Speak the Truth

Leadership Lessons from

The Great Debaters

Leadership Lessons from

The Great Debaters

Introduction / Prologue» About our film: The Great Debaters

Based on a true story Set in Jim Crow South; 1935, Marshall, TX Aspects of life in Marshall: Segregation,

Black Persecution, Lynchings Wiley College

»Private 4-year College, founded 1873.»Historically Black, Liberal Arts Focus»Story concerns the Debate Team

» About our film: The Great Debaters Based on a true story Set in Jim Crow South; 1935, Marshall, TX Aspects of life in Marshall: Segregation,

Black Persecution, Lynchings Wiley College

»Private 4-year College, founded 1873.»Historically Black, Liberal Arts Focus»Story concerns the Debate Team

Cast of Characters

» Melvin B. Tolson – Teacher, Debate Coach, Organizer

» Debate Team: Hamilton Burgess [leaves team early] Henry Lowe Samantha Booke James Farmer, Jr.

» Melvin B. Tolson – Teacher, Debate Coach, Organizer

» Debate Team: Hamilton Burgess [leaves team early] Henry Lowe Samantha Booke James Farmer, Jr.

Historical Background / Facts to Consider

» Debate was actually between Wiley and University of Southern California (USC).

» Harvard was used as the opponent to illustrate the remarkable victory Wiley achieved.

» Wiley was not allowed to call themselves victors.

» Blacks were not admitted to the Debate Society until after WWII.

» Debate was actually between Wiley and University of Southern California (USC).

» Harvard was used as the opponent to illustrate the remarkable victory Wiley achieved.

» Wiley was not allowed to call themselves victors.

» Blacks were not admitted to the Debate Society until after WWII.

» A film rich in leadership themes: Leading through Goals Creating a Common

Vision Team Building Leadership

Development / Empowerment

Dealing with Consequences

Shared Sacrifice / Shared Benefit

Ethical Leadership

» A film rich in leadership themes: Leading through Goals Creating a Common

Vision Team Building Leadership

Development / Empowerment

Dealing with Consequences

Shared Sacrifice / Shared Benefit

Ethical Leadership

Why this film? / What you will see!

Leading Through Goals

» “The real leader has no need to lead - he is content to point the way.” Henry Miller Goal Difficulty Goal Specificity Feedback Participation in Goal Setting

» “The real leader has no need to lead - he is content to point the way.” Henry Miller Goal Difficulty Goal Specificity Feedback Participation in Goal Setting

Creating a Vision

» Leader was first a teacher using debating skills as a vehicle.

» Each skill taught was a teaching tool to cultivate leadership on multiple levels.

» Developing debating skills became a very powerful vehicle for initiating powerful, intentional change.

» Rhetorical Question: Did the leadership lessons have to be about debate, or could they have been about anything?

» Leader was first a teacher using debating skills as a vehicle.

» Each skill taught was a teaching tool to cultivate leadership on multiple levels.

» Developing debating skills became a very powerful vehicle for initiating powerful, intentional change.

» Rhetorical Question: Did the leadership lessons have to be about debate, or could they have been about anything?

Beginning (Literal) Level - Teach Yourself, Learn the basics

» Team Building Exercise (and later mantra to recall their common journey):

1. Q: Who’s the judge? A: The judge is God!2. Q: Why is he God? A: Because he decides

who wins or loses, not my opponent!3. Q: Who is your opponent? A: He does not

exist!4. Q: Why does he not exist? A: Because he

is merely a dissenting voice to the truth I speak!

» Speak the Truth! <-- This sums up learning how (to debate) and makes a difficult task seem easy.

» Team Building Exercise (and later mantra to recall their common journey):

1. Q: Who’s the judge? A: The judge is God!2. Q: Why is he God? A: Because he decides

who wins or loses, not my opponent!3. Q: Who is your opponent? A: He does not

exist!4. Q: Why does he not exist? A: Because he

is merely a dissenting voice to the truth I speak!

» Speak the Truth! <-- This sums up learning how (to debate) and makes a difficult task seem easy.

Expand upon the basics - Develop Leadership

» Create a common vision and a common Team unity by having the team bond by reciting a simple, powerful lesson together.

» Having learned the common lesson, each member customizes / personalizes it as the movie progresses.

» Team is diverse in terms of maturity, family background, social status, politics, etc. This diversity becomes an asset.

» Common method of beginning gives way to a personal style of winning debates and leading.

