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"Unpacking Management Wisdom Through Cinema"
"Learning from the Movie "the PURSUIT of HAPPYNESS"
Movie Summary
The Pursuit of Happyness (2006), directed by Gabriele Muccino, is a biographical drama starring Will Smith as Chris Gardner, a struggling salesman in 1980s San Francisco. Chris invests his savings in portable bone-density scanners, which fail to sell, plunging his family into financial ruin. His wife leaves him, and he becomes homeless while caring for his young son, Christopher. Despite relentless setbacks, Chris secures an unpaid internship at a stock brokerage firm, competing for a single job. Through sheer determination, he overcomes poverty, homelessness, and doubt to become a successful broker, later founding his own firm. The film, based on Gardner’s memoir, is a testament to perseverance and the pursuit of dreams against all odds.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Management Lesson: Resilience
Resilience—the ability to recover from setbacks and persist toward goals—is a cornerstone of effective management. Chris Gardner’s story illustrates how managers must navigate crises, whether it’s a failed project, budget cuts, or team conflicts, without losing sight of the bigger picture. Resilience involves emotional strength, adaptability, and a focus on solutions rather than despair. In the subway scene, Chris doesn’t dwell on his misfortune; he protects his son and keeps his eyes on the internship opportunity, demonstrating how managers must stay composed and forward-thinking under pressure.
Research supports this: A 2018 study in the Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies found that resilient leaders inspire teams, maintain morale, and drive performance during adversity. Chris’s refusal to quit, even when homeless, reflects this trait, making him a model for leaders facing tough times.
Practical Takeaway
To build resilience as a manager, practice the “3R” framework: Reflect, Reframe, Respond.
- Reflect: Acknowledge setbacks without self-blame. Ask, “What can I learn from this?”
- Reframe: Shift your perspective to see challenges as opportunities. For example, a failed pitch could reveal new client needs.
- Respond: Take action, even if small, to move forward. Break goals into manageable steps, like Chris focusing on his daily internship tasks.
Next time you face a setback, write down one lesson learned and one action you’ll take. This keeps you grounded and proactive, just as Chris Gardner stayed focused on his dream despite sleeping in a subway bathroom.
The Rubik’s Cube Moment
Analysis
During his internship at the brokerage firm, Chris is riding in a cab with Jay Twistle, a senior manager who could influence his job prospects. Jay, casually playing with a Rubik’s Cube, remarks that it’s unsolvable. Chris, despite having no experience with the puzzle, boldly asks to try. In the brief cab ride, he solves the cube, impressing Jay with his determination and quick thinking. This scene is pivotal—Chris seizes a fleeting opportunity to stand out, turning a casual interaction into a professional advantage.
Management Lesson: Time Management
The Rubik’s Cube scene underscores the importance of time management—making the most of limited moments to achieve goals. In management, opportunities to impress stakeholders or solve problems often come unexpectedly and with tight windows. Chris’s ability to focus intensely and deliver under time pressure mirrors how managers must prioritize tasks and capitalize on brief interactions, like a pitch meeting or a chance encounter with a client. Effective time management involves recognizing high-impact moments and acting decisively.
Practical Takeaway
Adopt the “Eisenhower Matrix” to prioritize tasks:
· Categorize tasks into Urgent/Important, Not Urgent/Important, Urgent/Not Important, and Not Urgent/Not Important.
· Focus on Important tasks (like Chris solving the cube to impress Jay) over merely Urgent ones.
· Practice by listing your daily tasks and allocating 10–15 minutes to a high-impact opportunity, such as preparing for a key meeting. This ensures you’re ready to shine when time is short.
Cold-Calling Clients
Analysis
While interning, Chris is tasked with making cold calls to potential clients, a grueling job requiring persistence. Unlike his peers, who take breaks or follow the script robotically, Chris maximizes efficiency by not hanging up between calls (saving seconds) and using a friendly, authentic tone. His approach lands more appointments, earning him favor with his supervisors. In one scene, he charms a high-value client by being genuine, setting the stage for a crucial meeting.
Management Lesson: Relationship Building
This scene highlights relationship building as a core management skill. Chris’s success comes from treating clients as individuals, not just leads, and investing effort to connect authentically. In management, fostering trust with team members, clients, or stakeholders is critical for collaboration and long-term success. A 2020 study in Harvard Business Review found that leaders who prioritize relationship building improve team engagement and client retention. Chris’s personalized approach shows how small, intentional efforts can yield big results.
Practical Takeaway
Practice “active relationship building” weekly:
- Identify one key stakeholder (e.g., a team member or client) and learn something personal about them, like a hobby or goal.
- Use this insight to tailor your communication, such as referencing their interest in a conversation.
- For example, send a follow-up email after a meeting with a personalized note: “Enjoyed discussing the project—hope your weekend hike went well!” This builds rapport, mirroring Chris’s client-winning charm.
Fixing the Bone-Density Scanner
Analysis
Early in the film, Chris struggles to sell his bone-density scanners. When one breaks, he spends hours researching and repairing it himself, despite no formal training. Later, when he’s homeless and time is scarce, he fixes another scanner to sell it, securing enough money to survive. This scene showcases Chris tackling a technical challenge outside his expertise, adapting to circumstances to keep moving forward.
Management Lesson: Adaptability
Adaptability—the ability to pivot and learn new skills in response to challenges—is essential for managers. Chris’s willingness to teach himself electronics reflects how leaders must embrace unfamiliar tasks, whether it’s mastering new technology or navigating market shifts. Adaptable managers thrive in uncertainty, a trait linked to organizational agility in a 2019 McKinsey Quarterly study. Chris’s scanner repair demonstrates that stepping out of your comfort zone can unlock solutions and opportunities.
Practical Takeaway
Build adaptability with a “learn-by-doing” approach:
- Identify one skill outside your expertise (e.g., data analysis, public speaking) relevant to your role.
- Dedicate 30 minutes weekly to learning it via online tutorials (e.g., Coursera, YouTube) or hands-on practice.
- Apply the skill in a low-stakes task, like Chris fixing the scanner. For instance, use a new tool to analyze team performance. This habit prepares you to pivot when challenges arise.
