How "To Sir, With Love" shows relational leadership

This is quite an older movie, but one of my favorites from when I was younger. "To Sir, With Love," featuring Sidney Poitier, is about a London school teacher that goes above and beyond in trying to enrich the lives of his students. Many of the other teachers - even the principal - have lost hope in these kids; they are considered lost causes. Rather than let his students walk over him, Poitier's character Mark Thackeray makes them respect him by in turn showing them respect and setting expectations.

Because of the age of the film, there were not many clips online to choose from. This clip, though not the greatest example of leadership as opposed to some of the other scenes, highlights many aspects of relational leadership. His speech is purposeful: he indicates the guidelines for his class and how he expects the students to interact with each other. He expects the men to call the women, "Miss." He incorporates inclusiveness: not as much in this particular scene, but as his students start to respect him, they begin to have more open ended conversations in which he actually learns valuable lessons from his students. In this clip, he says that they will listen to him without interruption and then someone will have the chance to speak without interruption. He is empowering: both his commanding presence and his genuine commitment to helping his students achieve point to this. His tone is clear and concise. His interactions with the students are ethical: because Thackeray is genuine in his desire for them not to fail, he teaches them the right way to handle situations and interact with others. Most of these students are drop-outs from other schools and have few prospects. He tries to reach them in terms they can understand. He talks about dating and the proper way to deal with the opposite sex. Later in the film, he encourages and assists some of the more interested students in getting jobs.

Poitier's character certainly did not set himself up to be a leadership. Out of concern for the dismal lives of these students, he took a personal interest in their success. Leadership can blossom from a desire to do good, as it does in, "To Sir, With Love."

If you haven't seen this movie, I certainly suggest it!

-Paige