ONE LAST THING ABOUT THE 33
A Leadership Movie
There are more leadership lessons from The 33 that I wanted to share with you.
Vision for the Future: The greatest leaders are those who are able to cast a new vision for a people despite their present circumstances. After the mine collapsed, the captain was saying some hopeless statements and describing how they were locked in a position without hope. You know what Mario said? “No, no, I don’t believe that. They will dig us out. If they don’t, our families will, with their very hands if it is necessary. I believe we will make it out of here because I choose to believe it. All 33 of us. You Lucho can choose what you want to believe”. That’s leadership! The ability to cast a vision that inspired others. The reason we remember MLK is because despite the tragedy and racism of his day, he chose to have a dream, and he said it. He was only 39 when he died, but his life had a seismic impact on America. Think about any other great leader you know, they were all men and women who cast a vision for a world they wanted. Mahatma Gandhi, Kwame Nkrumah, Nelson Mandela, Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglas, etc. The thing with visions is that they are inspiring. They rally the troops, and they force the universe to listen.
They never give up: Never! Leaders cannot give up. At a point in the movie, there was this scene where Mario had an outburst of anger over his fellow men’s reaction to the outside world, he made a statement that was the whole summary of one of his most enduring attributes, said: “A leader never gives up”. Leaders don’t give up, they don’t quit and they never leave the struggle halfway. Leaders are often people who are leading others to a desired destination, and there will be challenges, but the great leaders are the ones who despite these cahllenges continue to chase that vision.
One is too great a number to achieve greatness: There is nothing truly great that was ever achieved by one person alone. It is delusional for leaders to think that they alone can do anything worthwhile. Mario knew this, and he said so several times. What almost broke the team apart was when he began to think he alone did it. Great visions require teamwork, they require more than just one person and they require collaboration on a scale that a single individual cannot offer.
While the 33 were in the ground none of them could know or guess that any digging was going. In fact, based on their early reactions, they were to give up. But Mario “chose” to believe differently. He cast the vision before the others and they bought into it. On the outside, his sister and a host of others were agitating for the government to do all they can. They almost gave up too, but they stood their ground. A powerful vision on the inside and resistance on the outside. And yes, that Minister deserves commendation.
Leaders don’t often know everything, and they can’t predict the future, but the one thing they do is insist on a vision until it comes to pass! For great leaders, quitting is not an option.
Are you trying to lead…. have you cast a vision for your people? Are you ready to follow through and never give up?
“A winner is a dreamer who never gives up.” Nelson Mandela
I wish you good luck.
