Tonight I had the pleasure of watching Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One. This is the seventh chapter of the Tom Cruise franchise. It is fantastic and has non-stop action from beginning to end! I can’t wait to give you the leadership lessons from the film. First, here is a synopsis.
Synopsis
Ethan Hunt, played by Cruise, is leading his IMF team to stop the most dangerous villain they have ever faced – AI. This version is artificial intelligence is so advanced it has become known as The Entity. The only hope of stopping this Active Learning Defense System was to retrieve a key stolen from a master thief named Grace, played by Hayley Atwell. The key would give you the ability to unlock the housing of The Entity and get into its original coding.
The trouble is there are a number of competing unsavory characters also after Grace. After all, whoever controls The Entity controls the world and would utilize the intelligence however they would see fit. This could include war and total annihilation of nations who do not share their interest.
Some of these characters also have a past with Hunt adding to the drama.
Just a quick thought, I think Tom Cruise is the greatest movie star of the last forty years. Not the best actor, that would go to Jack Nicholson, Tom Hanks, Robert Deniro, or Al Pacino. But as a movie star, Cruise is the best of my lifetime.
The movie is incredible but there are three needless G.D.’s which are needlessly included. Past that, you are in good shape from an offensive content perspective.
13 Leadership Quotes And Lessons From Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One
Everything Rises And Falls On Leadership
When my wife and I drove to dinner at a restaurant across the street from the theater, we noticed the parking lot was completely full. I said, “That’s the power of Tom Cruise.” The showing we attended was 90% full as well.
Tom Cruise gets people into the theater. Cruise drives revenue and moves the needle. If you want a commercially successful film, get Cruise as your main star.
Whatever industry you are in, if you want to be commercially successful as well, hire the Tom Cruise of your industry. This individual will get you customers, increase revenue, and move the needle.
The Value Of Generosity
Similar to Top Gun: Maverick, Cruise opens this movie with a welcome video for the audience. Complete class and something all organizations could learn from. The words “Thank You” go a long way to building loyalty and a connection to those in attendance.
Also, the stunts in the movie are simply breathtaking. So why does Cruise do these? At age 58, he certainly does not need the money. He could have used CGI as opposed to risking his life. I suspect Cruise does these for two reasons – first, he is likely an adrenalin junkie. But second, I think he truly loves his fans and does whatever his necessary to give them more than two hours of enjoyment. Cruise does all of this for the audience.
Organizations who are generous do everything they possibly can to thank and exceed the expectations of their customers.
“Don’t Be Careful. Be Competent.”
As Cruise says in the video below, “Don’t be careful. Be Competent.” What he is elevating is the value of preparation. To prepare for the movie’s biggest stunt, Cruise did over 500 skydives and over 13,000 motocross jumps. He said, “I have to get so good at this there is no way to miss my marks.”
Competence is not getting something right. It is doing something so often you cannot get it wrong.
Leaders Must Become Comfortable Making Hard Decisions With Limited Amounts Of Information
Throughout the movie, when asked how he was going to accomplish a dangerous and complicated assignment, Hunt would reply, “I’ll figure it out.” That is what leaders do. To be successful they must get comfortable building the airplane why it is flying. Leaders don’t make excuses. They simply find a way.
9 Additional Leadership Quotes And Lessons
- Leadership Is Always About Others – When you become a leader you give up the right to become selfish and put yourself first. Hunt says, “We live and die in the shadows, for those we hold close, and those we never meet.”
- You Can Be Forgiven Of Your Past But You Still Must Face The Consequences Of It – Eugene Kittridge, played by the returning Henry Czerny from Mission Impossible I, said, “Our lives are the sum of our choices. And we cannot escape the past.”
- We Are Defined By Our Actions – Gabriel, played by Esai Morales, is described as “a mind-reading incarnation of chaos.”
- Grace And Forgiveness Often Result In Loyalty – Hunt spared the life of Paris, Gabriel’s partner played by Pom Klementieff, during a confrontation. By the end of the film, Paris returned the favor and saved Hunt’s life.
- Successful Leaders Must Effectively Prioritize Their Agendas – Hunt told Benji, played by Simon Pegg, “A nuclear bomb is something to bother me with.”
- Successful Leaders Always Put People Ahead Of Projects – When it came time to confront Gabriel, Luther, played by Ving Rhames, asked Hunt, “What’s your objective? What’s your ultimate objective?” To which Hunt replied “Your life will always matter more to me than my own.” Luther countered with, “None of our lives can matter more than this mission. But Hunt had the final word, “I don’t accept that.” No great leader would.
- Leaders See The Value In Others And The Good They Can Bring To Their Organization – Hunt would recommend to Kittridge that Grace become a member of the IMF team. When Grace expressed concern Kittridge would respond in a positive manner, Hunt noted, “I trust him to recognize your value.”
- Successful Leaders Always Put People Ahead Of Themselves – Hunt told Grace, “I swear your life will always be more important to me than my own.”
- Leaders Rarely Have Two Good Days In A Row – The movie concludes with Kittridge saying, “A new day brings a new burden.”
Once again, the film is incredible. Go see it this weekend and have a great time!
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