Set against the rugged beauty of a Southern ranch, “Searching for the Elephant’ is a powerful drama that follows Jason Bowden, struggling with addiction, as he reconnects with his estranged Vietnam‑veteran grandfather, Griff, who’s facing the challenges of PTSD. Jason is facing threats from debt collectors, which are compounded by family tension. Forced by the tough love of his stepmother to live on Griff’s Southern ranch for a year, it is an intense, raw, and authentic portrayal of the challenges faced not just by Jason and Griff but also by those who love them.  Perhaps surprisingly, the leadership lessons for individuals and organizations are also very strong.

Quotes And Leadership Lessons From Searching For The Elephant

 Searching for the Elephant

“He was looking for that place where he’d finally be happy.”

The title of this film refers to a “ranching” term that connects perfectly with individuals and organizations.  It refers to ranchers hiring seasonal workers, many of whom are content with the work, while others are looking for the perfect job.  There is evidence throughout the story that, as Jason continues to struggle with addiction, he’s searching for his future, for understanding the death of his father, and understanding himself.

Today’s world of work is filled with individuals “searching for the elephant.”  It comes in multiple forms, e.g., quiet quitting, job hopping.  Gallup has reported 51% “looking for new opportunities.”  But according to Lucille, the widow of one of the veterans Griff knew,

“That place doesn’t exist.”

Change

What is it going to take?
You’re running out of chances.

A valuable lens for viewing this story would be change.  It’s certainly evident throughout every scene, from the opening demand to Jason to the continuing challenges of his addiction and Griff’s reluctance to let go of his military past – and his rigidity.  In an early scene, only three players are available for a weekly poker game.  One member says, “We can just play three-handed.”  Griff’s response:

I ain’t never played three-handed poker in my life.
I ain’t gonna start now.

Individuals and organizations are facing constant, accelerated change today.  Resistance comes in many forms, also from individuals, leaders, and an organization’s culture.  Books and programs for change management abound, as do books and programs for addressing addictions.  “Searching for the Elephant” offers a thought-provoking point on this:  “What’s it going to take?”

Communication

Griff’s search for his redemption leads him to Lucille, a now retired teacher, whose husband Charles was killed in the incident that haunts Griff.  In response to Griff’s wanting to apologize, “It shoulda been me,” Lucille offers a classic lesson in communication.

“Stop acting like you’re God, like you’re in control!
My Charles is dead and it had very little to do with you.
If Charles hadn’t been 6’2”, he’d been in the Navy.
If Johnson hadn’t been so worried about communism,
we would have never been over there.
If Ho Chi Minh hadn’t risen to power, we would have never had a war in the first place.
I taught history for 36 years. Major Bowden.  I can do this all day.
My Charles isn’t here holding my hand because he was called home by his maker.

In a podcast discussing the film, its co-author and star, Joseph Stam (Jason), reports that this scene is the one most often cited as “a favorite.”  I agree.  It’s a fascinating example of strong, clear communication.  Something too often hidden in the messages from organizations, their leaders, and managers.

Burnout

“Same song, different verse”

Griff’s classic comment towards the end of the story fits perfectly with three connections to another very real, very serious leadership issue today: burnout.  The pace of the story itself is intense, a nonstop action film of personal challenges.  It’s a story that never pauses, never rests.  There are vivid portrayals of Jason’s addiction and the decisions it drives, including both positive and negative moments.  And Griff’s PTSD can certainly be viewed for its ongoing, long-term impact. The story does take place in a workplace setting, so it’s easy to see many burnout factors affecting both Jason and Griff.

For leaders and organizations, burnout poses many challenges in identification and response.  Individuals respond uniquely to the challenges and demands.  The same is true here.  On one key burnout factor, emotional resilience, Jason shows little as he deals with the highs and lows of his addiction.  On the other hand, Griff’s emotional resilience “seems” higher most of the time, but it is also clear that his PTSD is really one of the walls that restrain his thoughts and actions.

