Introduction
In 1997, Good Will Hunting, arrived to critical acclaim and provided the launching point for the movie stardom success of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. Good Will Hunting is the compelling story of a young man, deemed a genius by all whom know him, as he journeys from being a troubled social deviant to actualizing his God-given abilities as he learns to find acceptance of self and to experience emotional intimacy in the context of his relationships. Having watch the film numerous times, I am always drawn in and inspired by the interactions between Will Hunting and Sean Maguire, played by Robin Williams, a state-mandated psychologist assigned to Will upon his being charged with assault. Mr. Maguire’s leading and interactions with Will provide an excellent onscreen model of servant leadership which can aid all aspiring servant leaders in identifying specific practices and strategies essential for servant leadership.
In this paper, I will examine servant leadership practices and strategies of Sean Maguire in his relationship with Will Hunting. I will focus on three particular stages of their relationship (initial interactions, establishing credibility, and pursuing potential growth) while reflecting upon course texts throughout.
INITIAL INTERACTIONS
Upon being bailed out of a potential prison sentence by an elitist and well-renowned math professor at MIT, Will is informed by the professor that the court has mandated that he see a psychologist for a set period of time along with his work with the professor. Frustrated that none of his academic colleagues will take on the case after Will has manipulated and humiliated them, the professor turns to Sean Maguire, his roommate from college with whom his relationship has experienced strife and distancing throughout the years as their professional and personal lives have taken different paths. During the initial meeting between Will and Sean, Will makes his best attempt to derail the session by insulting and negating Sean’s professional field as well as his personal life. Will continues by expounding upon one of Sean’s personal paintings and attempts to psychoanalyze him via his artwork. The scene reaches its climax as Will ascertains that perhaps Sean married the wrong woman and Sean grabs Will by the neck, pinning him against the wall, tensely uttering “if you ever disrespect my wife again, I will end you!”. As the professor enters Sean’s office after Will leaves, Sean agrees to continue seeing Will. This illustrated a powerful principle of servant leadership which Ramsey (2006) articulates by saying “the servant-leader’s deliberate choice is to serve others” (p. 3). A key aspect of servant leadership is choosing to put aside personal offense or hurt in effort to serve others. While Sean had every right to refuse to see Will again, he chose continuing meeting with him because he identified his position to serve Will in spite of his present feelings of hurt or inferiority.
As Will approaches Sean in his office for their second visit ready to sit in his chair, Sean utilized a rather unorthodox counseling method by taking Will to a bench in a nearby park. Sean confronts Will about his derogatory comments during their previous visit, sharing his experience of surviving his wife as she died from cancer. The pinnacle of their encounter occurs when Sean gracefully and compassionately says:
“You think I know the first thing about how hard your life has been, how you feel, who you are, because I read Oliver Twist? Does that encapsulate you? Personally… I don’t give a shit about all that, because you know what, I can’t learn anything from you, I can’t read in some fuckin’ book. Unless you want to talk about you, who you are. Then I’m fascinated. I’m in. But you don’t want to do that do you sport? You’re terrified of what you might say. Your move, chief.”
One of the clear practices we can learn from Sean’s actions was his ability to forgive Will for his critical and hurtful remarks. Lennick & Kiel (2008) note that “when I forgive you, I continue to recognize that you have flaws, but I do not define you completely in terms of your flaws” (p. 112). Servant leaders must realize they will be hurt by the words and actions of others throughout the process of leadership. Just as Sean saw what he could potentially learn from Will, servant leaders must not allow their emotions to be the singular driving force of their practices and strategies. Servant leaders must not only be willing to forgive, but willing to move forward in their relationships with constituents seeking future learnings, opportunities, and successes.
Another important servant leadership strategy exemplified in this scene in Sean’s desire to listen to Will and learn about his life, his experiences, and his thoughts. Greenleaf (1977) certainly saw the significance of leaders employing listening skills and the impact it had upon workers “because true listening builds strength in other people” (p. 31). In regards to listening, it is imperative to specify the distinction between seizing opportunities as they come as opposed to proactively seeking and organizing one’s schedule to intentionally encourage and provide space and time for listening.
