It’s been a little while but in continuing with our Cinema Coach series, it would be almost irresponsible to not mention one of the most effective and well-executed examples of the difference that a change in perspective can make: The Karate Kid and the Cobra Kai YouTube series. Now this is a bit of a deviation from Cinema Coach since the idea is to do a movie that illustrates a coaching concept. However, this combines both the original 1984 movie with the 2018 YouTube series. So let’s kick it off!
The (Spoiler-Free) Plot
The original Karate Kid is the story of Daniel LaRusso, a teenager who moves from New Jersey to California with his mother during high school. There he meets Ally, a girl whose jealous ex-boyfriend, Johnny, is a local karate champion. Daniel is bullied by Johnny and his friends until he meets his own soon-to-be karate teacher, Mr. Miyagi. Miyagi trains Daniel to defend himself, and eventually, Daniel beats Johnny in the All-Valley Karate Tournament.
The Cobra Kai YouTube series takes place 30 years after the events of the original Karate Kid movie, except it takes on the perspective of Johnny, Daniel’s “bully” in the movie. It follows Johnny’s story as an adult trying to pick up the pieces of life after the tournament, taking on odd jobs until he decides to re-open the Cobra Kai dojo and start training students. His primary student, Miguel, becomes a friend to him in the process, and the two realize their own growth throughout the series.
The Power of Perspective
Growing up watching the original Karate Kid, it’s difficult to see any perspective other than Daniel’s and Miyagi’s. The audience is taken down an emotional journey with them where Daniel is portrayed as the victim of seemingly relentless bullying, being “the new kid” and falling for Johnny’s ex-girlfriend. But what if that story isn’t absolute? It’s best illustrated by the video clip below from Cobra Kai.
After watching Johnny tell “his side” of the story, the way things occurred in his mind, it occurs to me that, as humans, true objectivity is almost impossible. The variance between Daniel’s and Johnny’s stories is stark, and yet neither of them is lying (presumably). It’s completely believable that Johnny had the impression that he relays to Miguel, and having watched the original movie, we all can share in Daniel’s also-believable perspective.
So What Does This All Mean?
The lesson in perspective taught by this series is difficult to ignore. With every party involved in a situation, there comes a new point of view to consider. They will see things differently, potentially in direct conflict with others who are seeing the exact same events unfold. As leaders, it is important to take yourself out of your own head and to attempt to see things from others’ perspectives as often as possible. This kind of practice will allow you to more easily do so when it matters in your own life and in your own work. As coaches, it is our responsibility to partner with our clients to help them begin to see other perspectives if they don’t already, and that will help them develop into stronger, more capable leaders.
If you’re interested in coaching or want to find out more, schedule a consult with Nayan Leadership to find out how we can help you on your leadership journey.
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