This feature on Forrest Gump is a section under Leadership Movies, a series of films with leadership themes. Learn about how you can become a better leader by watching leadership in action.
LEADERSHIP MOVIES’ RATING: (5 out of 5)
What is the Movie About?
Forrest Gump is a 1994 comedy-drama film that was a huge commercial success, earning US$677 million worldwide during its theatrical run.
Forrest Gump is a mentally challenged person sharing his life story with strangers passing by as he sits in the park bench. Though he has touched many people in his life, he is largely unaware of it.
Leadership Takeaways
1. Lead by being true to yourself
You might think what a story like Forrest Gump has to do with leadership, but once John Maxwell said, leadership is influence. Throughout his life, although he was largely unaware of it, he has touched many lives along the way just simply by being true to himself.
Unlike us, due to his mental illness, Forrest does not have the facilities to try to hide his true self, and his real self shines through in his story telling.
We can influence people just by being true to who we are. I believe that is the main lesson that Forrest Gump teaches us.
2. Storytelling speaks to the heart
Once again how a simple person like Forrest Gump can impact others deeply just by sharing his own story.
No matter how much we try to preach, a simple story to illustrate can get your point across much faster. Instead of telling people to ‘follow their dreams’, Forrest Gump influences us to do so just by sharing his own story to follow his dreams.
Best Movie Quotes
“Life is like a box of chocolates… you never know what you’re gonna get.” – Mrs Gump
“Now, because I had been a football star, and a war hero, and a national celebrity, and a shrimpin’ boat captain, and a college graduate, the city of fathers of Greenbow, Alabama, decided to get together and offered me a fine job. So I never went back to work for Lieutenant Dan, though he did take care of my Bubba-Gump money. He got me invested in some kind of fruit company. And so then I got a call from him saying we don’t have to worry about money no more. And I said “That’s good. One less thing.” Now, Momma said there’s only so much fortune a man really needs and the rest is just for showing off. So, I gave a whole bunch of it to the Foursquare Gospel Church and I gave a whole bunch to the Bayou La Batre Fishing Hospital. And even though Bubba was dead, and Lieutenant Dan said I was nuts, I gave Bubba’s momma Bubba’s share.” – Forrest Gump
Movie Trailer
Other Leadership Movies
You can find out more about other leadership movies from the list below.
- The Pursuit of Happy-ness
- Braveheart
- Kingdom of Heaven
- The Thin Red Line
- Saving Private Ryan
- Forrest Gump
- The Star Wars Trilogy
- The Million Dollar Baby
- Twelve Angry Men
- The Last Samurai
- Coach Carter
- Ip Man
- Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
- 300
- Lion King
- Facing the Giants
- The Blind Side
- Remember the Titans