Love and Support

There are some powerful points in “Searching for the Elephant” that illustrate the support shown by those who love Jason, including the woman he’s attracted to (and manipulates).  Helping someone doesn’t mean removing consequences, as demonstrated throughout, from Jason’s stepmother’s “tough love,” to Griff’s frequent demands that he leave, unless…

You can’t rebuild trust in one conversation, as is also demonstrated throughout, as Jason promises, apologizes, does something horrible, then “rinse and repeat.”  The authors described the character as “likable and self-destructive.”  I just completed a discovery learning series and a careful read of Marcus Buckingham’s new book, Design Love In.  Points from the book kept occurring to me as I viewed the film.  From a trauma view, Griff and Jason aren’t difficult. They’re wounded.  Buckingham argues, powerfully, that “only love drives productive behavior,” whether it’s offering a product or service, caring for patients, or teaching students.  His definition of love, “the deep and unwavering commitment to the flourishing of a human,” stuck with me over and over again in “Elephant.”

In a film as intense and complex as “Searching for the Elephant,” the lessons for individual and organizational leadership extend beyond the points here.  Emotional intelligence, conflict management, purpose, and vision are more points of view for learning from this story.  A final thought: People need something beyond immediate reality. Even if it’s uncertain.  Even if it’s imperfect.  Even if it’s unreachable.

Watch Searching For The Elephant Below

In The Grey tells the story of Sid (Henry Cavill) and Bronco (Jake Gyllenhaal). They are extraction specialists working for a woman named Rachel (Eiza González). Rachel deals in the grey with some very bad people.

When Rachel’s deal with Manny Salazar (Carlos Bardem) goes sideways, Sid and Bronco have to extract her from a remote island.

There’s a lot of action. I thought it lacked substance. However, we can still pull leadership lessons from In The Grey.

Let’s take a look at the ones I saw.

Quotes And Leadership Lessons From In The Grey

1. Rachel:

The man on the phone taught me everything I know.

The movie opens with a voiceover from Rachel. She’s talking about Braxton (Darrell D’Silva).

He’s like her. He deals in the grey. He tries to right wrongs that others can’t. Or maybe won’t.

Remember your mentors. They helped get you to where you are – Leadership lessons from In The Grey
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However, he ends up dying shortly after we meet him in the film. This doesn’t change the fact that he was a teacher. He helped train Rachel in how to negotiate and close the deal.

I loved how Rachel paid tribute to her teacher. She understood what he meant to her and how much she learned from him.

Never forget the leaders who came before you. They taught you. They trained you. They helped you become the leader you are today.

2. Great leaders let their people know of known dangers:

Rachel confronts Bobby (Rosamund Pike) after Braxton’s murder. He had been reaching out to Salazar’s people and dealing with them. He never knew the true danger he was in.

Rachel was upset. Her mentor was dead. And it could have been because Bobby hadn’t given him a heads-up about the danger ahead of him.

I’ve seen many leaders withhold critical information from their team. The information could be:

• Impending closures or layoffs
• A data security breach at a sister company
• Potential changes in leadership

Great leaders don’t keep people in the dark. They give them the information they need to make informed choices.

Be a leader who informs rather than conceals.

3. Have a plan:

The whole film was about Rachel’s plan to get one billion dollars from Salazar’s operation. He owed a debt that was never paid. They would get it.

How? Rachel laid out the plan:

• Procedural and Practical
• Planning and Preparation
• Conference with the Enemy

Each step brought Rachel and her team closer to their final goal (which is revealed at the end of the film). Rachel played out each step to success.

What’s your plan for your organization’s success? Do you even have a plan?

If not, it’s time to make a plan for your organization.

If you do, make sure you follow the plan. Deviate when necessary.

4. Practice, practice, practice:

In The Grey shows the importance of practice. Rachel’s team had 3 different evacuation routes. The team practiced each one over and over again.

During one such run, they discovered dirt bikes or motorcycles could be a better means of transportation than a car.

Each practice unveiled something previously unseen. They learned and adapted.

Once organizations feel they have their tasks down pat, they stop practicing. They stop trying new things.

Never stop practicing. Never stop trying to see what improvements you can make.

The practice scenes made me think of the book Two Second Lean. The book was filled with practical ways to find two-second improvements.

Where can you practice within your organization to find simple things to improve?

Practice, practice, practice.

5. Leaders have to care about things that they may not like:

Rachel went after Salazar’s assets. She took away his means of transportation and business tools. Salazar was furious.

William Horowitz (Fisher Stevens) is Salazar’s lawyer. He begins to tell Salazar that Rachel has impounded his jet and boats. International laws were preventing him from getting them back.

