Examining Coach Boone's Leadership as a Catalyst for Change
Leading change and adaptation is one of the most important concepts when it comes to leading organizations, particularly when it comes to change within the organization. In the best film of our time, in my humble opinion, “Remember the Titans” is the best example for any person and or organization to view to learn what real change and adaptation means within an organization. Remember the Titans is a movie based upon a true story that occurred here in the United States of America. This movie includes all types of leadership values, shows what makes an effective leader, how a leader deals with challenges, adaptive challenges, ethical decision making, how social context creates difficulties for changes advocated by a leader and how problems are solved by leaders in this movie. This movie is set in a time in the 1970’s in a town in Virginia where race integration comes into play within an organization, specifically a high school football team. At that time in the world, race tensions were rising, particularly in the are this takes place, and it was not common for a male black adult to be a coach in a primarily white race school. Segregation was very active during this time and the movie does not hide this. The movie makes it very apparent. Coach Herman Boone, a male black adult played by Denzel Washington, is hired to assist head coach Bill Yoast, a male white adult played by William Patton. Not far into the beginning of the movie, Boone is assigned to become head coach, and Yoast is reassigned to a different coaching role, which only adds more fuel to the racial fire. These two characters in the movie play a pivotal role in the lessons, indicated above and to be explained in the latter, in this movie that correlate with all leadership concepts, change concepts and challenges we learn about in this course
The social environment and context during this time where the movie takes place makes it seem like it is near impossible for Coach Boone and or Coach Yoast to make the changes they advocate in this movie. What both coaches want is for society and culture to change, and for black and white cultures to come together to play football in harmony. This is not the norm in the society at the time. By the conclusion of the movie this goal is ultimately achieved, but not without hardship, adversity, hard work, strategy change, adaptive challenges, instilling strong principles and practices into their players and truly all leadership and change strategies into anyone they come into contact with. The leadership trait is constant throughout the movie, and these leadership qualities begin to be shown by all characters in the movie. It appears Coach Boone is the primary teacher of this, but ultimately everyone in the football program becomes change leaders. Coach Boone and Coach Yoast both had to treat the players of different races equally, whether they initially felt it was right or not, and this was a major factor in teaching others about ethics and morals, and showing them a solid ethical decision making model. The coaches needed to use scenario plaining in their methods to ask themselves “what if” questions, and though they didn’t do this aloud in the movie it is obvious that they did this in their heads due to the reactions they had in many scenarios. All of this are great examples of how they dealt with adaptive changes, ethical decision making models, scenario planning and change strategy in problem solving situations.
Coach Boone and Coach Yoast illustrate principles and practices to be followed by all change leaders in organizations. As indicated, and is the common theme in this movie, racism is the biggest challenge faced. The tensions are quite transparent, and no one tries to hide it, however the discrimination is primarily focused from the white players and community towards the black community and the black players. This, unfortunately, was a worldwide issue at the time. This should have never been a problem, and it is sad that it was and still sometimes is, but the world will overcome it hopefully in soon time. Organizations need to adapt to changes and focus their energy on harmony and not opposition. The fact that the coaches were able to do this shows incredible leadership skills as well as the ability to solve almost unfathomable challenges.
Another incredible challenge and change advocated by the leaders in the movie Remember the Titans, as indicated above, is demanding non discriminating excellence from each player, regardless of race, and also holding onto one’s values without being influenced by others. Both coaches, Coach Boone and Coach Yoast, demand the best from each player, regardless of their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and or anything of the sort. Both coaches are very fair, but also very firm. During the movie, Coach Boone tells the players, “We will be perfect in every aspect of the game. You drop a pass, you run a mile. You miss a blocking assignment, you run a mile. You fumble the football, and I will break my foot off in your John Brown hind parts and then you will run a mile. Perfection. Let’s go to work (Bruckheimer, 2000).” This is a statement meant for the entire team, it is not directed towards any one player. Coach Boone holds onto his values of leadership, fairness, strength, courage, compassion, and integrity during the entirety of the film. His players learn from him and eventually model him in their views and actions. It is not only inspiring to see this, but also motivational and empowering to see and feel while watching the movie. I had/have never seen leadership and the ability to truly change an organization in the most amazing way ever until I saw this movie. Inspirational is an understatement, and truly any leader put into a leadership position within an organization should be required to view this film as a training video.
An additional example in the movie that is reflective of leadership and change leadership concepts in our class is when Coach Boone brings his players and Coach Yoast to the Battle of Gettysburg grounds. The Battle of Gettysburg, as many of us were taught in history class growing up, is the most significant battle ground of the Civil War. This was also one of the bloodiest, and the battle that was a turning point in civilization to end slavery. This scene is powerful, emotional, a turning point for the type of change Coach Boone inspires and a pivotal point in the movie. While at this location he tells them, “50,000 men died right here on this field fighting this same fight that we’re still fighting amongst ourselves today. Take a lesson from the dead. If we don’t come together right now on this hallowed ground, we too, will be destroyed (Bruckheimer, 2000).” Coach Boone is explaining to his team that they need to move past race or else this battle, and all that we as a world have worked for, will be lost and all the previous battles/death will have been for nothing. Coach Boone shows a great deal of courage, intellect, experience, values, and strength in this moment.
Lastly, coach Boone shows his leadership skills and abilities to make leaders when he focuses on letting individuals grow while monitoring their growth. He ensures that his organization, or team, is not only going to grow on the field, but also off the field. It is important for leaders to lead their teams, groups, and or organizations not only when it comes to the subject matter at hand, but also in their own personal lives. It shows strong leadership qualities if a member of an organization, group or team is taken so much by a leader that they also want to bring the leaders lessons into their personal lives. Coach Boone focuses instilling leadership skills that are learned in this class into his two team captains, one who is black and the other who is white. By doing this, and by the team watching the team captains come together, lessons are taught to and learned by the rest of the team.
Based upon everything learned from this movie, Coach Boone is a through and through effective leader in this movie, and in real life. He is an effective change leader, he conquers challenges faced, he uses skills associated with adaptive leadership when faced with different challenges, he makes ethical decisions based upon his own ethical decision making model per say, he uses change strategy in problem solving situations, and he immolates how to be a successful leader for his players, community and society in general. He is a model for any organization, and he made a difference in the world. Such challenges are very difficult to be faced by leaders at any time, but particularly during the time that Coach Boone and Coach Yoast faced these challenged.
References
- Bruckheimer, B. Y. (Director). (2000). Remember the Titans [Motion Picture].
- Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice and Leadership. (2017). New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons.