» Create a common vision and a common Team unity by having the team bond by reciting a simple, powerful lesson together.

» Having learned the common lesson, each member customizes / personalizes it as the movie progresses.

» Team is diverse in terms of maturity, family background, social status, politics, etc. This diversity becomes an asset.

» Common method of beginning gives way to a personal style of winning debates and leading.

Expand upon the basics - Develop Leadership So All Can Gain

» Look for opportunities to empower team members to lead - Lesson: leadership opportunity can come at any time - Be Ready.

1. Mr. Hamilton Burgess - Initial Debate Team, quits due to risk of Communist association with Mr. Tolson, the Coach.

2. Mr. Henry Lowe - Initial Debate Team. Leaves to give Mr. Farmer a chance to shine, even after he as failed.

3. Ms. Samantha Booke - Emerges with first debate against white team.

4. Mr. James Farmer Jr. - Argues the biggest debate against Harvard after Mr. Lowe steps aside, empowering his team-mates to win.

» Key: The whole team is needed to prevail. All will lead some time.

» Look for opportunities to empower team members to lead - Lesson: leadership opportunity can come at any time - Be Ready.

1. Mr. Hamilton Burgess - Initial Debate Team, quits due to risk of Communist association with Mr. Tolson, the Coach.

2. Mr. Henry Lowe - Initial Debate Team. Leaves to give Mr. Farmer a chance to shine, even after he as failed.

3. Ms. Samantha Booke - Emerges with first debate against white team.

4. Mr. James Farmer Jr. - Argues the biggest debate against Harvard after Mr. Lowe steps aside, empowering his team-mates to win.

» Key: The whole team is needed to prevail. All will lead some time.

Developing Skills / Developing Leaders

» Leadership is cultivated and nurtured deliberately and purposefully.

» Speak the Truth - A theme that embeds the notion of ethics, transcendent leadership, and justice poetically.

» Team expects greatness from itself and delivers.

» Leadership is cultivated and nurtured deliberately and purposefully.

» Speak the Truth - A theme that embeds the notion of ethics, transcendent leadership, and justice poetically.

» Team expects greatness from itself and delivers.

Developing Leaders = Developing a Team

» Team builds upon success.» Team builds upon set-backs - myth of

Antaeus - lessons learned in defeat only serve to make the team stronger. Coach is not allowed to accompany team, this forces the team to discover its inner strength and grow stronger.

» Teacher models behavior of putting the team first.

» Team builds upon success.» Team builds upon set-backs - myth of

Antaeus - lessons learned in defeat only serve to make the team stronger. Coach is not allowed to accompany team, this forces the team to discover its inner strength and grow stronger.

» Teacher models behavior of putting the team first.

Consequences of Empowering Successors

» Team prevails» Bigger goals are possible:

1. Debate

2. Respect

3. Social Change

4.Justice» Cause becomes transcendent and

takes on its own life.

» Team prevails» Bigger goals are possible:

1. Debate

2. Respect

3. Social Change

4.Justice» Cause becomes transcendent and

takes on its own life.

Leadership Lessons» Team is stronger when each is given the

opportunity to lead from personal experience, character, and strength.

» Great leaders train others, step aside when they sense it is time.

» There is a deliberate life cycle to developing leaders.

» Leadership must be cultivated, it doesn’t happen accidentally.

» Thinking bigger than oneself can pay off in a big way.

» Team is stronger when each is given the opportunity to lead from personal experience, character, and strength.

» Great leaders train others, step aside when they sense it is time.

» There is a deliberate life cycle to developing leaders.

» Leadership must be cultivated, it doesn’t happen accidentally.

» Thinking bigger than oneself can pay off in a big way.

More Leadership Lessons» Empowering others to lead is risky and

worthwhile, it even if it doesn’t always work.

» Leadership is partly about the journey, not just about the destination.

» Leadership is an Art! There are personal styles / schools. Individual talents / challenges matter. Leaders are influenced by their culture,

challenges,, and the leaders they encounter.

» Empowering others to lead is risky and worthwhile, it even if it doesn’t always work.

» Leadership is partly about the journey, not just about the destination.

» Leadership is an Art! There are personal styles / schools. Individual talents / challenges matter. Leaders are influenced by their culture,

challenges,, and the leaders they encounter.

Final Leadership Lesson

» The BEST leaders really do

Speak The Truth!

» The BEST leaders really do

Speak The Truth!