lost a survival guide to leadership theory
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Resources Advances in Developing Human
DOI: 10.1177/1523422306298901 2007; 9; 251 Advances in Developing Human Resources
Billie Sudbrack and Sarah Trombley Lost: A Sur vival Guide to Leadership Theory
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Lost: A Survival Guide toLeadership Theory
Billie SudbrackSarah Trombley
The problem and the solution. Perhaps some of the most reveal-ing aspects about leadership can be evidenced through the examina-tion of leaders facing extreme challenges. J. J. Abram’s televisionprogram, Lost, provides a compelling backdrop for the study ofleadership during such times of trial. Each week millions of viewerstune in to watch the struggles of the passengers of the doomedOceanic Air Flight 815. Confronted with the constant struggle for sur-vival in the context of bizarre occurrences, the passengers begin todemonstrate and reveal their leadership qualities and skills.This articleanalyzes five different leadership theories (trait, skills, path-goal, leader-member exchange, and team) using eight different characters from thetelevision series to demonstrate leadership theory in practice. Thearticle concludes with different teaching activities for facilitators to usewhen teaching various leadership theories and practices.
Keywords: trait leadership theory; skills leadership theory; path-goalleadership theory; leader-member exchange theory; teamleadership theory; television
Take a minute to imagine that you are an airline passenger flying fromAustralia to the United States. Crossing over the Pacific Ocean, it is doubtfulthat you would be analyzing the leadership abilities of your fellow passen-gers. Now, imagine your airplane snapping into thirds—the tail, wing, andnose sections crashing miles apart on an isolated, uncharted island. At thispoint, your fellow passengers’ leadership abilities may become more impor-tant to you.
In the ABC television show Lost (Abrams, 2004), this scenario became areality for over 48 plane crash survivors. Their leaders’ abilities were criticalin providing guidance (Katz & Kahn, 1978) as they encountered the numerousday-to-day tasks and challenges of living on the island. According to NapoleonBonaparte (Famous-Quotes-And-Quotations, 2006, np), “A leader is a dealerin hope.” All of the leaders in Lost are true dealers in hope—hope for survival
Advances in Developing Human Resources Vol. 9, No. 2 May 2007 251–268DOI: 10.1177/1523422306298901Copyright 2007 Sage Publications
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and hope for rescue. To create this hope, they engage in supportive,goal-achieving processes by influencing the survivors based on the situations’circumstances while in pursuit of their ultimate goals (survival and rescue).
According to Northouse (2004), “Leadership is a process whereby anindividual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal” (p. 3).This definition in combination with different leadership theories provides aleader with flexibility depending on the leader’s style, followers, and situation.This article analyzes five leadership theories (trait, skills, path-goal, leader-member exchange, and team) using eight characters (Jack, Locke, Sayid, Kate,Sun, Jin, Ana Lucia, and Eko) from Lost to demonstrate leadership theory inpractice. The article concludes with a lesson plan for instructors to teachleadership theory using Lost episodes as the visual medium. Before discussingleadership theory in the television show Lost, it is necessary to introduce youto the show and its main characters.
Synopsis: LostOn a beautiful day in Australia, passengers board Oceanic Air Flight 815
for what should be an uneventful trip over the Pacific Ocean. But midwaythrough the flight, the tail of the plane is ripped off and the plane crashes on alarge, remote island in the Pacific. Chaos and fear ensue. Passengers are dead,injured, and trapped in both the plane and under debris from the crash. As thesurvivors regroup, they hear a deafening animal roar from the interior of thejungle—they begin to fear that they are not alone on the island.
To uncover its secrets, the survivors explore a portion of the enormousisland’s steep mountains, dense jungle, and miles of beaches. The 48 wing-section survivors encounter genetically altered polar bears, a mysterious blackmonster, a group of kidnappers known as The Others, and a hatch that leads toan experimental bunker. Unbeknownst to these survivors, 23 tail-section sur-vivors are encountering the same challenges on the other side of the island ata far greater cost. When the two groups unite after 48 days, only four of thetail-section members remain.
As viewers watch the survivors’ daily struggle for survival, they glimpse,through flashbacks, the characters’ lives before boarding Flight 815. The flash-backs provide insight to the survivors’ thought processes and actions. In addi-tion, they show the survivors’ interwoven lives, leaving viewers with therealization that the survivors are all connected by “six degrees of separation”(Kleinfeld, 2002, p. 61). Ironically, the survivors are unaware of most of theseconnections; their concern lies in the present and the abilities of their leaders.Eight of Lost’s leaders include Jack Sheppard, John Locke, Sayid Jarrah, KateAusten, Sun Kwon, and Jin-Soo Kwon from the wing section of the plane andAna Lucia Cortez and Mr. Eko from the tail section.
Dr. Jack Sheppard (Jack), a spinal surgeon, brings integrity, foresight, andstrategic and medical skills to the survivors. He is torn by his altruistic instinct
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to help others and his difficult relationships with those he loves. Howeveraltruistic, Jack is willing to do whatever it takes to ensure the health and safetyof his group, including manipulation, torture, and confronting The Others.