ESTABLISHING CREDIBILITY
As Sean and Will continue to meet throughout the movie, Will begins to ask perusing questions about Sean’s life and marriage after a complete session of silence. One critical interaction occurred when Will asked Sean if he would ever remarry which Sean promptly responded, “my wife is dead.”. After pressing him with the question a second time, Will says “that way you could actually go through the rest of your life without ever really knowing anybody”, rehashing an assertion previously made by Sean towards Will. While this may seem to be an inconsequential exchange, it is interesting to note how Will responds to this exchange with a graceful spirit rather than contention as he had earlier in the film. There are many similar moments throughout their sessions where Sean continues to build credibility and rapport with Will through basic personal connections in their interactions. Kouzes & Posner (2003) acknowledge the merit of this process when they write “the credibility foundation is built brick by brick. And as each new fragment is secured, the basis on which we can erect the hopes of the future is gradually built” (p. 25). Servant leaders are more effective when they appreciate the foundation of credibility steadily established in present interactions in light of a future hope for the individual and the organization.
Another element of establishing credibility happens during Sean’s interactions with the professor. While the professor is consumed with the potential results Will may produce in the future, Sean is more concerned with the constructing the road to those results by allowing Will to find ownership in those pursuits as he continues to strengthen their relationship. Thompson (2000) corroborates the importance of this strategy by saying “relationships that are totally objective and valued for their utility are unlikely to give rise to the level of trust and commitment that empowerment entails” (p. 189). It is essential for servant leaders to avoid focusing on the past of an individual or solely on their potential results. Rather, servant leaders must consider both of these criteria, but more importantly focus on building the bridge between the two through relationships.
PURSUING POTENTIAL GROWTH
In perhaps the most critical scene in the movie, Sean holds Will’s file detailing his records of being physically abused throughout his childhood scattered amongst foster families. After Sean shares with him his own childhood experience of physical abuse, he faces Will repeating “it’s not your fault” until Will breaks down, sobbing, and hugging Sean. The following scene portrays their final session of the court mandate where Will shares with Sean his choice to accept a job at one of the organizations set up through the professor. After Will confirms his desire to pursue this path, Sean shares with him his own choice to “put his money back on the table and see what kind of cards he gets”.A great concept of servant leadership displayed throughout the movie which comes to fruition in this scene is the strengthening of others. Just as Sean allowed Will the space, relationship, and time to move forward with his own decision, servant leaders must strengthen others to the point where they make decisions which are owned. When people are allowed to make decisions based upon their own beliefs they have personal accountability for their decisions and achievements (Kouzes & Posner, 2002, p. 284). When servant leaders strengthen their constituents to the point of ownership, they do not just aid in their achievement, but they also pass on this specific paradigm of leadership.
It is all too common for leaders to become complacent in their positions either out of fear of failure or fear of being uncomfortable. Sean’s decision to move out amongst the world again shows his ability not just be a servant leader to others, but also to apply such concepts to his own life. Greenleaf (2003) writes that servant leaders must “be more creative than most, and creativity is largely discovery, a push into the uncharted and the unknown” (p. 51). Servant leaders must not be held captive by the fear of the unknown. Instead, they must venture into the unknown, seeking to learn more about their self, experiencing new techniques and ways, and wrestling with their encounters to continue to learn to build a bridge from the past to the present to the future.
CONCLUSION
This has been an enjoyable paper to write and it will serve as connection between a film I love and the calling of servant leadership. I love the rawness of the dialogue and interactions found in Good Will Hunting, as it provides a realistic portrayal of life which is messy and complicated where pain and confusion plentifully abound in need of healing and direction. The closing scene of the movie shows Will driving in his car west (presumably on his way to Skylar, his girlfriend) leading viewers to believe that he had found reconciliation not just with his talents and potential career, but also with his relationships and fear of intimacy. I always watch this scene to the end through the credits because it inspires me with the hope of being able to move beyond pain and confusion for all people. This hope is what exudes from the hearts of servant leaders.
REFERENCES
Greenleaf, R.K. (1977). Servant leadership: a journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness. Mahwah, New Jersey: Paulist Press.
Greenleaf, R.K. (2003). The servant leader within: a transformative path. Mahwah, New Jersey: Paulist Press.
Kouzes, J.M. & Posner, B.Z. (2003). Credibility: How leaders gain and lose it, why people demand it. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Kouzes, J.M. & Posner, B.Z. (2002). The leadership challenge. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Lennick, D. & Kiel, F. (2008). Moral intelligence: enhancing business performance & leadership success. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson.
Ramsey, M. (2006). Servant leadership and unconditional forgiveness: The lives of six south African perpetrators. The International Journal of Servant Leadership, 2(1), 87-113.
Thompson, C.M. (2000). The congruent life: following the inward path to fulfilling work and inspired leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass
