Mentorship and leadership in Remember the Titans and Coach Carter

Movies have a unique ability to leave a lasting impression on their viewers. They often appeal to the greater sense of self within an individual. Remember the Titans and Coach Carter is no different in this regard. Both films have strong similarities. They both appeal to the average human being. They both illustrate the power of mentorship and its ability to alter outcomes. Both films speak to the concept of synergy. The output of a team of coordinated individuals is often greater than the inputs that created the team. Finally, both films address the power of leadership.

Leadership is unique in that it ultimately improves society. The ability to articulate a compelling vision, and have individuals work towards that vision, is a key component of leadership. History is riddled with strong leaders who were able to cultivate their audiences. Their strong leadership ultimately created a force of overwhelming loyalty to the leader. Napoleon, Hitler, George Washington, and Stalin were all great leaders. Some used their power for good, while others used their power for evil. Each however, was able to compel their followers to achieve a larger goal, irrespective of prevailing sentiment at the time. Currently, in regards to politics, we see this same concept at work with Donald Trump. His anti-political rhetoric resonates with voters, irrespective of how sensible his actual ideals are.

These concepts are not unique to the leaders mentioned above. These same abilities are showcased extensively in Remember the Titans and Coach Carter. The leaders in both movies, much like the leaders mentioned above, articulated a compelling proposition to their followers. In this case, their followers were amateur sports stars. The ability to overcome discouraging economic circumstances was a central them in both movies. Racial tensions were also relevant in both films. Leaders, through the articulation of a vision are able to allow their followers to overcome the prevailing notions of the time. Hitler had an entire country believing they were superior to all other human beings. For a time, blacks were thought to be only 1/3 of a man. Women didn't have the opportunity to vote, and Homosexuals could not marry. It took leaders to change these prevailing sentiments to arrive at a much better solution. Both coaches in Remember the Titans and Coach Carter accomplished this.

In Coach Carter, the leader had to overcome many of the racial tensions and stereotypes prevailing at that time. Particularly during the 1960's when the civil rights movement was at its height, tensions could easily flare out of control. Coach Carter first needed to help his players see the larger picture of their overall accomplishment. As a leader Coach Carter was also willing to prioritize and sacrifice for the betterment of the team. For example, he shut down the gym, so that his players could understand the importance of an education. Not only did he have to go against the players, but he also had to go against the entire community. Sometimes, as a leader, you must be willing to go against the crowd.