Winds of Change

Leadership and Relationships
As intricate and important the rigging is on a sailing ship, there would be no success without a competent and reliable crew.

I just finished watching the movie Master And Commander (Russell Crowe) again and there are several things that stand out to me that we can learn from it that can be very useful in the days that we are living in. The movie is set in 1805, however if you will think about it, some things in life just don't ever change. Cultures change, and governments change, but I see two things that don't:

1. Is the wind. It still blows!
2. Relationships between people.

Challenges Can Help Us Grow
That battleship could not be effective without the sails, period. And it is the wind that drives them. In the movie, there is a time when the wind stops, and the Commander is called upon to make a decision about how to proceed. He says in aggravation, "I can navigate the wind, but I'm not it's (expletive) Creator!"  Even leaders are limited sometimes. Give them something to work with and they're good to go.

Ties That Bind
The most interesting and beloved part of the movie to me, are the relationships. The Commander is a great leader. He is firm with resolve, yet it is evident that he is well respected. For the most part, the crew gets along famously, and when they don't, the doctor steps in. I love this relationship, too. 

The doctor plays a pivotal role. He is a close friend and confidant of the captain, yet he also attends to the physical and emotional needs of the shipmates. The commander needs help in this area- with all the decisions he must make, he needs help with the ones involving feelings and emotions. They just don't come easy for him. So the doctor is more than just a physician. He is the voice of wisdom and compassion, and he helps keep his old friend grounded in times of stress.

Mentoring That Calms
I also love the Commander's relationship with the younger shipmates. Some are very young- teenagers, and some of the older shipmates help guide and mentor the young men. The pendulum of "getting along well" seems to swing sweetly at every age in this movie. Their love and loyalty to one another is palpable and very touching. They do go through thick and thin while doing their job, but they always seem to manage to get through the tough spots. They talk it out. Decisions are made.

"Hold Fast"
In the end, it is obvious that the Commander has much feeling. He was once young himself, and has never forgotten his own mentors. He knows he would not be where he is had it not been for their invested time, energy and care. Integrity begets integrity, and so it goes....

Times are changing, and we must move along with it. It is not going to stand still for us to adjust to it. Whether you are a leader or you work for one, now is the time to remember that investing in people will be the single most important thing you can do. Because, like it or not, we're surrounded by one another!

If you've never watched Master and Commander, I highly recommend it, and if you have, maybe it's time to revisit it and view it from another perspective. I think you'll see what I have. We can learn so much from one another, whether we look above us, beside or below- there is always someone there who can teach us something new.

Note: I uploaded the Official Trailer to the movie because it features most of what I talked about. (sorry about the legal stuff at the beginning- you know how it is. Hope you watch and enjoy!)
~ Rann