John Locke (Locke), a collections supervisor for a box manufacturing com-pany, has strong survival, hunting, tracking, and strategic planning skills. He isvery influential in his words and actions and is driven by a deep faith that fatecontrols the lives of the survivors and that the island chose them for a purpose.As a past victim of deception, manipulation, and control, he surrounds himselfin privacy and mystery to protect him from being victimized ever again.
Sayid Jarrah (Sayid) is an international military professional whoseemployers have included the Iraqi Republican Guard, U.S. Armed Forces,Australian Secret Intelligence Service, and U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.He is a very passionate man who listens to his heart and instincts, be it whiletorturing a traitor or in giving his heart and soul to a woman. Sayid’s military,interrogation, torture, electronic, and technological skills make him an idealleader during critical situations on the island.
Kate Austen (Kate) is a fugitive on the run for killing her abusive father.Independent, strong-minded, and not afraid of the unknown, Kate takes actionwhile others are contemplating options. She is a master at adapting to quicklychanging circumstances and influencing people. Kate’s mediation skills arecritical in combating the survivors’ greatest weakness: the inability of three oftheir primary leaders (Jack, Locke, and Sayid) to agree upon anything.
Sun Kwon (Sun), a housewife and member of the social elite from SouthKorea, appears to be a very passive, meek character; however, with time, herstrong, persuasive, natural leadership style emerges. Sun is torn by a desire tolive a life of independence and freedom and her love for her husband Jin-SooKwon. Sun’s ability to translate for her husband, her knowledge of herbal med-icine, and her social skills are invaluable as the survivors encounter challengeson the island.
Jin-Soo Kwon (Jin) is an enforcer for Sun’s father, a powerful South Koreanbusinessman who engages in blackmail, extortion, and murder to attain hisgoals. Raised a fisherman’s son, Jin brings ocean navigation, fishing, and sail-ing skills to the island. At first glance, he is very domineering and demanding;however, Jin is also a very caring, loyal individual whose skills and work ethicmake him a very effective leader when the situation arises.
Ana Lucia Cortez (Ana Lucia), an ex-police officer, is the unquestionedleader of the group of survivors from the tail section of the plane. She is out-spoken and distrustful and leads in a very militant style, providing informationon a need-to-know-only basis. Ana Lucia’s police officer training provides herwith experience in investigation, interrogation, and strategic planning.
Mr. Eko (Eko), a member of Ana Lucia’s group, is a powerful Nigerianwarlord who disguises himself as a priest to escape authorities. As a teenager,he saved his brother Yemi’s life by killing a man; as an adult, he inadvertentlycauses Yemi’s death during a drug run. Eko’s sheer power, tracking skills, and
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deep faith that people are saved (spiritually, emotionally, and physically) indifferent ways lends to his strength as a leader. Instead of seeing evil in aperson’s actions, he seeks to understand purpose for the action and asks if theperson is able to forgive himself.
These eight characters’ strong leadership abilities are the key to saving thesurvivors from themselves and the dangers that lurk on the island. Through theiractions, this article analyzes five leadership theories. These include two leader-focused (traits and skills), one situation-focused (path-goal), and two socialdynamic–focused (leader-member exchange and team) leadership theories.
Traits Approach to Leadership TheoryTrait leadership theory explores the traits, qualities, and characteristics that an
individual must have in order to be a great leader (Northouse, 2004). Whileresearchers agree numerous traits are considered to be essential for an effectiveleader, Northouse (2004) identifies “intelligence, self-confidence, determina-tion, integrity, and sociability” (p. 19) as key leadership traits. In Lost, Sun, Eko,and Jack engage in leadership situations in which these five traits are visible.
Intelligence
Intellectual traits are a leader’s ability to use reason (Northouse, 2004).Jack’s intelligence was vital to the survivors’ health and safety. He moved themain camp away from the beach into a cave for shelter and protection (Episode106), and he subtly challenged Sawyer, a con man, to a game of poker toregain control of valuable medical supplies Sawyer hid (Episode 217). Anotherexample of Jack’s intelligence is when proper surgical supplies and medicinewere not available; he determined the only option was to keep two of the sur-vivors comfortable until their inevitable deaths (Episodes 119, 208).
Jack also used extreme intelligence in his confrontations with The Others(Episodes 212, 306). When The Others held Jack, Kate, and Sawyer prisoner,Jack created a situation in which the life of The Others’ leader (Ben) literallylied in Jack’s hands (Episode 306). During surgery to remove a tumor fromBen’s spine, Jack intentionally cut into Ben’s kidney sack, leaving Ben withone hour to live. Jack offered a trade: if The Others’ would release Kate andSawyer, he would repair Ben’s kidney sack and let him live. This move by Jackrequired not only intelligence but also a great deal of self-confidence.
Self-Confidence
Self-confidence is a leader’s belief in himself and his abilities (Northouse,2004). Jack demonstrated self-confidence immediately after the crash when hebegan organizing passengers, and it continues as he makes decisions throughout
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the series. He portrayed an image that nothing could shake his self-confidence,which provided strength, courage, and hope to his followers.
