Supervisory Techniques in the “Gladiator” by Scott

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As a leader, one must be able to supervise the performance delivered by a team, primarily so that timely feedback could be provided and that the efforts of the participants could be steered toward the desired effect. Therefore, supervision remains an inseparable aspect of leadership, which can be observed in any instance of leading a team or an individual (Chen & Rybak, 2017).

In MacDonald’s and Scott’s (2000) movie “Gladiator,” several instances of leadership can be observed, each featuring a unique supervisory model. By using collaborative work as the main supervisory technique based on direct observation and planning, the movie protagonist, Maximus Decimus Meridius, manages to win in one of the most emotionally devastating scenes of the movie, namely, the fight against charioteers.

The use of collaborative work, direct observation, and planning remint the main supervisory techniques used by Maximus throughout the movie. Although some of them turn out to be less effective than others, the overall choice of the strategy as the means of leveraging the advantage is quite consistent and logically justified given the circumstances depicted in the film. The specified techniques are portrayed particularly vividly in the famous chariot scene.

In his attempt at winning in the chariot battle, Maximums prioritizes collaboration, which constitutes the centerpiece of his supervisory technique. Looking closer at the team and the strategy that they use in order to retain a strategic advantage in this battle will help to realize that every gladiator remains a member of a team, and that their actions are mostly coordinated.

In turn, when seeking the person to give credit to for the specified accomplishment, one must point out Maximus and his ability to supervise the actions of his team. Namely, he orders to raise shields “as one” to create a wall that would protect the group from the arrows of the charioteers (MacDonald & Scott, 2000).

Nonetheless, despite the focus on collaboration and the emphasis on the significance of each participant’s input, Maximus remains the doubtless leader of the group. Even in the heat of the battle, his orders can be heard clearly, and his ability to approach the situation analytically are evident. For example, as the chariots start circling the group of gladiators and the latter are slightly disoriented, Maximus orders them, “Stay close!” (MacDonald & Scott, 2000).

Thus, Maximus retains his ability to evaluate the situation and guide the team, while supervising their actions. In fact, the supervisory element stands out particularly strongly in the specified scene since Maximus demonstrates his ability to observe and coordinate the entire team, noticing changes in their behaviors and attitudes, even under the pressure of the circumstances.

However, not all of the supervisory techniques that Maximus utilized in the course of the narrative turned out to be as productive as he expected them to be. For instance, the use of direct observation did not help him to notice that Quintus, one of his troops, was beginning to develop grudge and envy against him. As a result, Quintus’ betrayal, which led to the further downfall of Maximus and served as a crucial plot device, seemed as completely unexpected to Maximus, yet was anticipated by the audience as the inevitable outcome of Maximus’ supervisory strategy (Chen & Rybak, 2017).

Namely, by focusing on the team and the concept of the team effort, Maximus appeared to forget about the needs of individuals. The described phenomenon is a rather predictable outcome of the supervisory framework selected by Maximus. Indeed, with the promotion of collaboration within a team, the opportunity to spot changes in the attitudes and perceptions of individuals is quite complicated.

Nevertheless, the direct observation approach that Maximus used could have helped him to spot the problem with Quintus. Therefore, the mistake that the protagonist made appears to be attributed to his unique character traits rather than the supervisory style that he chose. Namely, the combination of the supervisory technique specifics, particularly, prioritizing collaboration, and his personality, particularly, his naivety in the assessment of people’s intentions, has led Maximus to be betrayed by his more conniving general, who aligns with Commodus.

In addition, although Maximus’ actions are mostly logical and sensible in the context of the movie narrative, some of his decisions could be seen as questionable. For instance, as a leader with a supervisory function, one should have explored the relationships with the group and promoted an individual approach along with the focus on the strength of the team (Purg et al., 2018). Thus, the power of the collaborative effort would have been reinforced.

The movie also demonstrates that the high-stress setting such as the battlefield reinforces the threat of wrong decisions being made. Under the pressure of circumstances and time, people are prone to making errors in their judgment, as the case of Maximus shows. Namely, in his dialogue with the emperor, being chained, Maximus manages to retain the position of a leader in this conversation, yet he misreads the intentions of the emperor, who, later on, stabs Maximus with a dagger.

At the same time, claiming that the movie does not portray its characters in a realistic way would be unfair, Quite the contrary, being prone to mistakes shows their humanity, which is particularly true for Maximus. For instance, one of the most relatable scenes in the movie, specifically, the conversation between Maximus and the emperor, shows Maximus as a leader making the decision that would lead to his eventual death, yet it allows feeling the protagonist’s pain and desire to avenge his family.

Moreover, the movie illustrates why supervisors fail once they start relying overly strongly on the textbook guidelines as opposed to the assessment of the real-life scenarios. Specifically, Maximus’ approach helps him to win since he manages to consider the unique strengths that his team may have within a specific setting, such as the arena, and use these benefits to the team’s advantage (Purg et al., 2018). At the same time, Maximus fails in understanding people’s intentions since he does not appear to be interested in dissecting the factors that motivate individuals.

The incorporation of collaborative work into the foundation of his supervisory technique and supporting it with the strategies such as direct observation and planning allows Maximus Decimus Meridius to triumph during one of the most challenging tasks that he must face after being transformed into a gladiator. Specifically, due to coordinated actions of his team and his ability to promote collaboration and support, Maximus manages to win the fight, even though it eventually costs him his life. Therefore, although being quite flawed, the supervisory technique portrayed in the movie produces a noticeably large effect, allowing the protagonist to reach closure.

References

Chen, M. W., & Rybak, C. (2017). Group leadership skills: Interpersonal process in group counseling and therapy. SAGE Publications.

MacDonald, L. (Producer), &Scott, R. (Director). (2000). Gladiator [Motion picture]. Los Angeles, CA: Dreamworks & Universal Pictures.

Purg, D., Lalić, A. B., & Pope, J. A. (Eds.). (2018). Business and society: Making management education relevant for the 21st century. Springer.

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Supervisory Techniques in the “Gladiator” by Scott

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