in structure, composition, culture, resources, and leadership. The extent to which this development is attained dramatically impacts the success or failure of these organizations. Therefore, when conducted in the right way, competence can be achieved.

References

Nanjundeswaraswamy T. S. Swamy D. R. (2014). Leadership styles. Advances in management. 7(2). Pp. 57-62. Retrieved from https://www.mnsu.edu/activities/leadership/leadership_styles.pdf

Shafritz J. M & Borick C. (2015). Cases in Public Policy and Administration: From Ancient Times to the Present. First edition. Routledge.