What does Salazar say? He tells Horowitz he doesn’t care about international law. He only wants his stuff back.

You may not want to care about certain aspects of your organization but those aspects can be crucial – Leadership lessons from In The Grey
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So many of our day-to-day activities have us ignoring things we should care about. There may be minor laws or procedures we ignore or bypass.

We don’t care about them. They’re not important.

Until they are.

We need to care about every portion of our organization and the laws that govern it. If we fail to pay attention to them, we may find ourselves in a heap of trouble.

6. Bronco:

More of a challenge than a problem.

Rachel and Bronco go into a bar to get a drink. Salazar’s men follow them.

Rachel notices the men’s presence. She asks Bronco if there’s a problem.

To Bronco, this wasn’t a problem. The men presented a challenge. One he would overcome with his team’s help.

We often see situations as problems. Cash flow problems. Employee morale problems. Production problems.

What if we didn’t see these as problems but as a challenge?

I rarely like to solve a problem. I do like to solve a good challenge. Challenges offer us the opportunity to work through a situation.

Let’s start viewing situations as challenges instead of problems.

7. Leaders have to go into the lion’s den:

Horowitz rings up Rachel. He tells her Salazar wants to meet in person.

Uh oh. Or oh yeah?

This was Rachel’s call into the lion’s den. She would have to confront a corrupt man face-to-face.

Leaders cannot avoid the lion’s den. There will come a time when you have to step into a dangerous situation – Leadership lessons from In The Grey
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The lion’s den can be scary. You have to face challenges head-on. You have to tell someone what’s really going on.

Don’t be afraid to go into the lion’s den. If you’ve done everything right, there’s nothing to fear.

8. Victory can be short-lived:

Rachel gets Horowitz and Salazar to agree to the billion-dollar payment. They’re not happy about it but they’re going to do it.

Her company receives the payment. All is good…

Until three months later.

Salazar sends Axel Olsson (Kristofer Hivju) after her. Axel kidnaps her and takes her to a secluded area. Her victory was short-lived.

We love to celebrate victories. We should celebrate victories. However, we have to be aware that our victories can be short-lived.

A new challenge may arise. Someone may quit at random with no notice. You may have a new competitor pop up.

Victory is never forever.

9. What’s your plan B?:

Bronco and Sid follow the rescue plan for Rachel. They’re at the step of breaking into a jail.

Everything’s going well. Until it doesn’t.

A couple of police officers walk in after Bronco and Sid had secured everyone. These officers pull their guns. The guys shoot and kill them.

Alarms go off. Other officers swarm the jail. They have to get out.

Have a Plan B for your organization – Leadership lessons from In The Grey
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Thankfully, Plan B was in place. Andre Baker (Kojo Attah) was outside of the jail walls. He had what looked to be a life raft with him. It wasn’t. It was explosives.

Baker blows a hole in the wall. The duo escapes with Rachel.

Things will never go fully according to plan. You need to have a plan B, C, D, E, etc…

Knowing what to do if things go south will help you readjust your strategy. Be ready with additional plans.

10. Sometimes, your people can’t give you an answer:

As Sid, Bronco, and Rachel escape, they come to a place where they obtain a rocket launcher. They’re going to take down one of Salazar’s helicopters.

Sid asks Bronco for the range of the helicopter. Bronco tells Sid to wait. He doesn’t have a clear view.

Sid keeps asking. Bronco can’t give him a legitimate answer because he can’t get a lock on something he can’t see.

If your people tell you they don’t have an answer or that you need to wait for more information, be patient. There’s a reason behind it.

Your people aren’t lazy. They’re not trying to be coy. They’re trying to get you accurate information.

What could happen?

• You suffer a heart attack
• You are hit by a car and laid up in a hospital bed for multiple weeks
• You have an emergency family situation

These are but a few things that can sideline a leader. Sometimes permanently.

Without a backup ready to take your place, your team could be left floundering. They may even sink without someone ready to step in to take your place.

Photo by Riley McCullough on Unsplash

You Need A Backup Leader

Now that you know something could happen to you, you know you need a backup leader. This is someone who can step in if you become incapacitated.

Think about your favorite sports team. They have backups for their team members.

The active roster of an NFL team is 53 players. They choose their starting players, and the rest are, in theory, backup players.

