12 Angry Men †the Definition of a Leader Essay

Yvette Perkins MBA-6620/Paper 1 The definition of a leader can be expressed in many ways. In reference to the movie 12 Angry Men, I have come to agree with the quote of our sixth President John Quincy Adams which states â€Å"if your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader. † (Smith, 14) In this movie the main character Davis played by Henry Fonda was able to influence 11 other jurors by introducing the concept of possibility. Davis exemplified leadership through his behavior, thinking, and communication skills in his efforts to persuade the other jurors. To begin, Davis’ behavior displayed positive energy throughout the entire movie. Upon entering the room he remained silent and observant of the other jurors. From our discussion packet I have learned an important success secret, which is to be â€Å"quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. † (Smith, 31) This method proved to be meaningful through his actions. He was able to keep his composure during the arguments of the jurors. In order to become an effective leader, your passion, confidence, and determination must be expressed through your body language, as did Davis. In addition to that, I have come to learn that â€Å"thinking is the deliberate exploration of experience for a purpose. † (Smith, 3) In my opinion, Davis followed the trinity thinking model. In pursuit of his purpose he used direction by asking the other juror â€Å"is it possible†. He used perception by being observant of his surroundings and the others that surrounded him. Finally, he used lateral thinking by assessing the possibilities. Davis stood by his assumption that there was reasonable doubt in his mind. I believe that he saw the evidence as â€Å"EBNE†, it was excellent nut not enough. (Smith, 7) In his exploration of possibilities he took the approach of two Greek philosophers. One was Socrates and the approach through question and two Aristotle the approach through box logic. In this case Davis thought outside the box. Last but not least, communication skills are crucial to becoming an effective leader. As we have learned from our discussion on how the brain flows into perception, people are happy with stability and are reluctant to change their ways. Well, in the movie some jurors were reluctant to change their perception of the case, which we also know as â€Å"blocked by openness†. (Smith, 19) Davis try’s to challenge their perception by using, manipulating, and managing the facts presented in the case. By asking questions he was able to uncover insights and new evidence which lead to the other jurors changing their votes from guilty to not guilty. To conclude, â€Å"It is what you cause to happen in the mind of a listener that makes you interesting†. Smith, 19) I truly believe that the hardest obstacle of life is getting people to think what you think and fighting human nature. However, Davis has showed us that it is possible. According to the five stages of thinking from the packet, the stage of possibility is the generative stage. This stage is where we create possible solutions and approaches. My definition of a leader is someone who analyzes information, challenge the facts, and initiates change; which was demonstrated by Henry Fonda in the movie 12 Angry Men.