Lone Survivor (2013) by Peter Berg

NB: We do not resell your papers. Upon ordering, we do an original paper exclusively for you.

NB: All your data is kept safe from the public.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Team-Based and Individual Leadership
Theories of Leadership
Conclusion
Work Cited

Introduction

Leadership is one of the most important components of organizational effectiveness and success. Great leaders possess the knowledge and skills necessary for making difficult decisions and proactively dealing with unfavorable outcomes. It is important to maintain high levels of emotional control while making critical decisions. Effective leaders are set apart from ineffective leaders by their ability to control their emotions and actions regardless of the prevailing situation or circumstance. Lone Survivor is a movie that demonstrates the importance of effective leadership in the attainment of certain objectives. The film explores the mission of a four-man Navy SEAL operation, known as Operation Red Wings. The main goal of the mission is to mitigate militia activity in Afghan and promote peace. Teamwork, courage, integrity, and character are examples of leadership traits exemplified by actors in the movie.

Team-Based and Individual Leadership

The movie explores the concept of leadership from the individual and team perspectives. For instance, it demonstrates the importance of teamwork in the achievement of goals. The leader of the squad is Michael Murphy, who is responsible for leading the team in capturing Ahmad Shah, a Taliban leader in the region (The Lone Survivor). A few hours after commencing the operation, the SEALs face a difficult situation: they encounter a group of herders in the mountains comprised of old and young men. They detain as they ponder the next move. Each of the team members has an opinion on the best course of action to take. The situation is volatile because the herders compromise their mission. A lengthy discussion yields three options: they could kill them, abort the operation, or let them go and request for extraction (The Lone Survivor). As members of a team, they discuss the various options at their disposal. Each soldier presents his opinion and explains why it is appropriate for the situation. They fail to come to a consensus and ask their team leader to decide to end the stalemate.

Murphy is the team leader and has to make the final decision so that they can carry on with the mission. In a courageous act of leadership, he decides to let the herders go, changes his teams location, and reevaluates their options (The Lone Survivor). He makes the right decision because it is against the rules of engagement to kill unarmed combatants unless they pose a direct threat to the safety of the team members. As a leader, Murphy frees them because it is in the best interest of his team and he is not ready to compromise the rules of engagement. His behavior in that situation incorporates key leadership traits that great leaders possess: integrity, confidence, and courage. His team members agree with him because he leads by example, even though their location has been compromised.

Murphys courage and character are evident from his decision because by freeing the herders, he went against the opinions of two teammates who wanted the men killed. Regardless of the potential risks of the decision, he let them leave and embarked on searching for alternative ways to mitigate the risks. On the other hand, he exemplified true leadership because as the team leader, he sacrificed his life, and as a result, led by example. Murphy is killed together with two other teammates: Petty Officers Second Class Matthew Axelson and Danny Dietz (The Lone Survivor). Murphys decision to move away from a secure hiding place to get reception on his phone exposed him to danger. He gave up his life for the sake of his teammates. Great leaders not only lead verbally but also by example. The decision he made risked his life. However, he did it because he cared for his teammates and the completion of the mission.

An encounter with the Afghan militia leads the SEALs to a difficult situation because they are overpowered. In that regard, they stick together to ensure their survival. As a team, they are inspired by their motto you are never out of the fight (The Lone Survivor). Each of the four members regularly checks on the others because they had been badly wounded by the militia. Their team spirit is commendable because they commit to each other that they will keep on fighting no matter their circumstances. The leadership of Luttrell is evident from the response he gave Dietz after telling him that he had all been shot. Luttrell encourages him by telling him that they had all been shot. Their verbal leadership encourages other teammates to continue fighting even though they had been badly wounded.

The aforementioned traits can be made more effective if necessary, by confronting reality fearlessly, proper preparation, seeking feedback, taking timely action, and improving communication. Fear and insufficient information were hindrances to timely decision-making after the SEALs encountered the herders. Poor communication derailed the process of decision-making because time went by as Murphy waited for a response from the base on how to proceed. Moreover, the integrity of the SEALs could have been improved if Murphy took greater control of the situation. Two of the teammates suggested killing the herders even though it was against the rules of engagement. As the leader, Murphy should have reiterated to them that the operation would be based on specific rules and that contravening them was unacceptable.

Theories of Leadership

According to trait theory, people possess certain qualities that make them excellent leaders. For instance, creativity, intelligence, and a sense of responsibility are common characteristics that leaders have. Murphy is courageous, confident, responsible, and has integrity. He can suspend emotions to make rational decisions. The other teammates are also leaders because Their courage allows them to continue fighting after getting wounded. Integrity is another leadership trait that Murphy and Luttrell possess. They are both unwilling to contravene the rules of engagement by killing the herders. Discipline, adaptability, and courage are necessary for successful decision-making. Murphy does not allow fear and anxiety to compromise his ability to think and make the right decision.

Behavioral leadership theories focus on how individuals in positions of authority behave when dealing with their juniors. In that regard, leaders can be autocratic, democratic, transformational, or laissez-faire. Murphy employs both autocratic and democratic leadership. He allows his teammates to give their opinions regarding the situation. However, since the decision needs to be made quickly, he ends the stalemate by giving the team the plan that they would follow. He is a great leader because he allows his teammates to contribute toward problem-solving, but intervenes when they fail to reach a consensus.

Contingency leadership theories suggest that the leadership style adopted by a leader is primarily determined by the situation. They argue that different leadership styles are appropriate for varied situations. Murphy involves his teammates in making decisions. However, when they have to be made promptly, he assumes the autocratic leadership style. As the leader, he offers a plan that his teammates agree with even though they had different ideas on how to address the situation. Murphy is a great leader because he can make decisions without allowing emotions to lead him to analysis paralysis. He uses reason and ethics to end a stalemate that ensues after a lengthy discussion on what to do with the goat herders. The decision to free the men was made based on the rules of engagement that did not allow them to harm unarmed individuals. However, it led to the loss of lives. Effective leaders do the right thing even though the decisions that they make result in unfavorable outcomes.

Conclusion

Lone Survivor explores various traits and behaviors that characterize effective leadership. Courage, integrity, adaptability, and teamwork are examples of traits that the actors exhibit. They fight the militia fearlessly, keep going after getting wounded, follow the rules of engagement, and make tough decisions that put their lives at risk. Murphy takes charge of his team, and even though he allows them to express their opinions, makes the final decision. Great leaders allow their team members to participate in decision-making processes. They value their contributions and do not allow emotions to crowd their judgment. The SEALs work as a team and obey the commands of their leader. They do not argue with him and play their roles by giving opinions and following his instructions.

Work Cited

The Lone Survivor. Directed by Peter Berg, Performance by Mark Wahlberg, Universal Pictures, 2013.

Click Here To Order Now!

Lone Survivor (2013) by Peter Berg

Do you need this or any other assignment done for you from scratch?

We have qualified writers to help you.

We assure you a quality paper that is 100% free from plagiarism and AI.

You can choose either format of your choice ( Apa, Mla, Havard, Chicago, or any other)