Another example of self-confidence as a leadership trait can be seen in Eko.Confidence in himself and his abilities enabled him to overthrow a Nigerian war-lord. Once Eko became the warlord, his self-confidence had to be absolute andunwavering lest he be murdered by his followers and his enemies. On the island,these traits saved his life several times. During The Others’ second attack uponhis group of survivors, Eko killed one of his attackers in self-defense, a featenabled by his confidence in his fighting abilities and his will to live (Episode 207).It was this same confidence in himself and his innocence that enabled a deter-mined Eko to face the mysterious black monster without fear (Episode 305).
DeterminationIn addition to being an example of self-confidence, Eko is a prime example
of how a leader uses determination to meet a goal or finish a project at all costs(Northouse, 2004). When a bullet wound infection rendered Sawyer uncon-scious, Eko realized he had to take Sawyer to the doctor (Jack) as quickly aspossible. Determined to save Sawyer’s life, Eko risked his own life by takinga shortcut through The Others’ territory (Episode 208).
When Eko discovered that Charlie, a drug-addicted rock star, found a heroin-filled statue in a plane crash, he forced Charlie to take him to the crash site.Despite Charlie’s resistance, Eko’s determination was unavoidable and Charlietook him to the plane. Flashbacks revealed that this was Eko’s drug traffickingplane and that it contained his brother’s body. After burying Yemi’s body, Ekofound resolution and a determined purpose to build a church as a place for hopeand forgiveness for the survivors (Episode 219). Later, despite severe injuriesfrom a polar bear attack, Eko’s determination ultimately drove him to confrontthe mysterious force known as the black monster (Episode 305).
Integrity
Integrity refers to a leader’s ethical standards and abilities to be truthful (Nort-house, 2004). Before the crash of Flight 815, Jack made a difficult decision toreport his own father to the medical board after he realized his father performedan operation while intoxicated, which resulted in the death of a patient (Episode111). Once on the island, Jack provided medical care to individuals, regardless ofhis feelings toward them. When Sawyer was on the brink of death from a bulletwould infection, Jack’s 24-hour medical attention saved Sawyer’s life. The factthat Sawyer was Jack’s nemesis in the group of survivors attests to Jack’sunwavering integrity to do what is just, regardless of personal issues or feelings.
Jack continually did what he believed was ethical and best for the group,regardless of whether it required a personal sacrifice on his part. During thestandoff with The Others, Jack knew that the survival of the remaining survivors
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was in part dependent upon Kate’s leadership and Sawyer’s skills (Episode 306).Jack also knew that by threatening Ben’s life, he would face severe conse-quences once Ben regained consciousness from his surgery. Yet Jack’s ethicsand integrity forced him to sacrifice his own life for the well-being of theremaining survivors.
Sociability
Sociability is the leader’s ability to create pleasant relationships with others(Northouse, 2004). Sun took the time to get to know the other survivors, anaction that significantly impacted the lives of those she loved on more than oneoccasion. Her ability to mediate and communicate with others was key to dis-mantling an explosive situation when Jin was accused of burning an escaperaft that was being built by several of the survivors. After Kate was exposed asa fugitive and ostracized by the survivors, Sun continued to be Kate’s friendand confidant (Episode 122). Sun’s sociability allowed her to become a cata-lyst in the re-creation of a trusting relationship between Kate and the other sur-vivors. While Sun’s leadership traits were subtler than Jack’s or Eko’s, she wasequally as important to the passengers that sought her out as a leader.
All three leaders had very different lives before they met and yet, despitetheir differences, they shared similar leadership traits. Traits alone, however,do not necessarily make great leaders. Because the leaders of Flight 815 strug-gled for the survival of themselves and their followers, their skills also becameapparent. Many of the characters demonstrated leadership abilities associatedwith the skills approach to leadership.
Skills Approach to Leadership TheoryAnother leader-focused theory is the skills leadership theory. This theoret-
ical approach describes the tangible skills that a leader must have in order tobe effective (Northouse, 2004). Three primary types of skill (technical, human,and conceptual) are necessary for leadership to occur and their level of impor-tance varies, depending on the situation (Katz, 1955; Northouse, 2004).
Technical Skills
Many of the leaders in Lost demonstrated technical skills, which tend to behands-on types of activities (Northouse, 2004). Sayid’s extensive technicalskills allowed him to create a transistor radio and radar system with which hehoped to contact civilization. Locke’s technical skills included hunting wildboars for food, gathering edible plants and, like Eko, tracking skills. Jin’s tech-nical skills provided food for the survivors and his sailing skills were used ina plot to attempt to overcome The Others.
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Born a fisherman’s son, Jin’s fishing and sailing skills were invaluable tothe survivors. Jin’s fishing provided seafood for the survivors and in time, hetaught others how to fish, including Hurley, the uncoordinated lottery winnerof the group (Episode 113). Jin’s sailing abilities were requisitioned by Sayidto assist in a plot against The Others (Episode 223). Because Sayid did notknow how to sail and the sailboat’s owner, Desmond, was unwilling to help,the success of the mission was directly dependent upon Jin’s sailing andnavigation skills. In addition to technical skills, Jin and the other leaderspossessed invaluable human skills.
