Developing and Communicating a Vision

Developing and Communicating a Vision

Movie Summary

The greatest showman is a movie that promotes hope for visionaries. The film also fosters the spirit of inclusion for outcasts, communicating a message to the modern-day people. The movie is about the main character P.T Barnum, the son of a tailor and who was born into poverty (The Greatest Showman, 2017). However, Barnum does not want to be defined by the poverty he was born in and wants to create a better future for himself. Barnum needs to handle the death of his dad, the disregard from his father-in-law, and day-to-day demands to provide for his family. Barnum is a visionary who believes in transforming calamities to opportunities.

After being laid off from his job, he opens a museum that specializes in wax sculptures. He is inspired by his daughters to selling tickets and adding more life to the museum, say people with extra-ordinary features like a bearded woman. Barnum manages to do this by getting a whole lot of talented people who are outcasts in their families.

He motivates them to use their uniqueness in creating better lives for themselves. Finally, he manages to provide a platform that adds value to the outcasts where they can showcase their talents and feel accepted in the Barnum & Bailey circus (The Greatest Showman, 2017).  While his family and his new performers are benefiting from his circus idea, not all people in the city are celebrating as they regard it as a freak show.

Being driven by the dire need to provide for his family and the get a purpose in life, he becomes a protagonist who faces lows and highs. However, he surprises the critics by challenging the rules of the traditional culture by creating the greatest in the globe (The Greatest Showman, 2017).

How the Movie Relates To Vision Attainment and Transformational Leadership

The Greatest showman creates a feeling that anything is possible, and any dreamer has the potential to conquer the world. Moreover, the movie is an inspiration for people to follow their dreams (Quinn et al., 2015). At an early age, Barnum shows a showcases a natural talent for promotion and publicity. He does not give up on his stronghold and strives to reach this milestone by setting up a museum for people to showcase their talents. Barnum is goal-oriented and is determined to see that his dream becomes a reality regardless of the critic he experiences. Barnum’s ability to turn around the criticism is a clear indication of persistence and strength in attaining his vision of creating art that makes people happy.

Achieving a vision and becoming a transformational leader calls for the ability to take risks not just for self but also for others. According to Quinn et al. (2015), a leader must be able to navigate in an environment full of paradoxes to meet the needs of their followers while compelling the same followers to achieve more. Barnum takes a big risk by taking a huge loan from the bank to buy the museum and in creating a show centered on outcasts. Some risks may be hurting, but being a transformational leader, one needs to face them to achieve the set goals.

Being a transformational leader calls for the ability to share the vision and values to the followers. Barnum identifies himself as a transformational leader when he communicates shares his vision with his family about creating the greatest entertainment show (Quinn et al., 2015). He also shares his values and vision when recruiting the entertainment crew, “the outcasts,” when he motivates and mentors them to use their uniqueness to better their lives and overcome their old lives.