Kicking And Screaming Leadership Analysis

Power and influence are presented on multiple levels throughout the movie Kicking and Screaming. Power, influence and ethics in leadership are all created and maintained through leaders in communication. This movie demonstrates how a leader must find a balance between all of these elements in order to gain the best results. Even though this movie is dramatized through comedy it shows how a leader can become carried away in certain situations and interactions. Will Farrell’s character Phil Weston is no stranger to the influence of an overly competitive leader, who also happens to be his father. His father’s influence has caused him to lead on the other side of the spectrum showing the audience that true leadership results from a happy medium …show more content…
But Hackman and Johnson describe it perfectly when they state “Power must be used in pursuit of group goals to merit leadership classification”(2004). When he first becomes a coach he takes the time to hear the goals of all the players. The team may not be the most successful but the players are happy. As the team begins to get better and he sees his power as a success instead of focusing on the group goals.
As a leader we must know how to decide which type of power to use. In coaching situations one really must weigh the benefits and costs. Depending on how the team is performing I think one could really benefit from legitimate power (Hackman & Johnson, 2004). Succeeding as a team or a large organization will allow others to create similar goals around group’s goals. As the movie continues and the problems begin to be solved we witness one of the super leaders three strategies. Changing interpersonal communication patterns will create followers confidence leading to a more rewarding win (Hackman & Johnson, …show more content…
Phil Weston has the challenge of responsibility when he becomes the coach of his son’s soccer team. When one of them, especially his son became upset it was his responsibility to correct the problem and understand his actions. The challenge of loyalty is also questioned throughout the movie. There is a struggle of balance to remain loyal to his family and winning as a team. Thankfully he remembers that his true loyalty was with his family (Hackman & Johnson, 2004). As a leader we must be able to have an outlook of all consequences and be able to choose the ethical response. When there are different groups looking to you, it is important to remember the ethical