If a starter gets injured or needs a rest, the NFL team has someone who can step in for that player. They’re ready to continue when the other player isn’t.

Now… Just imagine…

What if organizations had backup leaders?

Backup leaders would be there to take over when you’re tired, injured, or incapacitated. They would be there to carry on the vision and mission of your organization while you recover… Or while they find your replacement.

How To Have Backup Leaders

I know, you’re thinking this: Our budget is so tight there’s no way we could have a backup leader waiting on the bench. The cost would be astronomical.

That’s stinking thinking.

There are ways to have backup leaders in your organization. It can be simple or complex. Let’s look at a simple way to have backup leaders ready to step in when things hit the fan.

• Look for potential in the team members you already have: Start by looking at who’s already on your team. You may notice someone who isn’t a star player yet but they’re rising up the organizational ladder. You’ve got your starting point once you’ve narrowed it down.
• Bring the backup leader to important meetings: You can’t bring your backup leader to everything. However, you can figure out the important meetings they should be a part of. You may want to bring them to finance meetings, employee conversations, and training sessions. The more these backup leaders experience your normal, everyday aspects of leading the organization, the better idea they will have of what to do if anything were to happen to you.
• Let them try out: Sports organizations don’t have their backup players sit on the sidelines while the stars practice. No, everyone practices the plays. This allows everyone to know the calls, the routes, and the plays. Don’t let your backup leaders sit twiddling their thumbs. Instead, invite them out on the field to practice their skills.

Having backup leaders ready to jump in at a moment’s notice doesn’t have to be fancy, crazy, or expensive. Your backup leaders can and should already be part of your organization.

They only need to be ready to be called up. So, who’s your backup leader?

Welcome to another edition of Reel Leadership. It’s where we look at the intersection of film and leadership. There’s always something to learn and grow from in the films we watch.

Today’s film? The sequel to the 2021 Mortal Kombat film, Mortal Kombat II.

Mortal Kombat II is, once again, based on the video game series. In it, fighters are summoned to fight in a battle to the death. The reason? They must save the Earth from the evil Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford).

If Earth’s warriors fail, Shao Kahn will take over the Earth Realm and make it his own. He’s done it before. He’s ready to do it again.

Earth brings in some heavy hitters:

• Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee)
• Jax Briggs (Mehcad Brooks)
• Liu Kang (Ludi Lin)
• Cole Young (Lewis Tan)
• And introducing Johnny Cage (Karl Urban)

These warriors must put their lives on the line to save their world. Their challengers?

• Shao Kahn
• Jade (Tati Gabrielle)
• Kitana (Adeline Rudolph)
• Quan Chi (Damon Herriman)
• Sindel (Ana Thu Nguyen)

Who will win? Who will lose? Will Earth fall to the darkness of Shao Kahn? Only viewers of Mortal Kombat II will know.

Let’s take a look at the leadership lessons in Mortal Kombat II.

Quotes And Leadership Lessons From Mortal Kombat 2

1. King Jerrod (Desmond Chiam):

Strength is not a closed fist.

King Jerrod is Kitana’s father. Shao Khan brutally murders him in battle.

Before his death, he tells his daughter that strength is not a closed fist. It’s not violence. It’s not strength over kindness.

Leaders don’t have to lead with a closed fist – Leadership lessons from Mortal Kombat 2
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Remember, leadership is not a closed fist. You don’t have to lead through tyranny. Instead, you can choose kindness, gentleness, and meekness.

Don’t let the world tell you differently.

2. Kitana:

You’re the one who taught me everything is a weapon.

Kitana is sparring with Jade, who is like a sister to her. Shao Kahn has raised them to be violent.

Kitana lost her weapons. She did something unexpected. She removed the ribbon from her hair and used it as a weapon.

She found something ordinary and used it in a way that it wasn’t meant to be used.

Look for ways to use the tools you have in ways they weren’t designed – Leadership lessons from Mortal Kombat 2
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We’ve got so many tools across our organization that can be used for purposes other than the ones for which they were created. Look around you. What tools are being underutilized?

Is there technology you could repurpose? Are there manufacturing machines that could produce something different?

Everything is a tool you can use.

3. Your team may not be complete:

Lord Raiden (Tadanobu Asano) gathered the champions of Earth. He had Sonya, Jax, Liu Kang, and Cole Young. But there was still one person missing. Earth needed four champions.

