Leadership in Film: The Wrestler

I saw The Wrestler with Mickey Rourke a week ago, and really enjoyed the story and the acting. As with most things, I had my leadership lens on, and the scene below is one that really stood out to me. As I watched it, I thought about the connection between vulnerability and leadership. In order to build trust, group members need to be vulnerable with each other (this is one of the main points from Patrick Lencioni's Five Dysfunctions of a Team). In the scene below, Rourke's character is trying to reconnect with his daughter - who previously wanted nothing to do with him. Notice how well the actors portray vulnerability and how it builds a link between stubborn individuals. I connected with this as a parent as well.

This is another reminder of how we should try harder to be forthcoming and honest about our limitations, instead of trying to always be perfect. This can be a frightening prospect, since we've been conditioned to view leaders as infallible. If you are a command/control type of leader, vulnerability is your enemy. If you are anything else, it can be your friend. Enjoy the scene: