Orientation for Viewing Remember the Titans

Global Management
Remember the Titans is based on a true story. Characters on whom the movie is based have stated that,
while some aspects of the story have been dramatized, for the most part it is accurate to a fine level of detail.
We are watching the movie because it is an example of leadership in action. It is an opportunity for us to
observe and reflect on many important aspects of leadership, as will be explained below.
The context of the story is as follows. The events depicted occurred in Alexandria, Virginia in 1971. This was
a time and place in America where racial tensions were an important feature of the social fabric. The movie
begins with a decision by the Alexandria School Board to close a high school attended by only African
American students (at the time called Black) and integrate it with an all White school. With the school
integration, of course, comes the integration of the Black football team and the White football team. This, in
turn necessitates the integration of the two coaching staffs. The primary plot line of the movie is the football
teamss (and, indeed, the schools and the towns) struggle to define and achieve its goals while overcoming
deep-seated prejudices.
Leadership, broadly defined, plays a critical role in the film, and that is what we will be observing as we watch
events unfold. People to focus on especially include head coach Boone, assistant coach Yoast, and team
captains Julius and Bertier. Aspects of leadership that you should be watching for and thinking about include:
- Strengths and weaknesses of the various participants as leaders
- The relationships between emotional intelligence and leadership styles, per thee Goleman reading
- Techniques by which Boone, in particular, manages inherent conflicts to achieve integration and team
goals
- The distribution of leadership over the course of the movie from the coaches to the team
- The evolution of teamwork between Boone and Yoast over time and the role of this teamwork
- Leadership ethics (the moral boundaries of leadership and the leaders role in achieving broader social
outcomes)

This orientation is an aid designed to help you collect your thoughts on these subjects both as you watch the
movie and as you reflect on it. Please print out a copy of the worksheet and prepare to take some notes while
watching. I will also ask you to spend up to an hour completing a copy as a team. While Ill ask you to hand it
in at the beginning of class, it will not be graded, and it will not be returned. I will use the worksheets to get a
better understanding of how the class is doing in the course.
Remember the Titans is a film that has been hailed both by critics and generations of Hult students. It is a
very rich example of critical aspects of leadership. Enjoy!

Worksheet
1. Where, if at all, are the leadership styles described in the reading demonstrated by Coach Boone?

Leadership Style
Coercive

Authoritative

Pacesetting

Coaching

Democratic

Affiliative

Scene

2. How would you describe the more well developed and lesser developed aspects of Boones emotional intelligence profile?
Self-Awareness

Self-Management

Social Awareness

Social Skill

3.

What does Coach Boone do to address racial tensions and achieve an integration of purpose on the team?

4.

What is the process by which the goals of the team become internalized by the team?

5.

With regards specifically to teamwork between Boone and Yoast: A) how does it evolve?; B) what is its impact?

6. Where might issues of leadership ethics be implicated in the movie, and what is your position on these issues?