The film cuts to Johnny Cage.

Earth’s champion team wasn’t complete. It was about to be, though.

You’re going to find yourself a man down at times. You’re going to feel your team isn’t ready. But is that the truth?

You can begin with what you have. Then you can add additional team members.

Your team may not be complete, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start.

4. Sonya Blade:

You’re going to have to show him.

Raiden and Sonya approach Johnny Cage after a comic con convention. He thinks they’re crazy fans of his old films. They’re not. They’re there to recruit him to join an elite group of fighters.

Despite everything Raiden and Sonya tell Johnny Cage, he wouldn’t believe their story. Sonya knows they’re going to have to show him.

Raiden opens up a lightning portal. Johnny begins to believe.

You will need to show your team that you are serious. That you have the means to do what you say you’re going to do.

Don’t be afraid to show them exactly what can be done. The more you show, the more they’ll be interested.

5. You won’t be ready all of the time:

Johnny Cage refuses to join the battle. He believes he isn’t powerful enough. That doesn’t matter.

First, we see Sonya get called into a battle. She is pulled out and begins to fight. Cole says he thought there were supposed to be two chosen for the first round of Mortal Kombat.

Uh oh…

Leaders cannot be ready all of the time. Despite the desire to be ready – Leadership lessons from Mortal Kombat 2
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Johnny Cage is back on Earth. He’s not ready to fight. But he gets pulled into a battle.

We desire to be ready, be prepared all of the time.

Guess what? That’s not reality.

There will be plenty of times when you have to act before you’re ready. Be willing to step into action before you’re ready.

6. Raiden:

You don’t need a lecture. You need perspective.

Johnny Cage had been chosen to fight. There was a large pool of people the gods could have chosen. However, Johnny Cage was the one they chose.

He couldn’t see it. He couldn’t understand it.

Raiden tried to help him understand. He wasn’t going to get lectured. What he really needed was perspective.

Raiden’s quote can apply to leaders and team members alike. For leaders, you don’t need a lecture on how to lead better. What you need is perspective on who you lead and why you lead. When you get that, you begin to understand the immense responsibility you’ve been given. And you begin to work on being that person.

For team members, they need the perspective that they were chosen from a wide catalog of possible candidates. They were chosen for a reason. Once they grasp that, they can begin working on the goal.

Don’t give lectures. Give perspective changes.

7. Show mercy:

Jax had the opportunity to kill Jade after their battle. She even tells him to kill her. He doesn’t.

He shows her mercy.

Why? Kitana had shown Johnny Cage mercy. She chose not to kill him, even though she could have.

Her mercy reached Jax, who spared her friend.

We think mercy is weakness. Mercy is not weakness. Mercy is a way to extend grace and compassion to those in our charge.

You show them there’s more than being productive. You show them that their value is not strictly in what they can do.

Do you know what happens when you do this? Mercy is reciprocated when you screw up. Your team members are willing to give you grace and mercy when you do something stupid.

Choose mercy.

8. Liu Kang:

Kung Lao (Max Huang), remember who you are.

Kung Lao and Liu Kang had been like brothers. That changed when Kung Lao was killed in the first movie.

In Mortal Kombat 2, he is resurrected by the necromancer Quan Chi. He’s no longer a friend to Liu Kang. He’s an opponent.

Kung Lao goes after the Earth fighters by slicing the throat of Lord Raiden, stealing his power.

During their battle, Liu Kang calls out for his old friend. He tries to make Kung Lao remember who he was despite the danger to himself.

Help your team members to remember who they are – Leadership lessons from Mortal Kombat 2
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Look at your team. There are probably one or two people on it who have forgotten who they are.

Maybe they’ve had a rough couple of months in the office. There may be challenges at home. Or it could be something else completely.

Don’t fire them. Instead, call out to them. Ask them to remember who they were.

You do this by:

• Recalling previous work they’ve done
• Bringing up previous awards they’ve won
• Asking others to speak into their life

Ask your team members to remember who they are. They’ll remember.

9. You can switch sides:

Shao Kahn defeats Liu Kang and Sonya Blade. There are no more challengers from Earth left standing. Shao Kahn stands victorious.

Or does he?

Kitana speaks up. She’s changing sides. She’s taking on the role of Earth’s protector.

