The Best Leadership Movies of All Time

Sports Movies

(It seems like every movie about sports, especially a team with a coach, has some great leadership moments.)

       Miracle — On building a team with the right players, and coaching each individual for their individual role

       Remember the Titans – On changing the culture of a team and a town (submitted by Dennis Jackson)

       Rocky – On overcoming all odds as an underdog (submitted by Dan Ward)

War Movies

(Battles create some of histories most fascinating leaders—even when circumstances force them to.)

       Bridge Over the River Kwai – On how devotion to one goal can cause a leader to lose focus on the overall mission (submitted by Keith Drury)

       A Bridge Too Far – On the effects of top leadership decisions in the trenches—and the implications of failure in war

       Saving Private Ryan – On heroism and sacrifice for brothers-in-arms

       We Were Soldiers – For examining the character Lt Colonel Hal Moore and his leadership (submitted by Mike Takas)

Meeting Movies

(Some movies focus on leading a group of people, usually in a meeting, towards a decision—for good or ill.)

       12 Angry Men – On changing the minds of others through conversation; the art of persuasion in a meeting

       Conspiracy – On the tragic consequences of a meeting where power and genocide were up for grabs (submitted by Keith Drury)

How Not To Lead Movies

(Other movies about leadership at it’s worst—here’s how not to lead.)

       The Second Chance – Michael W. Smith in a surprisingly good role as a bad leader (submitted by Keith Drury)

       Office Space – On how not to lead an office culture, one of the most hilarious stupid bosses in movie history!

       Star Wars Episodes I – III – For the Emperor/Anakin leadership manipulation dynamic (Submitted by Matt Guthrie)

Mentoring Movies

(Movies that show us a mentoring—mentee relationship and how it affects the leadership of one or both of them.)

       Finding Forrester – On how mentoring and investing in the next generation frees us both.

       Training Day – When you start to believe your own lies as a leader; ethics, cops & gangs in the streets of L.A.

       Dead Poet‘s Society – Mentoring and dreaming for others (submitted by Dennis Jackson)

Other Movies

(et cetera – movies that can’t be categorized in the above)

       A Few Good Men – The change from self-centered to selfless leadership (submitted by Pete Yoshonis)

       The Lion King – Simba questions himself and then comes into his own

       Forrest Gump – Doing the right things; the serendipitous (and lucky) side of having integrity (submitted by Dan Ward)

       Return of the King – Aragorn as self-sacrifice; Gandalf as wise counselor; Frodo as conflicted decision-maker (this one has it all)

       Ghandi – Yeah, it’s Ghandi, ‘nuff said.

       The Passion of the Christ – Ditto, but Jesus… so all the more ‘nuff said.

       Cool Hand Luke – How leaders "pay the price" for others and can be trapped by their own image (Submitted by Keith Drury who posted other reasons in the comments beyond this)

       The Matrix – Morpheous to Neo: "I can only show you the door, you have to walk through it”… analogy for evangelism or mentoring (Submitted by Derek Bethay)

       Mr. Holland’s Opus – While we‘re "doing" leadership, the most profound influence we have may be deeper than anything we can possibly measure. (Submitted by Dennis King)

       Schindler’s List – How sometimes a leader should shift his values and actions, and the lasting results of a leader adopting more virtuous values.