Leadership Lessons from Groundhog Day

Who doesn’t love the movie Groundhog Day? Groundhog Day was released in 1993 starring Bill Murray and was a moderate success at its release. It is now a full cult classic, with almost anyone you speak to, familiar with the movie and the fun it creates. If you haven’t seen it, stop now and go watch it. Seriously. It is worth the watch regardless of the time of year or mood you’re in. When it’s done, it’s just plain silly fun that will make you smile. With the actual Groundhog Day happening (as I initially release this), it seemed timely to mention the leadership lessons that come from it. I know that seems like a stretch, especially since I just described it as silly fun above. But there are a few gems of leadership that Phil Connors embodies across a slightly more than an hour and half long movie.

Phil is a self-serving, ego-driven arse to begin this movie. He is not well liked by his colleagues, and they grow even more frustrated with him as the events of the big day in Punxsutawney begin to unfold. As the situation moves from bad to worse and the weather seals them into the city, Phil is barely tolerable. So, how on earth can we gain any leadership knowledge from him? Well, things change, as you’ll see. And, before we get into some specifics, there is an initial lesson that comes from his behavior, people don’t like people who are all about themselves and their problems. Leaders serve others. They are selfless in nature and seek opportunities where everyone can benefit. That was not Phil at the beginning.

Change Happens

Despite a rhetorical question in the movie about being stuck in the same place where nothing ever changes, we all know that would never happen. And even in the movie where he was stuck in the same place, everything kept changing around him. Phil learns that is actions, his behavior, his mindset matter in how others see him and the difference he can make.

Be Your Authentic Self

Early on, Phil tries to learn things purely to impress others, especially Rita. He finds that it doesn’t work. She sees through it, and he cannot keep up the charade. That also happens in real life. Unless you are authentic to yourself and how you work with others, they will see through you. Authenticity is a critical element of great leaders. You never hear anyone describe a highly admired leader as someone who constantly lies, or is self-serving, and cannot be trusted. (And please do not try to apply that to any political ‘leaders’…)

Serve Others

Throughout his journey, Phil learns that he can make a bigger difference by serving other’s true needs, versus just staying self-centered. The deeper part of the lesson is when he begins to do it because he wants to and sees the value, versus just a thought of, “I should be nice to other people.” This may be one of the biggest lessons of the entire movie, Phil learns it is not about him, it is about those around him, and that brings him joy. He sees the personal benefits of what connecting with others can pay back in his own enjoyment of life, and even his success in the community.

Striving for Perfection Doesn’t Make It Right

Phil seemingly believes he has to get everything that happens across the day exactly right, and that will release him from the loop. But, in fact, he learns it is not about everything being perfect, but more about how he interacts and engages others in a meaningful and authentic way. We can get all the tasks of the day does exactly right, we can say the perfect thing. And until you realize that everything must fit together in the bigger picture of support, it won’t matter if you say the exact right thing in a meeting or sweat all the little details. It is about how we are all the time and not just moments in time. Perfection doesn’t make you right or likable (not to mention, perfection is always relative to a personal point of view). Think beyond the individual moments or actions, and focus on supporting at the greater level.

So, after an internet estimated up to 4,576 days stuck in a Groundhog Day loop (spoiler alert) Phil finally gets it right, gets the girl, and lives happily ever after. (By the way, there are numerous YouTube videos that can show you countless ways of counting how many days Phil was stuck. Go with my number and save yourself some time.) And, in case you’re wondering, that is twelve years, six months, and eleven days. But he did emerge a better person and someone that others could look up to and follow. Being an effective leader doesn’t necessarily have to take that long, but certainly over time you hone your skills, build stronger credibility, as well as strengthen trust among a larger group of followers. Even in that one final lesson from the movie, we learn that leadership doesn’t happen in a day.

What are some of your favorite moments from Groundhog Day, and what leadership lessons can you take away?

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Photo by Steve Wrzeszczynski on Unsplash