Whew! That was quite the switch Kitana made. It wasn’t easy. But it was needed.

You’re going to find yourself in situations where what you thought you were fighting for wasn’t…

Maybe it’s a corporate takeover. There may have been a leadership change. Or it could have been something else.

It feels as if the organization you’re with is no longer the organization you started at.

That’s okay. You can switch sides. You can switch teams.

You’re not stuck in an organization. You can choose to move on.

10. Johnny Cage:

What makes a hero?

Johnny Cage asks this question. I think it’s a poignant question to end this edition of Reel Leadership on, but with a twist.

Instead of asking yourself: What makes a hero? Ask yourself and others: What makes a leader?

When you begin to dig into the makings of a leader, you begin to remake yourself. You begin to take the actions to become a leader.

So, ask yourself today: What makes a leader?

Over Your Dead Body is a dark comedy from director Jorma Tacconne and writers Tommy Wirkola, Nick Ball, and John Niven. When a dysfunctional married couple goes to a secluded cabin for a weekend getaway, with ulterior motives, things go crazy.

The couple, Dan (Jason Segel) and Lisa (Samara Weaving), plot to murder one another. It’s their way out of their relationship. It’s a great backdrop for the rest of the story: a story of survival.

Let’s look at the leadership lessons from Over Your Dead Body.

Quotes And Leadership Lessons From Over Your Dead Body

1. Don’t overplay your hand:

Dan is talking to a female coworker before he and Lisa leave for the weekend getaway. He tells the coworker that they’re going to a cabin. Then he pushes the fact that Lisa is going on a hike. He also shares how dangerous he thinks the hike will be.

Dan’s conversation comes across as forced. As if something is going to happen to Lisa. Maybe he’s even plotted her death.

The truth was, he had.

Leaders often overplay their hand. Don’t be that leader – Leadership lessons from Over Your Dead Body
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He overplayed his hand, I believe, when he shared with his coworker about the trip and how Lisa’s hike was going to be sooooo dangerous. It would make him a prime suspect if he succeeded.

You’re going to be in a position where you know more than the frontline employees. You’re going to have insights into the business, future dealings, and the direction the organization is headed.

Not everyone in the organization will know this information. Not everyone in the organization should know this information.

It’s easy to be a Dan. To share. To overshare and overplay your hand.

2. Michael (Paul Guilfoyle):

I wish a war upon you.

Michael is Dan’s father. He’s seen war. And he’s slowly dying.

When Dan visits his father, Michael tells him that the war has made a man of him. He wishes he had died in the war.

Then, he drops a hard truth: He wishes his son would see war.

Michael believes the hardship of war would change his son’s life.

Leaders don’t wish harm upon their people. However, they do wish they will experience things that will make them better people.

For Michael, it was war. For your people, it will be the difficulties they face day in and day out.

Let them make their way through the challenges. Don’t get them through them.

3. Keep looking:

Lisa and Dan get to the cabin. Lisa searches for the key that is supposed to be above the doorframe. She struggles to find it.

Dan encourages her to keep looking. She moves her search radius to the left. There… there is the key! She’s found it because she kept looking.

Are you willing to continue looking even when you’re stuck? When things don’t look promising? When you don’t know what to do next?

I want to encourage you not to give up. If you know something is close to success, keep looking. Keep working at it.

4. Lisa:

Well… be nice then.

Dan and Lisa are cooking in the kitchen. Dan wants to give Lisa one final nice meal. Even that doesn’t go right.

Dan begins complaining to Lisa about how she’s preparing the garlic. She’s smashing it. Dan tells her to chop it.

But he doesn’t say it nicely.

Lisa picks up on this. It’s been a running theme in their marriage. Their communication has sucked and he’s been less than nice to her.

You need to be nice to the people you lead. What does this mean?

• Treat them with respect
• Allow for mistakes
• Watch your tone
• Hold them accountable

Too many people treat others with disdain. Their tone is condescending and abusive. They treat the people they lead like they’re stupid.

Let’s be more nice.

5. People know more than you give them credit for:

Lisa was able to beat Dan to the punch. As Dan approached with a cloth full of chloroform, she stood in a room practicing lines. Dan thought he had her. He didn’t.