Human Skills
All of the Lost leaders demonstrated exceptional human skills. These skillsinvolved being able to communicate and work effectively with the other sur-vivors and The Others (Northouse, 2004). On numerous occasions, Kate’s com-munication and negotiation skills settled arguments between Jack, Sawyer,Sayid, and Locke. Locke’s skills empowered Charlie to face and conquer hisheroin addiction, not by forcing Charlie to quit but by giving Charlie the heroinand allowing him to choose his own path (Episode 107).
Jin’s human skills were remarkable. He was the only person on the islandthat did not speak English, yet he taught others how to fish (Episode 119) andassisted in constructing two escape rafts (Episodes 114–119). He also led asearch party for his friend, Michael, who was in the jungle looking for his son,Walt, who had been kidnapped by The Others (Episode 205). Sayid used hishuman skills to win the trust of Danielle, a woman who had lived in hidingfrom The Others for decades on the island (Episode 109). From her, Sayidlearned invaluable information about The Others and the island, which provedto be life-saving information when combined with conceptual skills.
Conceptual Skills
Though many of the leaders demonstrated conceptual skills, which involvedeveloping and understanding abstract concepts and ideas (Northouse, 2004),Sayid’s were the most notable. His skills ranged from developing a transistorradio and antennae receivers (technical skills) to creating effective strategicplans (conceptual skills). In the show’s second season, Sayid was involvedin several critical strategic plans that affected the lives of the entire group,whether they knew it or not.
After capturing a man in one of her traps that she set across the island inorder to protect herself from capture, Danielle turned the captured man overto Sayid. Sayid covertly interrogated the captured man, who called himselfHenry Gale (Henry), to determine if he was an innocent man or one of TheOthers (Episodes 214–218). At face value, Henry appeared to be a helpless
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victim, yet Sayid’s experience, gut instinct, and abstract skills told him theman was lying. To prove the man’s guilt or innocence, Sayid went to find thecrash site where Henry indicated that he had buried his wife. Unfortunately forthe man who called himself Henry Gale, Sayid had the foresight to dig up thewife’s body. Instead of finding a woman’s body, he found the body of the realHenry Gale, exposing the captured man (Ben) as one of The Others. Sayidused the conceptual skills he developed over the years to be an effective leaderto prevent Ben from infiltrating the survivors.
Whether the leader uses learned skills or inherent traits, these leader-focused theories help provide insight about the leader. However, these theoriesdo not take into account how situations influence leadership. Situational theo-ries, such as the path-goal leadership theory, suggest that circumstances havea significant impact on what the leader does and how effective the leader is inany given situation.
Path-Goal Leadership TheoryPath-goal leadership theory, which focuses on the leader-follower relation-
ship, examines how a leader motivates a follower in order to accomplish a goal(Northouse, 2004; Schriesheim & Schriesheim, 1980). Path-goal theory isdependent on the leader’s ability to use directive-path, goal-clarifying, support-ive, participative, achievement-orientated tasks, and relationship-related behav-iors (Ayman, 2004; House, 1971; House, 1996). Ana Lucia, Locke, and Kateprovide excellent examples of how leaders use these behaviors to clarify goals,remove obstacles, and support their followers (Northouse, 2004).
Clarifying Goals
Ana Lucia is a prime example of a leader that clarified goals and kept herfollowers focused when pursuing their goal (Northouse, 2004). She was instru-mental in leading the tail-section survivors. After finding a list of names anddescriptions of the survivors that were kidnapped by The Others, Ana Luciaclearly defined two goals that were essential to the remaining group member’ssurvival: staying on the move and uncovering the traitor (one of The Others)among them (Episode 207).
The first goal was to move their camp on a continual basis to avoid beingambushed by The Others. Second, because there was a traitor among them, itwas imperative to discover who the traitor was before The Others captured theirremaining members. As they grew weary and tired of constantly living on themove, the survivors began to question Ana Lucia. She quickly reminded themof the children and adults that were kidnapped by The Others. She clarified thegoal, explaining that, until the traitor was exposed, they had no choice butto be on the constant move. Ana Lucia was ever vigilant in clarifying theirgoals to ensure the survival of the four survivors.
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Removing Obstacles
According to path-goal theory, as followers pursue goals it is the leader’sresponsibility to remove obstacles that would prevent the follower from attain-ing the goals (Northouse, 2004). When the leader cannot remove obstacles, itis the leaders’ responsibility to guide the followers on a path around the obsta-cles or to introduce skills and knowledge so the followers can overcome theobstacles.
These are skills at which Locke excelled; he recognized the need for every-one to live off the land in order to survive, but he also recognized one majorobstacle that stood in the way. Most of the survivors did not know how to liveoff the land; therefore, Locke taught them the required knowledge and skillsto do so. Locke included people in his decision-making processes, thus remov-ing the barriers created when people felt they had no control. To remove self-doubt, Locke encouraged high performance in everyone. Whether it wasconstructing a baby crib, ending a drug habit, or recovering from the loss of aloved one, Locke encouraged people to face their fears and he challenged themfind the best solution to accomplish their goals. Locke’s actions in removingobstacles involved supporting his followers; however, Kate was also a key sup-porter and motivator for the survivors.
