This will be a discussion-oriented course, spiced with lectures, film clips, readings from classic texts on leadership, and tools such as the Myers-Briggs Personality Indicator and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. The course will examine and compare each film’s techniques and the needs and failures of various leaders and those they led.

We will consider five films (all of which won Oscars):

1. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)

2. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

3. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969)

4. Glory (1989)

5. Twelve O’ Clock High (1949)

Participants will not be required to purchase any books but will be given optional reading materials starting with the first class. They will be required to watch each film before it is discussed, with a special focus on the leadership themes we will be discussing. To that end, a set of discussion questions will be distributed for participants to think about as they watch each film. In addition, film clips and readings from classic texts on leadership, and analytical management instruments such as the Myers-Briggs Personality Indicator and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, will be distributed to focus discussions.

Note: All of films listed above are available for free streaming on several websites.  More information will be provided to class participants before the start of class.

Class Recordings:  (Click on the links below to watch the recordings.)

Session 1 - October 5

Session 2 - October 12

Session 3 - October 19

Session 4 - October 26

Session 5 - November 2

Session 6 - November 9