The movie Black Panther is the number one movie in cinemas all around the world. Based on the Marvel Comics character Black Panther had the fifth biggest weekend opening of all time and currently has already grossed nearly US$900 million (FJ$1,837m) worldwide in only it’s third week of release.

Black Panther is a rare movie because it has quickly moved beyond entertainment and has become a cultural phenomenon with its powerful messages that have resulted in schools in the United States purchasing tickets in order for students to experience the movie and screenings turning into celebrations.

Young leader

If you are a young leader or you are aspiring to one day be in a leadership role then you should take time out of your day to see Black Panther, not only then will you experience an entertaining movie but you will also take away some valuable lessons about leadership that will help you become the hero of your own story.

In this article I want to highlight some of these key messages.

Leadership is all about legacy.

The main character in the movie is T’Challa played by Chadwick Boseman, set in the fictional African country of Wakanda.

T’Challa inherits the mantle of King following the death of his father.

When contemplating whether he is ready to become King he recalls the words of his Father who once told him that “A man that has not prepared his children for his own death has failed as a father.”

One of the most valuable lessons a young leader can learn is that leadership is all about legacy.

Like the mantle of King leadership is a title rather than a person, if you embrace the role of a leader then you need to fully appreciate that leadership is never about you, there were leaders before you and there will be leaders after you; your role as a leader is to create a path for the next generation of leaders to follow.

Become the Leader that you would want to follow

A wonderful piece of advice that T’Challa receives from his father is “You cannot let your father’s mistakes define who you are.

You get to decide what kind of king you are going to be; T’Challa embraces this advice and leads his people in his own way which is different from those who had gone before him.

The common mistake I see when I coach young leaders is that they copy another leader, their behaviours and style rather than become a leader in their own right.

It’s easy to be another leader, especially one who you admire and who has been successful and see that leader as a template to embrace and copy, yet this is wrong.

It’s ok to admire and learn from another leader but you can’t forget that there’s only one you and you need to add what is unique to your role as a leader.

The best leaders are authentic and you will never be authentic if you are copying someone else.

You and no-one else gets to decide what kind of leader you want to be.

Leadership is a collective effort

Black Panther has received a lot of praise for the portrayal of strong female characters who play roles that are equally important as T’Challa himself.

Another piece of advice T’Challa receives form his father is “You will struggle.  Surround yourself with people you trust.”

During the movie he does this and wins the day by inspiring people to work together.

Leadership is difficult and can be a very lonely role; while others can moan about what is happening the leader needs to be very aware of how powerful their words are. If you want a long and successful career as a leader then it’s vital that you surround yourself with people who are capable, trustworthy and possess the courage to tell you what you need to hear rather than what you want to hear.

These people are rare in life so when you come across them you need to embrace them and keep them close.

If you are not sure what to do, just do what is right.

Towards the end of the movie, T’Challa tells a crowded room that “wise men build bridges, foolish men build barriers.”

In his new role as King he decides to take his country to Wakanda out of the shadows and decides to play a new role in the world sharing their knowledge and expertise.

When faced with a difficult situation he did what he believed was right.

If you have ambitions to be a leader then you need to focus on becoming a better person because in my experience of working alongside hundreds of leaders a clear universal truth is that good people become good leaders.

It’s difficult to learn skills like strategic planning, motivating and influencing skills but it’s way more difficult to learn how to be a good person.

As a leader you will need to make decisions that don’t just impact you but also changes the life of people around you and being honest not every decision you make will be popular but that’s okay as long you make the right

decision.

So if you are a young leader and you are looking for lessons that will help you on your path then take a few hours of your day and head to the cinema because not only you will find inspiration you will also be entertained.

Take these lessons and embrace them and you will find that you too can lead like a superhero.

Feedback:  maraia.vula@fijisun.com.fj