Yes, I am a child of the 80’s, and I watched a lot of
television back then. I had no idea that
the characters I grew up watching would offer insight into well, anything. In an effort to justify the endless hours I
spent in front of the television, I’ve come up with 10 examples of leadership
traits found in some iconic characters from a time when skinny ties were in and
every kid had a Rubik’s Cube.
Richie Cunningham (Ron Howard) from
Happy
Days may not have gotten the attention that the Fonz did, but at the
end of the day, it was his level headed nature that was the moral compass for
the rest of the characters.
Edna Garret (Charlotte Rae) was more than just a housemother at a boarding
school on
The Facts of Life,
she was also everyone’s friend, confidant, and role model.
- Show common sense when making decisions
Judge Harold T. Stone (Harry Anderson) was faced with many ridiculous cases as
he presided over his
Night Court,
but always seemed to weigh all the factors and make the best decision.
- Tell a story to make your point
The highlight of almost any episode of
Golden
Girls was when Rose Nylund (Betty White) told one of her stories,
something many effective leaders are adept at doing to illustrate a point or
create a mood
ALF, or Gordon Shumway as he
was known on Melmac, owned whatever room he entered, whether on his planet or
ours.
- Collaboration is essential
Laverne DaFazio (Penny Marshall) and Shirley Feeney (Cindy Williams) from
Laverne & Shirley were
nothing alike, but each week they managed to get into and out of trouble by
working together.
Bosom Buddies was only on the
air for 37 episodes, but Kip (Tom Hanks)
and Henry (Peter Scolari) spent most of
them in women’s clothes in order to live in an affordable apartment, be close
to the woman of his dreams, and gather material for a book.
- Be personable and quick witted
Who could ever forget when Norm Peterson (George Wendt) entered
Cheers? He was greeted with a chorus of “Norm” and
answered with a clever retort before taking his corner seat at the bar.
Alex P. Keaton (Michael J. Fox) knew what he wanted from the moment he was born,
wealth, and spent every minute trying to get it on
Family Ties.
Governor Eugene Xavier Gatling (James Noble)from
Benson may not have been the most conventional governor, and
perhaps he was even a bit dimwitted, but he lead with his heart in the right
place.
Did I miss any of your favorites? What decade did you grow up in
and what did you learn from those characters?
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