My movie is Avatar, and I will provide a summary of this film. The story is set in 2154 on Earth, which has experienced a significant depletion of its natural resources. However, Pandora, a planet with valuable mines containing a mineral known as unobtanium, offers hope for humanity. The RDA corporation seeks to obtain this precious resource. To explore Pandora’s diverse biosphere, scientists have created Na’vi-human hybrids called “avatars,” which are controlled by genetically matched humans. Jake Sully, a paraplegic former marine working for RDA, infiltrates the indigenous group called the Na’vi using an avatar. His mission is to convince the Na’vi people to relocate from their home tree within three months. The home tree is the land where the Na’vi community resides and harbors a vast deposit of valuable natural resources coveted by the corporation. It is through his experiences living in the avatar body and immersing himself in the Na’vi culture that Jake discovers something unexpected.
Jake Sully, a physically disabled man in a wheelchair, falls in love with his Na’vi teacher, Neytiri, and fully embraces the Na’vi culture. The Na’vi, similar to Native Americans, have a unique worldview and set of values. However, Jake’s alliance with the corporation changes when the RDA destroys one of the sacred trees belonging to the Na’vi. He realizes that the corporation and its leaders are unreasonable and unyielding in their pursuit of their desires. Jake refuses to let the Na’vi’s home be destroyed and leads them in their resistance. Ultimately, they triumph in this war, making Jake a hero among the Na’vi clan. In Avatar, we can undoubtedly learn valuable leadership lessons from Jake—the protagonist—and his unwavering strength and determination in seeking justice.
And finally become the spiritual leader of a clan. The movie demonstrates leadership based on emotional intelligence. An important aspect of this type of leadership is empathy, which is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. Despite being human, Jake is able to empathize with the anxiousness and aspirations of the Na’vi people to save their home. This empathy allows him to build social support and positive relationships, ultimately leading to victory in the war against RDA and gaining attraction and loyalty from the Na’vi. Managing emotions is also crucial in emotional intelligence-based leadership, as it enables leaders to cope with negative events and focus on positive ones. In the movie, Jake is afraid of confronting Turok but manages his emotions and finds a way to overcome his fear. He successfully turns the negative situation into a positive one.
Jake possesses two key qualities that demonstrate exceptional leadership: Courage and Cleverness. In the movie Avatar, Jake encounters multiple challenges on three occasions. First, he must adapt to a new environment and learn a new language, but he swiftly adjusts to his surroundings. Second, Jake finds himself seen as a traitor by both the Na’vi and humans. Despite this dire situation, he cleverly chooses to tame the most formidable creatures in order to regain the trust of the Na’vi society – the Toruk (large flying birds). This daring move perfectly aligns with one of our fundamental principles of leadership – Identifying with Your Constituents. People anticipate their leaders to excel in tasks essential for their survival and success. For the Na’vi people, riding a Toruk is unimaginable; therefore, anyone capable of such an act is considered powerful and truly part of their community.
The last challenging aspect is how to guide the Na’vi people to overthrow RDA. Courage is displayed remarkably well in this war; Jake’s inspiring speech makes them fearless against a stronger enemy. Moreover, Jake rallies the Ikran people from the eastern sea, known as Toruk, to unite and face this emerging threat. Jake’s Courage and Cleverness are responsible for solving all of these problems. In my opinion, leadership qualities such as Courage and Cleverness can be effective in any situation.
