The third principle in the Acronym Model of SERVANT-Leadership™ is Resolve. This 5-minute lesson demonstrates this principle, through the example of Amelia Earhart (played by Hillary Swank). Amelia’s faced many challenges to getting her flight across the Atlantic off the ground. Now, the night before this scene, she catches her aviator, Bill Stoltz (played by Joe Anderson), drunk at a bar and mocking her plans. Stoltz exclaims the flight may not be possible.
Now, in this scene, Amelia shows her resolve, as well as a bit of empathy, toward Stoltz. She is determined to make the flight a success.
Questions for Further Development:
- How are you practicing Resolve with your team?
- What challenges and barriers do you need to break through?
If you or your organization could use support developing leaders, let’s talk!
Full Video Transcript
AMELIA: I have loved one person unconditionally Bill he’s the most caring and generous and charming and flat-out funny guy I’ll ever know. He’s my father. He’s a drunk and he’s let me down all my life. Now you get out of that goddamn bed and you fly that plane to Ireland or I swear to you, I will.
BEN: The great American aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart faced many obstacles to her accomplishments and records. The night before the scene you’re about to watch, Earhart, played by Hillary Swank, catches her aviator, Bill Stoltz, played by Joe Anderson,
drinking and joking around about Amelia’s plans with his friends. He insists it is impossible to succeed, as the weight is too great on the plane with all the fuel that is required for the long flight, to make her the first women to cross the Atlantic on her chosen path. Now Earhart is very upset and determined to get the crew moving.
SLIM: What time is it?
AMELIA: It’s time to fly. Get up. Get dressed. We’re going now.
BILL: Where’s the weather report?
BILL: It’s not good enough.
AMELIA: Great! Either we fly to Ireland, or you’re going home today.
BILL: Well it’s not good enough.
AMELIA: It’s fine. There’s a tailwind all the way. We’ll offload the 700 gallons which gets us off the water and the wind will get
us to Ireland.
BILL: You’re dumping fuel?! You’re serious?!
AMELIA: Just as serious as you’re hungover. Slim, you go now. Get the late weather. We’ll meet you at the plane.
AMELIA: Slim, go. I’ve got this.
AMELIA: I have loved one person unconditionally, Bill. He’s the most caring and generous and charming and flat-out funny guy I’ll ever know. He’s my father. He’s a drunk and he’s let me down all my life. Now you get out of that goddamn bed and you fly
that plane to Ireland or I swear to you, I will.
AMELIA: Good. Slim, start the engines.
AMELIA: This report indicates some degree of risk. It’s a risk I’m taking.
BILL: Have a nice flight.
AMELIA: Read tomorrow’s papers, Bill. We’ll both be in them!
AMELIA: So, to take off, you pull back on the thing, right?!
BILL: Start the clock. Let’s hope this works.
AMELIA: We’re up…. We’re up… WE’RE UP! Well done!
BEN: As a leader, you will encounter resistance. You cannot change things without overcoming challenges. Amelia’s a good example here, on
how to break through barriers. She showed Resolve by taking on risks to get started. At the same time, she showed Empathy for Bill’s challenge and motivated him to action. How are you practicing Resolve with your team? What challenges and barriers do you need to break through?