Supporting Followers
To be an effective path-goal leader, one must support and motivate follow-ers and demonstrate the expected behaviors and attitudes that are appropriateto achieve established goals (Northouse, 2004). The leader must find a way tomotivate and connect with followers to help them complete a task. Kate sup-ported her followers in a variety of ways, depending on the individualfollower.
Interestingly, Kate’s greatest impact was in supporting another leader, Jack.At one point, Jack gave up hope of rescue and in his abilities as the group’sprimary leader. It was through Kate’s support that he regained belief in him-self. Instead of giving Jack a pep talk, she took Jack to play a game of golf withother survivors (Episode 109). In doing this, she rejuvenated a connectionwithin Jack between himself and his followers. Jack realized how much theylooked to him for support and guidance; he realized that if he gave up hope,they would all give up hope. In this manner, Kate did not force Jack to con-tinue being a leader for the sake of the other survivors; instead she found a wayto connect with Jack and help him rediscover his own belief in both himselfand their goals of rescue and survival.
The survivors held Kate, Locke, and Ana Lucia in high regard, because theyenabled success in their followers by focusing on the individual followers andtheir circumstances (Elkins & Keller, 2003). Although the situation-focusedpath-goal leadership theory is more inclusive than the leader-focused theories,
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it still does not take into account the influence and responsibilities of thefollowers. Theories that focus on the social dynamics between the leader,follower, and situation include leader-member exchange and team leadershiptheories.
Leader-Member Exchange TheoryLeader-member exchange (LMX) theory suggests that effective leadership
occurs when leaders and followers develop strong relationships with socialexchanges or transactions in which each party benefits (Burns & Otte, 1999;Graen & Uhl-Bien, 1995). Cooperation and communication are crucialbecause the leader has limited time and resources and must decide how toshare that with followers (Lee, 1997). This lack of time leads to the creationof in- and out-groups. According to LMX, there are three stages of leadership:the stranger, acquaintance, and partnership phases (Graen & Uhl-Bien, 1995;Northouse, 2004).
Phase 1: Stranger
The stranger phase is characterized by low-quality exchanges, contractualrelationships, leader-down exchanges, and self-interest motives by the groupmembers (Northouse, 2004). In this phase the followers do not necessarilytrust the leader, but they are willing to follow the leader. This phase is exem-plified by Kate’s non-negotiable actions during her initial encounters withthree of her in-group members, Jack, Sayid, and Sawyer.
When Sawyer pulled out a gun to shoot a polar bear that was chasingthem, Kate seized the gun as soon as the threat of the polar bear was gone(Episode 102). Due to her past as a fugitive, Kate refused to give the gun toany of the men. Kate was unrelenting and would not negotiate in this instance,despite their attempts to win her confidence and gain possession of the gun.Refusing to give possession of the gun to any one person, she dismantled itand gave them each a piece of the firearm. Kate took charge and defined theirrelationships; she was the leader and they were her followers. With time, Katebegan to offer resources and share personal information with each of the in-group members, leading to the development of a phase two relationship.
Phase 2:Acquaintance
The acquaintance phase is characterized by medium-quality exchanges, thetesting of relationships, mixed influences and exchanges, and a developingfocus on the overall good of the group (Northouse, 2004). In this stage,members begin to trust one another, while at the same time they test theirrelationship boundaries to determine if they can depend on one another.
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During the acquaintance stage, Kate traded personal information with Jackand Sawyer, including the situation that led to her flight as a fugitive. A strongemotional bond began to form between Kate and the two men; a bond sostrong that at times each man was willing to give his life to save Kate. As ischaracteristic of phase two, this was not an entirely smooth process due to thetesting of roles and relationships. When Jack, Locke, and Sawyer excludedKate on a mission to confront The Others, Kate followed and was captured byThe Others (Episode 211). Over time, Kate, Sawyer, Sayid, and Jack learnedthat they could trust and depend on each other and that leaving any one of themout of the loop was disadvantageous to the lives of all of the survivors. As theybecame more highly regarded by one another, they moved to the third phase,partnership.
Phase 3: Partnership
The partnership phase is characterized by high-quality exchanges, negotia-tions, reciprocating influences, and group-interested motives (Northouse,2004). On the island, Jack and Sayid entered this LMX relational phase anddeveloped a valuable partnership. As partners, Jack and Sayid developeda strategic plan to attempt to overcome The Others. Their plan was highlydependent on trust and reliance in each other as well as the other followers andleaders involved in the attempt. Jack, Kate, and Sawyer began a journey acrossthe island to rescue another survivor who had been captured by The Others.In this journey, they realized one of their fellow survivors accompanying themon the rescuer mission could not be trusted and was leading them into a trap.Ultimately they made the decision, under Jack’s leadership, to not abort thejourney and be lead into the trap. As a result, The Others captured the three andtheir initial rescue attempt failed (Episodes 223–306). This instance is strongevidence that the three, along with Sayid, entered into the LMX partnershipphase. Their willingness to trust in each other and put their own fears andneeds aside for the greater good of the group is strongly seen through theirwillingness to knowingly be lead into captivity. While in captivity, Kate andSawyer were held in adjacent outdoor zoo enclosures and Jack was held in anisolated underground cavern. Despite their isolation while imprisoned, thethree remained loyal to one another and ultimately to the larger group of sur-vivors in their actions and the ways in which they communicated and dealtwith the actions of their captors, The Others (Episode 306).
