A Titan of a Statement

“Attitude reflects leadership.”

Wood Harris and Ryan Hurst in Remember the Titans, 2000.Everett Collection / Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

Remember that statement by Julius in Disney’s Remember The Titans? Only three words but it’s one of the most powerful reflections of effective leadership ever stated. Yeah, it’s just a line from a movie, but there’s a depth to it that today’s leaders need to hear. People respond, and perhaps mimic, the examples of their leaders.

Whether it is the leadership of a football team, the leadership of a company, or the leadership of a nation — attitude, posture, outlook, and direction are exemplified through leadership. If leadership does not present itself well, the attitude of those who follow will fail to achieve the right results.

Countless examples can be found throughout the sports world, the corporate world and the political world. A change from successful leadership, even with the right tools or elements within the group, often fails in the hands of poor leadership. It isn’t a given that success will follow when leadership changes. Sports dynasties with years of success, suddenly fail with the wrong coaching system, even when the talent remains. Corporations nosedive when an efficient and motivational CEO is replaced by one which doesn’t understand the needs of the company.


The same can be said when the right person enters the arena. In the hands of a truly good leader, even the worst teams can be turned around. We cheer for these situations whether in real life or in the movies. The Miracle on Ice, The Mighty Ducks, Remember the Titans, and the Bad News Bears are all examples of underdogs that rise to the top in the hands of a positive leader. The thing is, the following can sense when they are being patronized; when the attitude is not sincere, and they will choose not to follow, if that’s the case.

“Attitude Reflects Leadership.”

In a world clamoring for sincere, honest, positive direction, the attitude of the leader sets the stage for success. We need more leaders who understand, not just how they can get the results they want, but how their attitude impacts those they lead in the long term. It’s not enough to achieve some temporary success. Leadership is about developing people even beyond the lifetime of the leader. Leadership begets leaders. Leadership is all about developing sub leaders, people who carry on the work when the leader moves on. It is about creating continued success, return on investment, and cohesiveness of the team, the company, or the nation. It’s more than words, more than a sales pitch, more than a pep rally; it’s about the attitude you bring and the attitude you leave behind.

What kind of leadership can you bring to the table for those around you?


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