The 1979 flick ‘Norma Rae’ starring Beau Bridges and Sally Field is an exceptional corporate movie that serves to underline the fact that leaders do not descend from above. Leader ship is a quality that is not foisted on you but is nurtured by circumstances. Truly so, the protagonist Norman Rae struggles on to unionize the textile mill she is employed with at a grave personal risk (she is a single mother) to ameliorate the wretched working conditions.

Background

Norma is a minimum wage laborer in Georgia’s cotton mill. The deplorable working conditions had adversely affected the health of her family and she could no longer turn a blind eye to this. A motivating speech by Reuben, New York union organizer inspires her to employ efforts for unionizing her cotton mill. This decision invites dissonance from her husband who mistakes her zeal for blossoming romance with Reuben. The management too cracks down on the lady but she soldiers on and organizes mill shutdown successfully. The union is recognized and its demands capitulated.

Drumming up support of people

A discerning leader finds opportunities to pursue her cause from things that have been designed to quash her fight for justice. The cotton mill owners, visibly intimidated by the unflagging zeal of Norma, seeks to shatter the unity among workers by putting up a nasty notice which warned the white workers that their interests will be compromised by a black union in power.  The notice further seeks to dampen the spirits of the union by informing participating workers that strike or work disruption can have serious consequences like loss of jobs. Norma decides to take advantage of this by reporting the attempt to terrorize workers by the management to her attorney. She reaches the board and starts scrawling the offensive portions. This is opposed by the Boss in full view of the workers. Enduring the opposition, she continues on. The big boss threatens to throw her out of the mill floor. But, she dares them to touch her. This steely resolution on her part is the hallmark of a true leader who declines to yield to the mounting pressure of the opposition.

The bosses try to forcibly remove her from the mill with the aid of a policeman. She refuses to budge and insists on the Sheriff being present there. Meanwhile, she reaches out for cardboard, scribbles something down hastily and holds it up after hoisting herself on a table. ‘Union’ was written on the sign she held up over her head. It was meant to invite a groundswell by appealing to the works at a subliminal level. The response grows in intensity with one worker after worker raising their hands to showcase support for Norma. She has been able to mobilize support for her genuine cause like a true leader without inciting mindless violence or disruption.

The corporate lessons learnt

The leader never coaxes his/her supporters to win their favor. She simply proves the authenticity of the issue and the difference it is going to make in the lives of people. Most people shy away from taking the lead, instead they look up to others to show them the direction. A leader seamlessly commands the attention and respect of his followers when he exhibits the fortitude and gumption required to stand up to the oppressors. The action is pursued with extreme urgency. Any scare tactics fails to draw the life away from his mission. The leader respects the ego factor of the supporters and ensures that each member gets a voice in the cause that is being pursued. Norma by being instrumental in drumming up the support of fellow mill workers provides the perfect example of effective leadership.