Leadership and charisma in Saving Private Ryan's Captain Miller

¶ … Leadership Styles -- Saving Private Ryan

There are many films, plays, and even books that clearly illustrate effective leadership styles. Examples of films that reflect various leadership theories include, but they are not limited to, Saving Private Ryan, Platoon, and The Thin Red Line. In this text, I focus on Saving Pirate Ryan. In so doing, I will highlight some of the leadership theories, traits, as well as qualities that could be derived from the film.

Saving Private Ryan

Set during the World War II Normandy Invasion, this particular film largely concerns itself with the aftermath of the said invasion. Once General George Marshall learns that three members of the Ryan family -- all brothers -- lost their lives in active combat, he orders that the only surviving member, James Francis Ryan, be rescued. For this particular undertaking, he dispatches a team of eight in a mission to not only find but also save Private Ryan. The team in question has Captain John Miller as its leader.

Discussion

For this discussion, I will be analyzing three key characters. These include Private James Ryan, Sergeant Mike Horvath, and Captain John H. Miller -- the leader of the group dispatched to save Private Ryan.

Captain John H. Miller

Throughout the film, Captain John H. Miller is seen as being a charismatic leader. Charismatic leadership according to Rosenau (as cited in Vadell, 2009, p. 40) includes "leadership characteristics such as dominance, influence, self-confidence, and strong moral values." Some of the traits and characteristics of a charismatic leader exhibited by Captain John H. Miller include, but they are not limited to confidence, honesty, initiative, and influence. These will be demonstrated in the subsequent sections of this text. It should also be noted, from the onset, that in the past, various authors and leadership experts like Locke and Kirkpatrick have identified several traits that set leaders apart for non-leaders. Some of the leadership traits and characteristics identified on this front include, but they are not limited to, optimism, self-confidence, honesty and integrity, and drive (Daft, 2014). Others include charisma, tactfulness, independence, the ability to enlist cooperation, fair-mindedness, tenacity, and decisiveness (Daft, 2014).

A charismatic leader, Captain John H. Mille, in more than one occasion demonstrates his ability to not only inspire devotion in others, but also the ability to influence the behavior of others. For instance, Miller in one particular instance taps on his charisma to cool tempers between Reiben and Horvath. This is after the two soldiers engage in a fight, after one of them (Reiben) attempts to leave the group. In this particular instance, Miller opens up to the group and confesses that he dearly misses his wife. He also allows his soldiers to have a sneak preview of his private life, all in an attempt to calm flaring tempers, inspire devotion towards the cause, and demonstrate that likely them, he is also "human" and hence prone to challenges. Thanks to his charm, he is able to calm an otherwise-heated situation and, hence, refocus the soldiers on the most important issue, the mission. As Lussier and Achua (p. 329, 2012) point out, a charismatic leader is in most cases "forthright in giving his or her assessment of a situation…" This is clearly exemplified in this particular instance.

Miller's honesty and forthrightness, key characteristics of charismatic leaders, are also largely evident in several other instances. For instance, in one particular instance, Miller admits to members of the group he leads that the mission at hand, i.e. saving Private Ryan, is not something he would ordinarily put at the top of his 'to do' list. He even goes ahead and admits that he does not know Ryan personally. He however points out that in his honest opinion, the mission is valid -- that is, if saving Ryan is what it would take for him to go back to home, to his wife whom he misses dearly. There are several other instances where Miller is faced with dwindling conviction amongst his members. However, in every one of such instances, Miller is able to tap into his charisma and convince them to carry on. For instance, by admitting to his men that he also misses his wife and would have wanted to go home if he had an option, Miller reignites that crucial fire, motivating his men to carry on.

Miller is also a tactful and resourceful individual. In the context of leadership, the relevance of being tactful and familiar with the issue at hand cannot be overstated. For instance, there is an instance where Miller's men are significantly outnumbered by the Germans. Not being the one to easily give up, Miller demonstrates resourcefulness and tactfulness by devising a way of conquering the Germans. This he accomplishes by, amongst other things, making use of sticky bombs.

Leaders also ought to take charge when circumstances demand for them to do so. They also ought to be decisive. Throughout the film, Miller comes about as being a decisive, sober-minded, and thorough leader. He does not shy away from challenging decisions. For instance, in the scene where the fate of a captured German infantry man is in his hands, it would have been difficult for an individual in Miller's position to decide on the best course of action to take. This is particularly the case given that a good number of those in his troop wanted the soldier killed. Miller, however, decides to send the captured infantry man to the Allied forces where he is to surrender. In this particular situation, Miller takes charge and firmly makes a decision, even in the face of misgivings from a good number of soldiers in his group. Being a decisive leader, he is the one who makes the final call.

As I have already pointed out elsewhere in this text, apart from Miller, there are also several other individuals who demonstrate exemplary leadership qualities in various settings. These include Private James Ryan and Sergeant Mike Horvath.

Private James Ryan

Like Horvath, Ryan also has demonstrated tenacity. Further, he is confident determined, and focused. With regard to tenacity, it is important to note that even when he is permitted to go home, Ryan elects to stay behind and fight on. In his opinion, his fellow soldiers are the only brothers he has left. This is an indicator of not only purposefulness, but also an act of bravely. Ryan is also fair-minded and honest - he does not harbor any hypocritical tendencies. He, for instance, feels obligated to fight alongside his fellow soldiers, even when there is a clear way out for him to exit the battle field and retreat to safety. Although there is no single instance where Ryan is thrust into a position of leadership per se, he, all along, demonstrates some key qualities that are consistent with the ability to lead and govern. All along, he feels obligated to return the favor to his only remaining "brothers." At one point, while addressing Captain Miller's grave, he quips, "I hope that was enough. I hope that, at least in your eyes, I've earned what all of you have done for me" (Spielberg, 1998). This is an indication of fair-mindedness and dedication on his part.