Lisa waited until the last minute. She stopped practicing her lines, turned toward Dan, and hit him with a taser. Dan wakes up tied to a chair.

Dan’s shocked! Lisa is as well. She begins to question Dan. Why would he want to kill her?

Dan answers bluntly: Ceviche.

That turned out to be Lisa’s favorite dish. It’s also a dish she experienced with her Peruvian coworker, with whom she had an affair.

Yes, Dan knew Lisa had been unfaithful! That was his reason for wanting to kill her. She didn’t realize Dan knew she had cheated on him.

We don’t give the people we lead enough credit. We think they only know a little bit.

In reality, the people we lead know much more than we think they do.

People talk. Stories are shared. People find out.

Don’t think your people don’t know what’s happening. If you have a question about whether they do, ask them. Be up front. It’s what you would want.

6. Truth comes out:

Dan had asked Henry (Jake Curran), an acquaintance of his, to help murder his wife. He told Henry that he would give him half of the life insurance policy he had on Lisa. Henry would make an easy $50,000.

Lisa’s tied up, but she’s not going down without a fight. She tells Henry to wait. The number Dan had given him was wrong.

The real life insurance policy? $1,000,000.

The truth always comes out – Leadership lessons from Over Your Dead Body
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Dan thought he could get away with misleading Henry. He did. For a bit. Then the truth came out.

Guess where else the truth comes out? The truth will be revealed to your employees, one way or another. That’s why being an honest leader is so important.

You don’t have to share everything with everyone. But you can’t lie to your team. Make sure you’re giving them the truth.

7. Trying to look rich will break you:

Pete (Timothy Olyphant), Todd (Keith Jardine), and Allegra (Juliette Lewis) had broken into the cabin before Dan and Lisa’s arrival. It’s the reason the key wasn’t exactly where Lisa thought it should be.

Who were these three? Pete and Todd were escaped convicts. Allegra was a correctional officer who helped them escape. She was also in love with Pete.

The trio tied up Dan and Lisa. They demanded money. Lisa tells the convicts that they have no money. They were broke.

Trying to look rich will make you broke – Leadership lessons from Over Your Dead Body
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Why? Dan was in the movie business. He spent all of their money trying to look rich and impress those around them.

Ouch.

That’s the reality of so many people, though. They are around others who present as wealthy and they believe they have to appear wealthy, too.

Be careful if you’re trying to look rich. You’re going to find yourself in a world of hurt (and debt) if you continue this route.

8. Lisa:

How did we get here?

Lisa and Dan are now tied together, their backs to one another. Lisa begins to wonder aloud: How did we get here?

She recounts the love they had for one another. They had a good life. Now? They’re at each other’s throats.

What happened? How did they get here?

I’ve seen many leaders wonder the same question. How did the business begin to fail? Where did they go wrong? How could so many people leave?

It’s a slow burn to get to that point.

You slowly change over time. The little things become big things. Then, it feels like the world is crashing down.

You don’t get to disaster all at once. You arrive there little by little.

Make sure you’re paying attention to the little things.

9. Dan:

This is all my fault.

Dan and Lisa are hiding together. Allegra and Pete are coming after them. Dan begins to confess.

He tells Lisa this is all his fault. He was wrong.

How did Dan get there? He felt like a failure. He didn’t know how to fix what was broken. He just gave up.

Leaders admit when they’re at fault – Leadership lessons from Over Your Dead Body
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Be different than Dan.

If you want to be a great leader, you can’t give up. When the going gets tough, figure out what the problem is. See how you can fix it.

There is a solution. You only have to be willing to look for it.

10. What was meant to harm you can help you:

Dan had placed a bag of rocks in their boat. He planned to have Lisa killed and then her body would be dropped into the lake with the rocks holding her body pieces down.

The rocks were meant to hurt her. But they didn’t. They helped save her.

Dan and Lisa fled from the convicts. However, Pete tracked them down to the boat. A fight ensues.

Dan is on the ropes. He’s about to be maimed by Pete. This is when Lisa uses what was meant to harm her to help her.

She grabs the bag of rocks. She wraps it around Pete. She tosses him overboard.

What was meant for harm was used for good.

You may see pain, hurt, and difficulties all around you. They’re causing you major issues.

What if these things weren’t the death of you? What if they were there to help you?

Look at what’s challenging you. What could you do to use them to benefit you?