Like pretty much every other Star Wars fan I went to see Ep VIII last weekend. I left thoroughly enjoying the movie and am happy to see the saga taking the direction that it is. Now, there is quite a bit of subtext to the movie, but I found myself being inundated by a message that felt like it was a tutorial just for me. The movie felt like a series of object lessons on leadership… how it is done right, how it is done wrong, and the importance of keeping a cool head in the midst of chaos. 

I am a loud and proud Poe Dameron fan, but, let’s face it, he stunk it up as a leader. Leading Black Squadron was one thing. He likes going against the odds and proving that he can do what people think can’t be done. I get it, I really do. It feels good to prove others wrong, but pushing people to win in spite of the odds is only a piece of the pie. Sometimes the victory doesn’t come and other times it does, but at what cost? A Pyrrhic victory has no honor.

So Poe has some opportunities lain before him. He is headstrong, prideful, and lacks any meaningful insight, which makes him uncoachable. Poe doesn’t learn his lesson when Leia demotes him and misses the lesson again after a failed mutiny. Thankfully, Leia can see his heart and knows where he’s coming from, having had to deal with similar traits in Han. It takes Poe having to see the real cost of his stubbornness, the Resistance, for him to finally open his eyes, to look at the deeper aspect.

Leia is a model of what a seasoned leader can accomplish. Although she feels for every member of the Resistance, she is able to remain objective. This allows her to keep a cool head and lead logically. It is the thing that she keeps hoping that Poe will pick up on, that he can’t shoot at every problem, that sometimes finesse is the order of the day. As a leader, it is ultimately about the people in your command, not you, the leader. I would suggest that this movie be shown to every leadership class right now. How bad could that be, getting your geek on and learning how to be an effective leader all in one movie? Not a thing wrong with that!