The Leadership in Cinema program is intended to provide a selection of films that will support continuing education efforts within the wildland fire service. Films not only entertain but also provide a medium to teach leadership at all levels in the leadership development process—self or team development. The program is tailored after Reel Leadership: Hollywood Takes the Leadership Challenge. Teaching ideas are presented that work with “students of leadership in any setting.” Using the template provided by Graham, Sincoff, Baker, and Ackerman, facilitators can adapt lesson plans to correlate with the Wildland Fire Leadership Values and Principles. Other references are provided which can be used to supplement the authors’ template. In addition to the general resources shown below, check out the lesson plans specifically adapted for wildland fire listed at the end of this reference.

Printed Resources:

• Reel Leadership: Hollywood Takes the Leadership Challenge
Graham, Sincoff, Baker, and Ackermann (2003)
Provides information on how to apply movies to teach the tenets of the groundbreaking leadership research of Kouzes and Posner.
http://www.fhsu.edu/jole/issues/JOLE_2_2.pdf

• Reel Leadership II: Getting Emotional at the Movies
Graham, Ackermann, Maxwell (2004)
Combines the use of film with applied leadership development through emotional intelligence skill building.
Provides an excellent facilitator resource for incorporating movies into leadership development.
http://www.fhsu.edu/jole/issues/JOLE_3_3.pdf

• The Leadership Challenge
Kouzes and Posner (2002)
Available for purchase from most large bookstores or online.

• An Instructor’s Guide to The Leadership Challenge
Kouzes and Posner
http://media.wiley.com/assets/57/11/lc_jb_instructors_guide.pdf

• Movies to Manage By
Clemens and Wolff (1999)
Available for purchase from most large bookstores or online.

• Reel Lessons in Leadership
Ralph R. DiSibio (2006)
Available for purchase from most large bookstores or online.

Internet Resources:

• Teaching Leadership Using Movies
Air War College
Center for Strategic Leadership Studies
Provides access to many leadership teaching tools including lesson plans.
http://leadership.au.af.mil/sls-tool.htm#movies

• Leadership Movies
Canadian Association of Student Activity Advisors
Includes lesson plans for numerous leadership movies.
http://www.casaaleadership.ca/res-movies.html

• Management Goes to the Movies
Includes leadership lesson plans for a minimal fee.
http://www.moviesforbusiness.com

• Teach with Movies
Includes lesson plans for a minimal yearly subscription fee as well as a template to create a local program.
http://www.teachwithmovies.org/

• Understanding Copyright and Fair Use
Wheaton College
Provides guidelines for using video, and other copyrighted materials, in an educational setting.
http://www.wheatoncollege.edu/library/copyright/

• Purchase a film:

Amazon.com
www.amazon.com

Hollywood Video
www.hollywoodvideo.com

Internet Movie Database
http://www.imdb.com

Lesson Plans:

The NWCG Leadership Committee invites individuals to submit lesson plans that apply the Wildland Fire Leadership Values and Principles to films. Submit to: leadership_feedback@nifc.blm.gov.

• Apollo 13
• Coach Carter
• Elizabeth
• Glory Road
• Master and Commander
• Miracle
• Norma Rae
• North Country
• Radio
• Remember the Titans
• Stand and Deliver
• 12 Angry Men
• We Were Soldiers

Leadership in Cinema is not intended to be a stand-alone leadership program; however, used in conjunction with other leadership tools, Leadership in Cinema can be a powerful self or team development tool. Successful use of the tool requires time and dedication of the facilitator. Discussion of leadership lessons within the film is vital to the program.

The Leadership Committee of NWCG Training Working Team sponsored this project. Pam McDonald of the Bureau of Land Management Fire Training Division developed the references.