In every instance that Jack, Sawyer, and Sayid complete a task thatimproves Kate’s and the other passengers’ chance of survival, the leader-follower relationship grows stronger. This supports Elkins and Keller’s (2003)idea that the followers’ reactions to the requests of the leader influences theleader’s perceptions of follower trust and loyalty. The more the followers actaccording to the leader’s request, the more highly the team leader regardsthem.
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Team Leadership TheoryTeam leadership theory explains how a team leader understands and creates
a team, while guiding and maintaining team cohesiveness, that is effective inreaching an organization’s goal (Hill, 2004; Northouse, 2004). By monitoringinternal and external forces and taking action when necessary, the leader cre-ates a balance that enables teams to function at the highest possible level(McGrath, 1962). The leader and the group members do this by diagnosinggroup problems, repairing or remedying the problems, foreseeing environ-mental changes that would affect the group, and preventing negative changes(Northouse, 2004).
Diagnosing Group Problems
The team monitors how the internal group is functioning through informa-tion searches. They organize, analyze, and interpret that information to diag-nose problems within the group (Northouse, 2004). As team leaders, Jack, Kate,Sayid, and Locke continuously monitor each other and the survivors. They usethe gathered information to diagnose group problems. A key problem facing theentire group of survivors is not only their physical well-being but also theirmental health. When the survivors became restless and panicked, the teamleaders monitored and interacted with the group to determine the root causeof the panic. After discovering the group’s problem was created out of fear oftheir own safety, the team analyzed their options to determine how to repair theproblem and reinstated a feeling of security on the island (Episode 200).
Repairing the Problems
Once a problem is identified, the team must take the proper actions to repairor remedy the problem. They do this through facilitation, decision processes,interpersonal relationship management, and task accomplishment (Northouse,2004). After determining the problem was fear for their lives from the threatof The Others and the mysterious black monster, Jack delivered a motivationalspeech in an attempt to repair the problem. He promised the survivors that theywould all be safe and that they would all be alive to see the morning sunrise(Episode 201).
Forecasting Environmental Changes
In this stage, the team engages in networking, forming alliances, anddeveloping resource negotiations with others outside of their team (Nort-house, 2004). Through these actions, the team members are able to gainawareness of their surroundings and predict environmental changes. Sayid’salliance with Danielle provided insight to the mysterious black monster and
Advances in Developing Human Resources May 2007262
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led to the capture and exposure The Others’ leader. Danielle explained thatthe mysterious black monster was the island’s security system (its way of pro-tecting its secrets) and that there were consequences if the monster wascrossed (Episode 109); she also explained the presence of The Others on theisland. Later, she contacted Sayid after capturing one of The Others in oneof her traps that she had set across the island in order to protect herself fromcapture (Episode 214). Through the networks formed with the survivors andalliances with outside individuals, such as Danielle, the team was able to fore-cast pending dangers and take action to prevent the negative changes fromoccurring.
Preventing Negative Changes
As the team predicts environmental changes, they are better prepared toadapt to upcoming changes. This preparation and adaptation allows the teamto prevent, or at least minimize, negative changes to the group. Daniellewarned Sayid that Henry Gale, the man Danielle had captured in one of hertraps, would deny his association with The Others, and it was this tip thatpushed Sayid to dig up the grave of Henry Gale’s “wife” and expose the cap-tured man as Ben, one of The Others (Episodes 218). If the team had releasedBen and taken him in as another survivor, the negative consequences to thesurvivors could have been devastating.
Whether analyzing through team, leader-member exchange, path-goal,skills, or trait leadership theory, there are an abundant number of examples thatillustrate leadership in the television series Lost. Jack, Locke, Sayid, Kate, Sun,Jin, Ana Lucia, and Eko all played key roles in the safety and health of the crashsurvivors from Flight 815. The combination of theory and a visual medium,such as Lost, can be used to effectively teach leadership development.
Leadership Development and LostPopular culture artifacts, such as this television series, can be powerful
instructional tools that provide visual examples of various leadership theories.Lost provides leadership course participants with numerous opportunities toview leadership theory in action. There are a variety of approaches that couldbe used to demonstrate trait, skills, path-goal, leader-member exchange, andteam leadership theories through this series. Table 1 (Leadership DevelopmentActivities Using Lost) provides examples of instructional activities that couldbe used in conjunction with Lost.
