30 Leadership Quotes And Lessons From The Mr. Rogers Move A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood

A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood is a gift to us.  A simply magnificent movie!  For the third week in a row, it is time to update The Top 20 Leadership Movies Of The Last 20 Years.  This film is actually a movie more about forgiveness and the complicated relationships we have with our fathers.

The movie is based around the relationship between Esquire investigative reporter Lloyd Vogel and his 1998 cover story feature on television legend Mr. Fred Rogers.  Because of his cynicism and volatile relationship with his own father, Vogel assumed Mr. Rogers was simply too good to be true.  He found out he was wrong and it changed his life.

Mr. Rogers, played masterfully by the incomparable Tom Hanks, serves as a guide as Vogel goes on a journey of dealing with his past and bitterness towards his father Jerry, played by Chris Cooper.  Hanks deserves an Oscar nomination as does Matthew Rhys who played Lloyd Vogel.  Cooper also deserves a Supporting Actor nod.

https://youtu.be/3jMeby5ZIJs

I would be remiss if I did not add the beauty of the PG rating.  No language.  No sexual innuendo.  This movie proves you do not need it.  Language and sexual situations tarnish any movie and diminishes the story’s impact.  We need more and more movies like this.

Finally, everyone dealing with daddy issues should watch this movie every Father’s Day.  It will put that relationship is perspective.

The following 30 Leadership Quotes And Lessons From A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood.  The quotes are from Mr. Rogers unless otherwise noted and are so profound, they require no explanation.

1. One person truly can change the world and inspire millions through kindness.
2. Mr. Rogers NEVER prioritized projects or processes over people.  One of my favorite scenes is the first time Lloyd ever saw Mr. Rogers at the television studio.  Mr. Rogers is speaking with a special needs child and his parents.  One the producers said to the director, “How far are we behind schedule?”  She replied, “73 minutes.”  Lloyd then asked her, “Does this (Mr. Rogers showing compassion and giving time to a child and the parents) happen often?”  She smiled and said, “Everyday.”
3. Mr. Rogers always took pictures of people he met.  What was interesting was he never appeared in those pictures.  His life was always about others.
4. “To forgive is a decision we make to release a person from the feelings of anger we have towards them.”
5. “It’s the hardest of all decisions – to forgive.”
6. “There is always something you can do with the mad you feel.”
7. “I try to look through the lens to a single child.”
8. Mr. Rogers was always present.  He said during a telephone call with Lloyd was, “The most important thing right now is talking to Lloyd Vogul.”
9. Fred Rogers Always Saw The Best In People.  He saw what they could be, not just what they were.
10. “Children need to know that when adults make plans, they don’t always work out the way we want.”
11. “Fame is a four-letter word.  What matters is what we do with it.  We are trying to give children a way to deal with their feelings.”
12. Great Leaders Ask Great Questions – Mr. Rogers was deeply interested in everyone he ever met and asked multiple, deep, probing questions.
13. Great Leaders Are Great Listeners – As people would answer the questions Mr. Rogers asked, he would always respond with follow-up questions.
14. “Let people know each one of us is precious.  No one is going to grow unless he is celebrated for who he is.”
15. “The best thing we can do is remember what it was like for us when we remember our childhood.”
16. “When you’re a parent you have a new chance to grow.”
17. Mr. Rogers Loved Broken People – Joanne Rogers, Fred’s wife, told Lloyd, “He likes everybody but he loves people like you.  You don’t care about humanity.”
18. Mr. Rogers Productively Dealt With Anger – Joanne continued, “He swims laps.  Reads Scripture daily.  Prays for people daily.”
19. “The most beautiful word in sign language is ‘friend.'”
20. “There is no normal life that is free from pain.”
21. You Don’t Have To Answer Every Question Asked Of You – When Lloyd would ask challenging questions, Mr. Rogers often ignored the question and continued what he was saying.  Or he said nothing at all.
22. “Being a parent does not mean being a perfect parent.”
23. When Lloyd asked Mr. Rogers if he was a vegetarian, he said, “I can’t imagine eating anything with a mother.”
24. “Take 10 seconds, a moment and remember everyone who loved us into being.”
25. Lloyd said, “I have to go see Jerry.  My dad is dying.”
26. Mr. Rogers Was A Kind Man – My favorite scene was when it showed Mr. Rogers praying for the entire Vogul family by name.
27. It’s Never Too Late To Make Things Right – Just before his death, Jerry told his son, “Lloyd, I am sorry for leaving you and your sister.  It was selfish and it was cruel.  I am so sorry son… I always loved you.”  To which Lloyd responded, “I love you too dad.”
28. “To die is to be human.  And to be human is to be mentionable.  Everything mentionable is manageable.”
29. Mr. Rogers told Lloyd about a conversation with Jerry, “I asked him to pray for me.  Anyone going through what he is going through must be awfully close to God.”
30. Even Mr. Rogers Dealt With Anger – The film’s final scene showed him banging the keyboard in a brief moment of frustration.  But it was contained and harmed no one around him.

Once again, simply a wonderful, wonderful movie!  I can’t recommend it enough.