The movie Saving Pvt. Ryan hits you with shocking realism.

The knots twist in your stomach waiting for the landing craft

gate to drop. Cold water splashes around your boots as you

slog your way up the beaches of Normandy and across

the bombed-out cities in France.

You can feel the grit under your fingernails and the dryness of

fear in your mouth. Like stinging insects, you hear the bullets

whiz by your head. Your eyes momentarily turn and gaze upon the

person appointed as the leader. You think to yourself, "Is this

person going to lead me or get me killed?"

This movie clearly showed what it takes to be a real

leader. There are several lessons that I want to bring to the forefront.

A job title doesn't make a person a leader. Leaders must

first travel down the gauntlet with those they lead BEFORE they

are accepted as the leader.

Until you prove yourself as a leader, you will not gain the

respect and trust from those you are in charge of. The title "leader"

is not something you call yourself, but is bestowed to you by

those you lead.

Leadership is the be-all and the end-all of organizational

success. The most fascinating aspect of this movie was the portrayal

of leadership and the magnetism between the soldiers, the

mission, and their captain.

It was the captain that formed the glue that held that unit

together. In the business world, there are far more managers

than leaders. Looking at the movie you can see three important

shifts or transitions in Capt. Miller's leadership style. I call these

three shifts the "Faces of Leadership."

Face of Fear-The lowest level or form of leadership is by fear.

On Omaha Beach, orders were direct and to the point. Life

or deathdo what you are told because there is no time to think.

Leaders have to think, must push themselves forward and

give orders for the group. What is good for the group must

outweigh what is good for the individual.

Face of Respect-I enjoyed watching how the soldiers

bantered back and forth about what was the Captain's career

before the war. He had a charismatic affect on his men based on trust

and respect. He only revealed enough about himself to maintain

professional objectivity.

He couldn't afford to do anything that would compromise

the mission. His troops even started a lottery for the person who

could guess what the Captain did for a living before the war. The

Faces of Fear and Respect can only take you so far which leads us to

the next level.

Face of Purpose- The highest level of leadership is that of

providing purpose. True leadership progresses from fear, to

respect and finally to that of purpose.

Free by fax: If you would like Greg's article, "Beatitudes

of Leadership" please fax your letterhead with the words

"Beatitudes" to 770-760-0581.

Gregory P. Smith is the author of The New Leader, and How

to Attract, Keep and Motivate Your Workforce.

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