Cool Runnings, 1993

Cool Runnings is based on a true story about the training and competition of the first Jamaican bobsled team to compete in the Olympics in 1988. The lead character in the movie is Derice Bannock, played by Leon. Derice is the fastest runner in Jamaica, but he fails to make the Jamaican team because he was tripped by another runner. Determined to follow in his father's footsteps and compete in the Olympics, Derice decides to try to gather a bobsled team. He recruits Irving Blitzer (played by John Candy) to coach the team, although it takes a great deal of persuasion to get Irving to agree to coach the team. Derice also recruits three other Jamaicans, Sanka Coffie (played by Doug E. Doug), Yul Brenner (played by Malik Yoba), and Junior Bevil (played by Raule D. Lewis). Each player has his own personal struggle and growth, but the struggle of the team is the most prevalent.

Since Jamaica has never had a bobsled team, the team must overcome a lot of ridicule and doubt not only from other countries, but from their own country as well. They train hard and try to represent their country with the essence of Jamaica: "respect," instilled by the leader of the team, Derice. They maintain this respect for everyone even when they do not get the same respect back. They have to fight significant adversity, as they are the first black participants in the bobsled race. All of the other teams are made of white participants, and the Jamaican team members are quickly labeled as outsiders. Despite these and other numerous constraints (e.g., no snow in Jamaica and a short time to train), the team manages to qualify in the Olympics. Their persistence, hard work, and teamwork proves that they are truly worthy of Olympic competition (perhaps even the most worthy). They end up earning the respect of their country, each other, and even the respect of other countries' teams. This movie is truly a great example of how a leader and his team can work together to overcome racism and many other obstacles to accomplish their goal.

Lessons Learned

This movie has many applications to leadership theory. There are really two leaders in this movie, the coach (Irving) and the lead character (Derice). The two leaders have very different leadership styles. Derice is more focused on the task, constantly trying to improve his and his teammates' performance. He also looks to other (winning) teams to try to get ideas for gaining a competitive edge (i.e., Benchmarking). He spends his free time working on improving the team, and although he tries to instill some values in his teammates, he usually maintains distance from them. This is more of a transactional approach to leadership. There are times when Derice tries to inspire his team with his words, promoting team values like respect, but he typically maintains his distance.

The coach focuses more on interpersonal relationships, however. Of course, he also delegates tasks and ensures their completion. But he talks to the team often to inspire them or tell them what they're up against. Because of his dark past, he has difficulty sometimes dealing with the teammates and undergoes a lot of maturing by facing his past and owning up to his mistakes. The team also grows from his experiences, becoming a more focused, cohesive unit. The coach displays more of a transformational approach to leadership.

Discussion Questions

* What leadership techniques do Derice and the coach use to help build cohesion in the group (i.e., to get them to work as a team)?

* What are some good examples of leadership exhibited by the coach? What are some poor examples of leadership he exhibits?

* How do the leaders (Derice and the coach) help the team overcome the obstacles they face?

* There are many conflicts among various team members in the group. How does the leader help resolve these conflicts? What could the leader have done to help resolve the conflict better?

* Perhaps the greatest obstacle to this team is being a racial minority and having to deal with managing diversity in a close-minded environment. Name some real world leaders who had to overcome adversity due to their race. How did they breakthrough their environment? How can leaders in the real world encourage diversity and reinforce diversity in their environment?

 

Competencies Addressed

References

Gillespie, N. A., & Mann, L. (2004). Transformational leadership and shared values: The building blocks of trust. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 19, 588-607.

Jung, D. I., & Aviolo, B. J. (2000). Opening the black box: An experimental investigation of the mediating effects of trust and value congruence on transformational and transactional leadership. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 21,  949-964.

Yukl, G. & Van Fleet, D. D. (1992). Theory and research on leadership in organizations. In M. D. Dunnette & L. M. Hough (Eds.), Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (Vol. 3, 2nd Edition, pp. 147-198). Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologist Press.

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