Movie Review: We Were Soldiers Once Angela Lewis Student ID# 5849
Mountain State University, GIDS 504
Dr. Kenneth Miller

There is a plethora of exemplary leadership examples depicted in the movie entitled We Were Soldiers Once. Mel Gibson was brilliant in his leading role as Lt. Colonel Hal Moore who led his brigade into battle in Vietnam by being and doing exactly what he expected of his troops. He led by example. He modeled the way. He also exemplified the same leadership qualities portrayed on the battlefield in his roles as father and husband. Not only did Moore signify leadership qualities in his roles, but he expressed his commitment to leadership at all levels of his battalion by delegating that responsibility to all …show more content…

People willingly follow only those who have proven that they know what they are doing. (Hesselbein & Shinseki, 2004, p. 10)
There is subtle pressure for leaders to be only directive, but being directive does not always produce desired results. People are naturally resistant to directives especially when the person doing the directing has not established that they are willing and competent to carry out the directive themselves. These soldiers never resisted a directive from Colonel Moore because he had shown them that he was capable and willing to do just was he was asking of them.
Because Colonel Moore portrayed leadership qualities at home by reading to and interacting with his children, his wife Julie also practiced leadership by heading up the women’s support group for officers’ wives and took the initiative, as difficult as it must have been, to be personally responsible for delivering the telegram notices of death to the loved ones of the soldiers killed in battle. She probably learned that characteristic from her husband. Leaders tend to have a trickling affect upon those they come into contact with. Exemplary charismatic leaders attract people to themselves like a magnet and their leadership qualities are displayed in every one around them.
Colonel Moore displayed bravery, competence and no hesitation in carrying out the mission he was ordered to accomplish which was simply “to find the enemy and kill them!”