We love movies at VIM Executive Coaching, especially (no surprise) movies that reflect American business and executive decision making. So, last week we revisited a 2009 movie you may remember, “Up in The Air,” starring George Clooney.
In the movie, Clooney portrays what is known as a corporate downsizer (named Ryan Bingham), a person who constantly travels the country for a management consultancy with a singular focus: to tell executives they have been terminated.
We well remember a poignant scene where Bingham informs an executive (J.K. Simmons) with 25 + years of faithful service to an insurance company that he has been made redundant. In that scene, the man being terminated laments as to what he is supposed to do? After a back and forth, Bigham asks: “How much did they pay you to give up on your dreams?”
It seems as though the newly fired executive’s greatest dream was to have been a chef; it was clear as could be by the experience on his resume. He was not a man originally destined to be an insurance executive but he desperately needed a job and they paid him a paltry salary to tempt him to switch careers. Now, he had no choice but to try to return to his dream.
The dream
We continued the plot-line as movie lovers often do. We wondered how the once-culinary student might have re-entered the world of food, food service and following his dream? How might he have re-ignited his passion? How might he have convinced his family and friends of his need to be his true self?
The journey would not have been easy, we will concede that. Then again, the man being fired who was portrayed in the movie was nearing 60, how much longer might he have deferred his dream? What would he have said to those friends and family members who might have called him “crazy,” or “a fool,” or “a dreamer?”
Every day, we coach executive leaders involved in some sort of transition; executives in the process of making tough life choices. For the record, we would have told “Bob,” the character played by J.K. Simmons that he would have a tough climb; that he would have to pay the dues of someone half his age; that he would have long hours and even heartache along the way, but that he should follow his dream.
The dream might have led him to other avenues in food service, and goodness knows, as an executive with 25 + years’ experience along with a culinary degree he might have certainly appealed to many recruiters in the industry.
Authenticity
There is probably nothing more authentic than someone willing to overcome the obstacles standing in the way of a true dream. This is especially true of a person who has known disappointment, failure and the anguish that can only from missing a desired mark
Yes, there will be those who are critical of someone with an authentic dream, but such types are always critical. However, the most passionate plans will not succeed unless there is mindfulness in place. Mindfulness doesn’t “just” ask a person if they have a dream, it requires the person to be fully immersed and invested in pushing the dream to make it come to fruition.
Mindfulness asks that the executive is living in the moment, but that they see the moment as being transformative, motivating and important. It is why mindful executive leaders cultivate people skills, develop a sense of compassion and respond to obstacles.
There might be a hundred reasons (within reason) to say “no” to a dream, but only one to motive to always honor; the need to live a live with purpose and integrity.