LESSONS FOR LEADERSHIP FROM DON QUIXOTE

Frankly speaking, I just can't imagine that the quirky character of Spanish origins from the 16th century could be a role model for today's leadership.

The character is Don Quixote.

I certainly recall reading about him & his crazy exploits during my Form III studies at a missionary school in Yong Peng, Johor, Malaysia, as part of my English Literature pursuit during the early sixties.

To be honest, all I can remember about him today is some aspects of his weird adventures, together with his side-kick, especially the one when he took up a challenge with a windmill to a duel.

Incidentally, I had also watched the movie version, 'The Man of La Mancha', starring Peter O'Toole & Sophia Loren, during the seventies.

I understand that the movie was based on the longest running Broadway Musical of the 1960’s, bearing the same title, which had won 5 Tony Awards.

Nevertheless, the spirit of Don Quixote is perhaps best captured in the theme song of both the musical & the movie, 'The Impossible Dream'.

"To dream, the impossible dream.
To fight, the unbeatable foe.
To bear, with unbearable sorrow.
To run, where the brave dare not go.
To right the unrightable wrong…"

Why do I want to write about him in this post?

Here's the fun part.

Prior to the above, I happened to stumble upon business strategist Joe Murtagh's, known as the Dream Speaker, with his many interesting stuff about change & innovation on the net.

Here's the link. Many of his dated articles on his corporate website are still worth reading.

He has apparently created & produced a myriad of learning programs for business professionals, with catchy titles like:

- 'Dare to be different . . . change or innovate';
- 'Competitors are always out to eat your lunch';
- 'Market or die in the 21st century';
- 'Embrace the future or be left behind';
- 'Empowering people to do their best';
- 'Keep your customers coming back for more';
- 'Managers develop people, not direct things';

As I prowled further through his corporate website, I have come to know about one of his pet projects, the Don Quixote Society.

Out of curiosity & since the entrance fee for life-time membership is only US$10/-, I just signed up immediately.

The life-time membership entitles me as follows:

"In doing so, it confirms he is always proud to admit to:

. . . being a dreamer
. . . being unrealistic
. . . being idealistic

. . . refusing to accept the world as he finds it & dedicated to making it what he believes it should be.

. . .exhibiting behavior pursuing the above even at the risk of failing, being laughed at or considered a fool."

I am still waiting for my password access to more interesting stuff from the society. Please stay tuned.

Nevertheless, I have proceeded to do a little bit of web search on "Don Quixote".

Hey! Presto! I have found that Prof Emeritus James March of the Stanford University School of Business has actually created an acclaimed course, entitled 'Passion & Discipline: Don Quixote's Lessons for Leadership'.

As a matter of fact, he has also created a television movie bearing the same title in 2003, in which he has creatively examined how our unlikely hero's kind of imagination, joy & self-knowledge might save modern leadership.

He has apparently drawn parallels from Quixote's quirky adventures with illustrative examples in the modern world - from former President Richard Nixon & Martin Luther King to Bill Gates & Hewlett Packard.

To me, that's interesting!

You can read more about it at this link.

I will write more about it after I have acquired a DVD version of the television movie. Please stay tuned, if you are still as curious & intrigued as I am.