Friday, May 21, 2010

Kung Fu Panda - Awesome Management Techniques

Watched Kung Fu Panda for the nth time with Anjali (it was her first time though). For the nth time I kept wondering at the awesomeness (there is no charge for awesomeness!) of the movie and its amazing philosophies. In my opinion it should be made compulsory viewing for all wannabe managers and champions.

Desire
Firstly Po the Panda shows immense interest and desire to know and live the Kung Fu dream. The only thing he lacks is belief and consequently the action to go with it. But he knows every single detail of the history, the moves, the stars of Kung Fu. And he loves it so much that he actually sends all his noodle customers packing to see the competition to pick the Dragon Warrior. And does not mind carting his noodle cart up the hill! So much for desire. One thing in place for the champ.

Extra Mile
Po's desire does not stop at trying hard. He wants to get into the arena somehow to watch. When the doors shut on him, he does not sit outside and wait and wail, he tries everything he can to get in. He wants to see the competition badly. Po is catapulted right into the arena because one of his antics works and he lands in the exact spot that the Dragon Warrior is meant to be. And, is crowned the Dragon Warrior by Ugway, the wise tortoise, the grandmaster of Kung Fu.
Things happen when you want them badly enough.

There are no accidents
So says Ugway to his deputy Shifu, the master trainer who has trained fearsome Kung Fu warriors such as Tylon, the bad guy, and the fearsome five - Tigress, Viper, Mantis, Monkey and Crane. Shifu cannot believe that the Panda who has landed in the Dragon Warriors spot by accident can be the Dragon Warrior, or even a warrior. But Ugway repeats, there are no accidents.
Every one has a destiny to fulfill.

You must Believe
And Ugway reveals the greatest secret to man management, the secret that differentiates champion stuff from mediocrity - belief. He tells Shifu, who has no belief in his new student and who is trying all he can to get rid of him, that he must believe in him. Only then he will be able to see the Dragon Warrior in the Panda.

Unbounded enthusiasm
Po the Panda has one thing in his favor. His unbounded enthusiasm for Kung Fu and his joy at being with the masters. So even when Shifu puts him through all kinds of torturous tests he comes out with a smile and a typical wisecrack.

The true warrior never quits
So says Panda when Shifu is surprised to see him bounce back after each test. In fact after seeing Panda come back after the first few tests, the fearsome five also know that this Panda will come back. If there is one quality of the true Dragon Warrior, the champion of them all, it is this. Never to quit. He will always come back. And Po the Panda, despite being such a misfit, believes in that one rule - a true warrior never quits. And he keeps coming back again and again...


No Secret Ingredient

The Dragon Scroll, the prized property of the Dragon Warrior, reveals the one big secret to him and him only - that there is no secret ingredient. Now, this is a secret known to all champions, including the champion noodle maker of the valley, Po's father whose secret ingredient soup is a big hit. In a moment of paternal tenderness he reveals to Po, that the secret ingredient of the secret ingredient soup is NOTHING. You just got to believe that it is special.
And so for the Dragon Warrior too, there is no secret ingredient. He just believes that he is special!!

Desire, Belief, Enthusiasm, Joy and the attitude that says I Will Not Quit, will make the champion. It is never a question of will he achieve it, it is only a question of when and for how long does he wish to rule. Po has shown the way to millions and the only thing that must spur the rest is, if Po can do it, I can.

2 comments:

Dr. Ranjani said...

I was similarly impressed with the messages that are subtly embedded in the story of Po, destined to be the Dragon Warrior, but does not know how. One other message for coaches/mentors is that each student/protege needs something different to motivate him towards his goal. It was as much Shifu's learning as Po's.

Harimohan said...

Yes indeed! It is very much so...'you must believe...'