SPOILER WARNING! I'm a big fan of the recent Planet of the Apes series and I saw the most recent film, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes twice last weekend. Other than the excellent cinematography and interesting plot-line, I enjoyed seeing Caesar the leader. The movie both begins and ends with the viewer looking into the menacing, yet thoughtful eyes of Caesar. No longer the cuddly pet of James Franco, Caesar leads a large group of sentient apes in the woods north of the ruins of San Francisco. Through the trials and tribulations associated with their encounter, and then war, with the humans, we see Caesar make the hard decisions of a leader. In a stark comparison to the human leaders of San Francisco, Caesar holds greater command over his people. He doesn't need a bullhorn to talk over the rabble. All that Caesar needs to do is yell "No" and stand up. Then, the apes get quiet, listen, and follow without further dispute. It is not out of fear of Caesar, but rather out of respect.
Caesar has earned this respect by providing for his people a safe place to live for 10 years as humans faced an apocalypse. Furthermore, Caesar never lets his subordinates get out of line, ever. He understands that for the tribe to succeed, Caesar's position must be perfectly understood and respected. However, he does entrust his subordinates (though too much in Koba's case) with powers and does appreciate their opinions. It is understood that Caesar's decision is final and when Caesar comes down on his subordinates, he does not seek to humiliate them or belittle them. When Koba gets out of line when discussing what to do about the newfound human colony, Caesar is quick to forgive and shows his appreciation for a job well done.
Caesar's greatest strength though may lie in his ability to reason. While his lieutenant, Koba, mistakes his peacefulness for weakness, Caesar is more than ready to fight for his tribe and for his beliefs. Caesar never makes hasty decisions, and it is this ability to be calm in the face of fire that allows him to save his people. Even when one of the humans threatens his newborn son, Caesar is able to remain in control and make an appropriate decision that both keeps the peace, and projects his strength. Later, he understands all too well what he must do to retake his position from Koba and accepts fully the mistakes of his decisions. In business, we are faced with issues of leaderships every day.
One of the main things our Franchise Partners learn through their training and consultation with Frank & Cynthia Berger is how to effectively lead a business. Being able to effectively lead, whether it be a tribe of intelligent apes, a family, or a small business, is essential to the success of that group.