Viewing certain episodes or clips from the series can provide an understand-ing of how various leadership theories could be applied. In addition, reflectionquestions based on the clips enable participants to gain a richer understanding ofthe nature of these theories in practice. These questions should not only focus onthe different theories and Lost characters but also encourage the learners to
Sudbrack,Trombley / LOST 263
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TA
BL
E 1
:L
eade
rshi
p D
evel
opm
ent
Act
ivit
ies
Usi
ng L
ost
Act
ivit
y L
eade
rshi
p Lo
stA
ctiv
ity
Type
Act
ivit
y D
escr
ipti
on
Co
ncep
tR
efer
ence
(s)
Obj
ecti
ve
Wat
ch
Stud
ents
vie
w e
piso
des
LMX
Epis
ode
101:
Jack
;Tra
it th
eory
Faci
litat
ors
assi
st a
nd
epis
odes
tha
t of
Los
ttha
t sp
otlig
ht m
ain
Path
-goa
l the
ory
Epis
ode
107:
Lock
e;Tr
ait
theo
ryas
sess
par
ticip
ants
’ hi
ghlig
ht e
ach
char
acte
rs’ l
eade
rshi
p Te
am le
ader
ship
Epis
ode
102:
Kat
e;LM
X t
heor
yle
arni
ng.
lead
erab
ilitie
s.U
tiliz
ing
thes
e Tr
ait
theo
ryEp
isod
e 21
8:Sa
yid;
Team
lead
ersh
ip t
heor
yep
isod
es,f
acili
tate
a
Skill
s th
eory
Epis
ode
119:
Jin;S
kills
the
ory
disc
ussi
on u
sing
the
Ep
isod
e 12
2:Su
n;Tr
ait
theo
rydi
scus
sion
que
stio
ns
Epis
ode
208:
Eko;
Trai
t th
eory
prov
ided
in T
able
2.
Epis
ode
207:
Ana
Luc
ia;P
ath
goal
the
ory
Wat
ch s
cene
s St
uden
ts v
iew
clip
s fr
om
LMX
Epis
ode
306:
Jack
hav
ing
cont
rol o
ver
the
Faci
litat
ors
assi
st a
nd
that
hig
hlig
ht
the
show
allo
win
g fo
r Pa
th-g
oal t
heor
ysu
rviv
al o
f the
Oth
ers’
lead
er;T
rait
theo
ryas
sess
par
ticip
ants
’ th
e fiv
e nu
mer
ous
lead
ersh
ip
Team
lead
ersh
ipEp
isod
e 22
3:Jin
’s ab
ility
to
sail
a bo
at;
lear
ning
.le
ader
ship
th
eori
es t
o be
cov
ered
in
Trai
t th
eory
Skill
the
ory
theo
ries
a
rela
tivel
y sh
ort
peri
od
Skill
s th
eory
Epis
ode
207:
Ana
Luc
ia d
efin
ed t
wo
key
feat
ured
in
of t
ime.
Dis
cuss
ion
stra
tegi
es in
ord
er t
o su
rviv
e;Pa
th-g
oal t
heor
yth
is le
sson
ques
tions
list
ed in
Ep
isod
e 21
1:K
ate
is c
aptu
red
by T
he O
ther
s an
d Ta
ble
2 ca
n be
use
dJa
ck a
nd S
awye
r ar
e w
illin
g to
ris
k th
eir
to fa
cilit
ate
lives
to
save
her
;LM
X t
heor
ydi
scus
sion
.Ep
isod
e 21
8:Sa
yid
disc
over
s th
e fa
lse
grav
e of
Hen
ry G
ale
and
expo
ses
Ben
astr
aito
r;Te
am le
ader
ship
the
ory
Ref
lect
ion
Stud
ents
vie
w c
lips
from
LM
XEp
isod
e 11
1:Ja
ck r
epor
ts R
epor
ts h
is
Stud
ents
hav
e th
e fa
ther
to
the
med
ical
boa
rd fo
r op
port
unity
to
jo
urna
lva
riou
s Lo
step
isod
es
Path
-goa
l the
ory
cond
uctin
g a
surg
ery
whi
le in
toxi
cate
d re
flect
on
thei
r
high
light
ing
each
lead
er.
Team
lead
ersh
ipow
n le
ader
ship
264
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The
n st
uden
ts r
efle
ct
Trai
t th
eory
Epis
ode
306:
Eko
conf
ront
s C
onfr
onts
th
e bl
ack
mon
ster
thro
ugh
wri
ting
exer
cise
s Sk
ills
theo
ryEp
isod
e 20
5:Jin
lead
s Le
ads
sear
ch p
arty
for
char
acte
rist
ics
and
whi
ch le
ader
and
fr
iend
Mic
hael
re
late
the
m b
ack
to
lead
ersh
ip s
tyle
the
y Ep
isod
e 10
2:K
ate
dism
antle
s D
ism
antle
s ex
peri
ence
s th
ey
emul
ate
and
the
posi
tive
gun
to p
reve
nt fu
ture
pro
blem
s as
soci
ated
m
ay e
ncou
nter
in t
he
and
nega
tive
aspe
cts
of
with
hav
ing
a de
adly
wea
pon
futu
re o
r ha
ve
thei
r ow
n le
ader
ship
Ep
isod
e 12
2:R
emai
ns fr
iend
s w
ith K
ate
follo
win
g en
coun
tere
d in
the
st
yle.
Kat
e’s
expo
sure
as
a fu
gitiv
e;Su
n th
eory
pa
st.
