Leadership lessons from pop culture
The BIG Takeaway™
newsletter
March 21, 2022

​What leaders can learn from TV, sports and movies this week

Hello current and aspiring leaders!

What a week of NCAA basketball games for both the women's and men's brackets. I was so inspired by this story about Michigan coach, Juwan Howard. Sometimes it's easy to forget many of these players are not even 20 years old.
This week we are going to focus on taking the heat for your employees.
  • The Oscars are taking place next Sunday, March 27 so I am going to use an example from the Academy Award nominated movie, CODA.
  • Since the film is set in the Boston area, part of me wishes they included the cousin from the Sam Adams commercials; that would have been wicked cool.

Amazing stat:
  • From 1903 to 1920 there wasn't a driving test for Massachusetts residents. Ah, that explains where the Masshole driver got its start.
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Let's learn!

Rich Trombetta
@trombettarich
March 21, 2022
Section No. 1: The skill to try this week
Image: Apple
The topic: A sign of trust
Sending a powerful message without saying a word

The context: .
  • "CODA" tells the story of Ruby's struggle to embrace what she loves, knowing that it might mean leaving her family behind; I describe it as "Dead Poets Society" meets "Flashdance" with a splash of Al Pacino in the final scene of "Scent of a Woman."

  • Emilia Jones plays Ruby Rossi, a teen whose parents and brother are all deaf; CODA stands for Child Of Deaf Adults.

  • She loves to sing and joins the school choir where she meets and gains the attention of music teacher, Bernardo "Mr. V” Villalobos, played by Eugenio Derbez.

Watch this clip: (NOTE: I don't think it spoils anything in the movie; also this is used under Fair Use laws and the audio is terrible)
  • Mr. V accompanies Ruby on piano at an audition.

  • Notice the look on his face at about 30 seconds; he knows Ruby is not performing to her potential.

  • He "makes a mistake," takes the blame, and resets things for her.

What we can learn: Be a "human shield" for your employees
  • Mr. V. knows he has to do something without embarrassing Ruby or calling attention to her poor start.

  • He also knows he needs to send the message, "Hey, you are not doing your best. You can do this. I have your back."

  • He takes a punch so that his "employee" can shine.

My take: Employees need to know you have their back
  • It is important to note that Mr. V. didn't step in and sing the song for Ruby or apologize for her performance.

  • Instead, by taking the heat, he directed the negative vibe at him; he gave her the space and confidence to focus on what she was there to do - sing.

  • Also, I think in a movie that has non-verbal communication at its core I find it fascinating that Mr. V. got his message across through a simple look and facial expression; genius. 

What to do:
  • ONE: Read this classic article from Harvard Business Review titled "Managing Yourself: The Boss as Human Shield"

  • TWO: Watch this scene from the movie "Hoosiers", where the coach literally stands between the team and an angry student body.

  • THREE: Ask to take a break, create a distraction or possibly even throw your employee a simple "softball question" to help them relax and get back on track.

What they are saying:
  • "[Leaders] take pride in being human shields, absorbing or deflecting heat from inside and outside the company, doing all manner of boring and silly tasks, and battling idiots and slights that make life harder than necessary on their people." - Harvard Business Review​

THE BIG TAKEAWAY: 
  • Showing an employee you have their back builds trust, loyalty and enables them to be their best.
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Did you know we can design a custom leadership program based on topics like the one above? Click the button to learn more.
Section No. 2: Commercialized learning
Amazing lessons in about 30 seconds
A gecko, an emu and a duck walk into a bar...

If you have been watching TV lately you have probably noticed an explosion of insurance ads and the increased use of humor, props and animals in the commercials.
  • It's estimated that GEICO spent over $2 billion on advertising in 2020, Progressive was close behind at $1.95 billion and State Farm and Allstate were at $1.17 billion and $929 million respectively.

  • While those numbers reflect all advertising expenditures, the largest portion was devoted to TV.

Why all of this money on TV when the world seems to be racing toward more exciting digital platforms?
  • Adobe notes that the “ability to build an emotional connection with a brand is critical", and U.S. buyers continue to list TV as the top tool to help build that bond.

  • While TV might be considered an "old fashioned" medium by some, it still works with great success for these companies.
    ​
  • Side note: Liberty Mutual's "mascot," LiMu the emu, seems to be having a negative emotional response with people; the bird is so hated that 542 people have signed a petition on Change.org to have it removed from TV.
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THE BIG TAKEAWAY: 
  • As a leader, never underestimate the power and benefits of building a sincere, authentic and strong connection with someone.

    Texts, emails and social media are fun and convenient, but the "old fashion" approaches of a handshake, a hand-written thank you note, or grabbing a cup of coffee and chatting still work wonders.
Section No. 3: Tune in
What to watch this week through a leadership lens
Here's what I will be watching this week:
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  • The Academy Awards on March 27. Fingers crossed for CODA.|

  • The NCAA men's and women's tournaments move to the Sweet 16. So much to watch for in terms of strategy, motivation and managing through ups and downs.

  • Old ESPN commercials. Well-respected ESPN reporter, John Clayton died this week. Here is his memorable "This is SportsCenter" commercial.

    Sometimes we forget how powerful and important it is to be able to laugh at ourselves.​
Section No. 4: Social distortion
The amazing world of the web
Here are some quick links to follow and view
  • Learn: Here's how to say thank you in sign language.
  • A business life hack: Take a look at this VPN service; very important if working from home.
  • Inspiration: You may have seen this Free Hugs video. Even if you have it is worth watching again. And again. And again.
  • Smile: Our weekly dog video - ENJOY! 
Section No. 5: Our deep dive
For those who have a little more time
Image: Pexels
This week I would like to share a story from The Hollywood Reporter about the movie "CODA." There are so many great lessons about bias, accessibility and inclusion in this piece.

​THE BIG TAKEAWAY FROM THE STORY:
  • “We’re not deaf actors. We’re actors. Period.”​
That's all for now

I hope you found this week's newsletter informative and inspirational. There is so much to learn from the movie "CODA" that I will hope you will give it a watch. 
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​Please remember:
  • We archive our stories and put them here for the world to read so feel free to have a look.
  • If you have any ideas or feedback Contact me with your thoughts.
  • We can create a custom newsletters​ and training on the topics we write about.
​Rich Trombetta
​@trombettarich

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