Synopsis:
Caesar, playing the protagonist was born as a different ape. His mother Bright Eyes was being tested by a Pharmaceutical company in an attempt to find the cure for Alzheimer. Hence, Caesar’s intelligence is incomparable to those of other apes and his abilities far greater. As a threat to human’s existence, apes are tortured to extinction but they managed to find sanctuary deep in the forest. Caesar leads the apes in the pursuit of safe-haven and the movie franchise unlocks the conquest of humans and apes for survival and their confrontation against each other.
Caesar, playing the protagonist was born as a different ape. His mother Bright Eyes was being tested by a Pharmaceutical company in an attempt to find the cure for Alzheimer. Hence, Caesar’s intelligence is incomparable to those of other apes and his abilities far greater. As a threat to human’s existence, apes are tortured to extinction but they managed to find sanctuary deep in the forest. Caesar leads the apes in the pursuit of safe-haven and the movie franchise unlocks the conquest of humans and apes for survival and their confrontation against each other.
‘Survival’ may sound cliche but this lies at the center of every single chapter. Realistically, this very concept has drawn millions of fans around the world and continues to generate stocks of value for the movie franchise. With that said, movie’s main character does imply leadership brilliance. And here I share few characteristics entrepreneurs can takeaway from this chapter, War for the Planet of Apes.
A. Have a Plan: Caesar’s super power puts him in a vulnerable position. He’s the chosen one to lead Apes’ survival odyssey during which he finds rivals within the apes. He is compassionate towards the humans who do not pose threats but confronts mutiny by some of the Apes who lack this ability.
Today’s business landscape is characterized by uncertainty and competition which lowers the profit margin for the companies. Entrepreneurs are not new to these phenomena. Thanks to globalization and growing need for the Internet. Overwhelming options for consumer products and services put the companies at the juncture to pick quality with premium price or quantity with strategically reduced costs. You need to sort things internally to become giant for the external battlefield. However, amidst the
Caesar’s persistence to find a safe-haven for his fellow apes cost him the lives of his wife and son. That’s when his ability is challenged as a compassionate ape and a leader. He is enraged to avenge the loss of his family leaving the remaining apes behind. Apparently, Caesar’s rage took over his abilities and he goes on a war with no plan. Peter Thiel in his book, Zero to One says, ‘the bad plan is better than no plan’. That’s true, an entrepreneur should have a plan to wade through ideal and not very ideal times no matter how bad, irrelevant and absurd it sounds. You’ll learn to improvise along the way.
B. Be a Good Listener: In the quest to avenge his family murder, Caesar wanted to battle the protagonist on his own knowing he might not return. His friends follow him like all loyal friends and disciples. Caesar resists his friends because of the unknown ahead of him saying, “I am not sure if I will return”. To this Maurice, the closest Ape to Caesar says, “that’s why I will come to make sure you do”. The movie teaches us an important lesson which Ben Horowitz pens as “feedback is a dialogue not monologue” in his book The Hard Thing about Hard Things.
We need to understand that not every decision we make can be right. A meaningful dialogue, by genuine appreciation to others’ insights and intelligence may unlock better solutions that will increase the likelihood of success and greater value. As a founder of your company, you may think to have all the brilliant ideas but not every idea works or maybe it works generating only minimal profit. Someone may know the smarter and better way to make things happen so your job is not only and solely to depend on your ideas but look for people who are smarter, faster and better problem solvers. Listen to them and appreciate the value they bring to something you are passionate about.
C. Be a People Leader:
As an entrepreneur, you may rely on your technical skills and financial strengths but remember, you need a team of people to materialize your ambition; i.e. to generate profit, to bring solutions to world problems or whatever motivation behind your entrepreneurship. Too often entrepreneurs underestimate the value of compassion, humility and people management that they either cease or grow or grow marginally and slowly.
Although the movie shows how far both humans and apes go to protect their species from extinction, both protagonist and antagonists show that deep inside, they are kind. Caesar’s confrontation with Nova, a girl helps restore his faith in humans. He does not appreciate her company when he’s fighting her own kind but along the way, his faith prevails. In today’s highly competitive business environment, building a strong team is one of the secrets to your success. Big companies like Google, GE, BCG, Airbnb or smaller firms spend millions on building the right culture where employees feel empowered and motivated to work. You may not have large budget for investment but all you need is generosity to spend time with your team, show that you have their back and that their contribution does add value to what your company is built for. This may unlock new opportunities for growth. Would it give it a try?
What did you learn from War for the Planet of Apes?
Enlighten us by sharing your thoughts in the comment section.
Jawad Jahid