Epis
ode
109:
Sayi
d’s
allia
nce
with
Dan
ielle
tha
t al
low
s
for
mor
e in
form
atio
n re
gard
ing
the
Oth
ers
Epis
ode
104:
Lock
e in
stru
cts
Inst
ruct
s th
e ot
her
pass
enge
rs h
ow t
o liv
e of
f of t
he la
nd;
Lock
e th
eory
Epis
ode
207:
Ana
Luc
ia p
rovi
des
Prov
ides
m
outh
-to-
mou
th r
esus
cita
tion
to s
ave
a yo
ung
pass
enge
rSt
rand
ed o
n a
Stud
ents
sim
ulat
e th
e LM
XT
his
coul
d be
a u
sefu
l ice
brea
ker
to b
egin
St
uden
ts b
egin
to
Des
ert
Isla
nd
actio
ns n
eces
sary
to
Path
-goa
l the
ory
disc
ussi
ons
rega
rdin
g le
ader
ship
or
in
fam
iliar
ize
Sim
ulat
ion
surv
ive
on a
des
erte
d Te
am le
ader
ship
conj
unct
ion
with
ano
ther
act
ivity
to
them
selv
es w
ith
Gam
eis
land
.The
y ar
e pr
ovid
ed
Trai
t th
eory
rein
forc
e th
e di
fficu
lties
of l
eade
rshi
p in
st
rugg
les
asso
ciat
ed
with
spe
cific
atio
ns a
bout
Sk
ills
theo
ryha
rsh
cond
ition
s an
d ch
alle
ngin
g si
tuat
ions
.w
ith le
adin
g th
e is
land
and
obj
ects
in
divi
dual
s th
ey h
ave
at t
heir
in
diff
icul
t si
tuat
ions
.di
spos
al.S
tude
nts
mus
t cr
eate
she
lter,
find
food
an
d w
ater
,and
dev
ise
a re
scue
pla
n.
265
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Advances in Developing Human Resources May 2007266
TABLE 2: Questions for Discussion
Leadership Outcomes of DiscussionConcept Discussion Questions (Bloom’s Taxonomy)
LMX Which character provides Comprehension of key Path-goal theory the best example of each leadership theoriesTeam leadership of the leadership theoriesTrait theory covered in this lesson? Skills theory Support your choice
with examples from the series.
LMX Motivation plays a critical Comprehension of motivationPath-goal theory role in LMX, path-goal, and and appropriate motivation Team leadership team leadership theory. techniques as they relate totheory In the scenes viewed, what key leadership theories
tactics, skills, or phrasesdid the leaders utilize tomotivate other passengers?
LMX What are the similarities and Analysis of leadership Path-goal theory differences in LMX, path-goal, theoriesTeam leadership team leadership, trait,Trait theory skills theory? HowSkills theory do the leaders in Lost
demonstrate the theories’similarities and differences?
LMX What are your personal Application of leadership Path-goal theory leadership characteristics? characteristicsTeam leadership Which Lost leader do you Trait theory relate best to in regards toSkills theory leadership characteristics?
Why?LMX What could each Lost character Evaluation of leadership Path-goal theory do to change or improve to characteristicsTeam leadership become a better leader?Trait theory What can you change orSkills theory improve to become a better
leader?
reflect on which leadership theory best describes them. Table 2 (Questions forDiscussion) provides suggested discussion questions to use in conjunction withteaching leadership theories through examples as seen in Lost.
ConclusionJack, Locke, Sayid, Kate, Sun, Jin, Ana Lucia, and Eko are all crash sur-
vivors who were struggling with personal issues after surviving a harrowing
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ordeal in addition to being responsible for the survival of the remaining pas-sengers. Though each leader personified a variety of leadership theories, thisarticle focused on specific examples of traits, skills, path-goal, LMX, andteam leadership theories. In this work, trait leadership was demonstratedthrough the actions of Jack, Sun, and Eko. Skills leadership was demon-strated using Jin’s, Locke’s, and Sayid’s abilities. Ana Lucia, Locke, andKate were used to demonstrate path-goal leadership in action. Jack, Sayid,Sawyer, and Kate were used as examples in both the LMX and teamleadership theories.
Each demonstrated a variety of leadership theories, but no leadership stylecan be considered better or stronger than another. With multiple leadersdemonstrating different leadership theories, the survivors were able to workwith a leader that best complemented them and their needs. By understandingeach of these characters, leadership theories can be taught using creative andengaging methods. Through the combined use of lecture, popular culture arti-facts, and reflection questions, students are provided with multiple learningopportunities. They have an opportunity to not only learn about leadership the-ories and see them in action but also determine what leadership theory they,themselves, might be able to utilize.
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Billie Sudbrack is the technical trainer for Crossroads Systems, Inc., in Austin, Texas.Her business functions have included trainer, technical writer, business analyst, projectmanager, and quality control/assurance analyst. Her training classes have includedhuman resource policies and benefits, OSHA safety, storage routers, and softwareapplications. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science from University of NorthernColorado. She is currently working on her master’s degree in educational humanresource development at Texas A&M University.
Sarah Trombley is a PhD student at Texas A&M University in the Human ResourceDevelopment program and full-time admissions counselor at Texas A&M University atGalveston. She holds a Bachelor of History from Texas A&M University. Her researchinterests focus on individual motivation and individual and organizational responses tochange.
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