The Leadership Coach

Two nights ago my wife and I sat down to watch a DVD.

Julie and Julia (starring the timeless and brilliant Meryl Streep) is the story of one of America's first TV chefs, Julia Child. And as I lay in bed afterwards it occurred to me that this phenomenal woman - so gloriously lampooned by Saturday Night Live - is a leadership role model in a number of interesting ways.

For those who don't know, Julia Child was married to American diplomat Paul Child. As he travelled the world on assignment with the US Foreign Service, Julia followed along as the dutiful wife. Yet she was capable of so much more. Of good East Coast stock Julia craved a purpose, and when Paul was transferred to Paris she found her calling.

Through sheer force of will she made her way into the male-dominated school of Cordon Bleu, an amateur alongside professionals. Here she applied herself with a blend of vigour and determination so powerful, she out cooked each and every one of them.

Upon graduating from Cordon Bleu she met and began to do business with two French women chefs - teaching American women in Paris how to cook French food. This turned into a book - the now famous 'Mastering the Art of French Cooking' - which took several years to write and a similar amount of time to publish. But publish it she did. And as it sold Julia's fame spread until she was approached by a TV station to bring her singular style and passion for food to a hungry nation.

What stood out for me in the tale of this remarkable woman was three things.

1) Passion: Julia had a passion for food and for cooking that seemed unquenchable. She embraced every meal, no matter how simple, as though it was the first or the last she would ever eat. She delighted in the materials and methods of her trade and this love infused her writing and her TV shows.

2) Humility: What shines out of the movie is that Julia was very humble. She had confidence in herself and a strong belief in what she could achieve. But I perceived she was not dominated by her ego (like many TV chefs are today: Gordon Ramsay!). This enabled her to connect with people in a an intimate way, and more importantly, meant she was always willing to learn new things from someone who knew more.

3) Determination: Perhaps the strongest leadership message was the importance of determination. When Julia set her mind to something she was going to achieve it, no matter what! The level of commitment she made to her work was inspirational. I get the feeling she could have achieved anything she wanted, not because of natural ability, but because of unshakability. This is a leadership characteristic that has lost its popularity over the last five or ten years.

Passion, Humility, Determination: I love the fact that such inspirational lessons can be found in the most unlikely of places. Watch the movie, enjoy the cooking and tell me what you think about the leadership.