Wakanda Forever: Leadership in the Age of Disruption- The New Way to Lead Without a Title
So Wakanda Forever is now streaming on Disney+. I have watched it twice now, including in movie theaters, so as of this writing, I have seen the movie three times in total. There were a lot of reviews for this movie, but this ain’t one of them. I also believe this movie is an excellent piece of pop culture to discuss Critical Race Theory (CRT)-but this isn’t that piece either. Honestly, the first time I watched the movie, I wanted to be entertained. As I've written in prior posts on these internet streets, Wakanda is not real, so I was not looking for good, bad, or ugly messages. What struck me about three-quarters into the second viewing was how, in many ways, the leadership of Wakanda was better than all of us in the real world. There will be no spoilers in this article.
Since the killing of King T'Chaka, the Black Panthers - except for Killmonger - and the leadership are powerful symbols of what it means to be great leaders. Leadership is no longer about having a prestigious title or position but about how you influence and collaborate with others. I know, I know, Black Panther was the "muscle" for the most powerful nation in the world, but no one knew they were the most powerful nation in the world!
This display of power took me back to a book I read, “The Leader Who Had No Title,” by Robin Sharma. Sharma outlines five critical leadership concepts essential in this new world in this book. Think of the acronym "IMAGE" to help the reader remember each concept:
I is for Innovation: Having a mindset that fosters innovation at every touch point of your work is imperative. Innovation is more than making everything you touch better than you found it. It's about the relentless pursuit of improvement. In this fast-paced world, innovation is the key to staying relevant, and leaders must have the foresight to see what needs to change and take steps to make it happen.
When it comes to innovation, Wakanda is the most advanced place on Earth in this fictional world. Beyond this highly advanced place for innovation, in "Wakanda Forever," Shuri is innovative by embracing A.I. and recognizing the importance of technology in protecting Wakanda. She does not rest on old tech and Black Panther suits but instead creates new vibranium-powered weapons to defend her kingdom.
M- is for Mastery/Merchant of Wow: It takes 10,000 hours (or 10 years) to become an expert at something. Be so good that people can’t ignore you. Being a “Merchant of Wow” means delivering exceptional service that goes above and beyond customer expectations.
By the time we are
A is for Authenticity: Being authentic is critical to effective leadership. Leaders must be true to themselves and their values to gain the trust and respect of their team members. Authentic leaders are honest, transparent, and genuine, inspiring their team members to be the same.
Despite difficult decisions, Shuri is authentic, staying true to her values and commitment to Wakanda. We see her going through many emotional phases throughout the movie, trying to be authentic to herself, although it goes against the traditions of Wakanda.
G is for Guts: The courage to take risks and pursue your goals is essential to leadership. As I write in my book, The Leader Who Had No Title,
“The more you go to your limits, the more your limits will expand. No great business and genius-level life were ever built without guts, persistence, and an obsession to win. There’s no value in playing small and holding back. Only the bold get to be great.”
E is for Ethics: Ethics is the cornerstone of any successful leader. You will never go wrong in doing what’s right.
Shuri's ethics are on full display throughout the movie. There are many occasions where Shuri could have - and some argue should have - abandoned the ethics taught by her mother and done what the colonizers wanted or what her cousin Killmonger wanted to be done.
In summary, the acronym and examples highlight the essential qualities leaders need to possess to succeed in this age of disruption. I suggest you brand it onto your brain cells and share it with your teammates so that everyone understands that they now not only have the opportunity to lead within your organization, but regardless of where they work, they have the responsibility to do so.
