In his book, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John Maxwell lists 7 statements in the chapter “The Law of Victory.” That list is being used in this series “7 Statements of Leadership.” John Maxwell once wrote: “The best leaders feel compelled to rise to a challenge and do everything in their power to achieve victory for their people.” One of those those beliefs a leaders has, and the final one for this series is: they believe that victory is inevitable.
In the above referenced book, Maxwell asks if the reader has “ever thought about what separates the leaders who achieve victory from those who suffer defeat? What does it take to make a team a winner? ” He goes on to write that it is hard to “identify the quality that separates winners from losers.”
Every crisis has its own challenges. But I think that victorious leaders have one thing in common: they share an unwillingness to accept defeat. The alternative to winning is totally unacceptable to them. As a result, they figure out what must be done to achieve victory.
“Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory.“ George S. Patton
That is why leadership is responsible; losing is unacceptable; passion is unquenchable; creativity is essential; quitting is unthinkable; commitment is unquestionable. Without these, there is no victory.
“Victory belongs to the most persevering.“ Napoleon Bonaparte
In 1981, a movie titled “Victory: Now is a Time for Heroes,” came out. Some consider “Victory” the greatest soccer film ever, and to some a real war movie classic.
An inspirational movie set in the late WWII era inside a POW camp, Max Von Sidow played a high-ranking Nazi commandeer, who agrees to arrange a “football” match between the POW’s and the German national team. This is a propaganda stunt, something which really isn’t all that unrealistic considering the Nazi philosophy at the time.
Sylvester Stallone is the star of the film, as the tough American who has an escape plan, but needs to be on the soccer team in order to carry it out. That is arranged through a classic scene in which the real goalkeeper’s arm is broken purposely over two bed boards by Michael Cain, a co-star in the film. Cain, of course a Brit POW, is also in on the plan, along with the rest of the team.
A story of human courage and triumph, the inspirational play of the POW football team and the once inconceivable possibility that they can actually win the match against the Nazi’s, proves irresistible for the POW’s.
The contacts Stallone makes in his brief escape from the camp previously, sets up a half time breakout through the POW team’s locker room. Of course when they arrive through the shattered floor of a huge tub via the underground sewer system, Stallone is the first to bail. But would the rest of the team? Will Stallone return to help defeat the Nazi’s in a politically charged football match for the ages?
The end? It was a prisoner of war film set during World War Two and was vaguely based on the true story of a group of Ukrainians footballers who played and beat their Nazi occupiers. Defeat was not an option.
Leadership was responsible: For the mission to succeed, they did what was necessary. Losing was unacceptable both on and off the field. Passion was unquenchable as freedom can stir passion in anyone’s heart, and the Germans represented oppressiveness. Creativity was essential to put the American on the team. Quitting was unthinkable as too much was at stake in the mission. And commitment was unquestionable because the POWs wanted to see victory on the field and victory in the mission. Without these, there would have been no victory. But with these, victory is inevitable.
“That says it all. When you say, ‘Victory,’ that says it all.“ Drew Brees