The film Passion and Discipline: Don Quixote’s Lessons for Leadership by James G. March brought up the points that a good leader has to have qualities displayed by don Quixote, including Imagination, Commitment, and Joy (Beauty). I agree with James G. March about his ideas.

Imagination

Although he is labeled as crazy, don Quixote is able to use his imagination to pursue his interests and dreams. People may read don Quixote’s imagination as singular because no one else can see what he sees, however, many characters willingly go along with don Quixote’s false reality and even though they may not believe it they at least are able to use their imagination to extend or verify don Quixote’s story. Don Quixote himself may not be a leader, but if one is to be a good leader they need to have an imagination in order to see future possibilities as technology, the economy, and people grow and change, therefore leaders can easily and creatively mold operations, projects, and businesses around the changes.

Commitment

Don Quixote’s commitment in the novel is clear, many characters try to fix him or tell him he is wrong/crazy, but no matter what he continues to be his own person and believe his own things. He is so committed to his beliefs he gets others to shape around his ideas. Being committed to his knightly duties allows for him to be content with his life and be blissfully unaware of those who are mocking him. A good leader must display commitment, many upcoming business men and women get told no all the time, it’s the one yes that can make a company. Waiting for that yes and never given up shows that the leader of that company isn’t going to abandon projects or people just because something may be hard. Being committed to the people you are leading means that you would never give up on them or their ideas, which makes someone a good leader.

Joy (Beauty)

The origin of who don Quixote is, comes from the joy he felt while reading the chivalry novels and the beauty he saw in the time period/ fantasy reality. Don Quixote is constantly moving forward and finding joy in his next quest and in being able to do his knightly duties, he sees the beauty in fantasy characters (such as Dulcinea) and his reality is one that is highly filtered to the wonders and possibilities from the knight novels.

A good leader needs to have joy because when the person running the operation is sad or angry then so are those working underneath them which leads to things like strikes. Leaders need to be able to see the beauty in things because if everything is ugly or negative then they won’t care able the small worker and therefore they wont see how hard people work and care. Seeing beauty allows for a leader to be able to be more creative, see the good things in life, and appreciate the small things that allow for them to be a leader in the first place.

Sancho Panza

In chapters 46-55 Sancho Panza ended up feeling that he wasn’t able to lead, however, that may have been the best decision because what he was leading was just a big joke. He proved to be a pretty good governor even through all the practical jokes played on him. Sancho had an imagination because he was able to creatively solve the problems of his people, he was committed because he has wanted to be a governor from the very beginning of the novel and was able to give it a whole-hearted chance, and he had joy/ saw beauty because he was content with his new position (so much that he sent his wife a letter) and he tried to see the good in his people/job; “And this being so, I think you should tell these señores who sent you to me, since the reasons for condemning him and absolving him are exactly equal, they should let him go free, since it’s more praiseworthy to do good rather than bad” (Chapter LI).