Leadership In Hercules

Disney’s Hercules begins with narration from an unnamed and little-used narrator. He asks the question, “What is the measure of a true hero (Dewey, 1997)?” For the purposes of this analysis, we will ask the same question, only, we will ask “What is the measure of a true leader?” and how does Hercules answer that question. An animated film released in 1997, Hercules offers an interesting perspective as to what leadership is, and demonstrates its approach in the characters and the society that the film portrays. The first place to look in this film for leadership is obviously the titular character: Hercules. Herc as a teenager has difficulty controlling his strength. He has poor luck when he goes to the city and completely demolishes
The most prominent example of a leader (a positional leader, even) is Philoctetes. The satyr demonstrates one of Kouzes and Posner’s (2006) two commitments contained within the category, “Enable Others to Act,” one of their “Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership” (p. 14). Phil, in one instance “strengthen[ed]” Hercules “by increasing self-determination and developing competence” (p. 22). Hercules, having lost his sword while trying to protect the fair Megara from a hideous monster, has a difficult time gaining the upper hand on his adversary. Herc’s faithful companion Pegasus races to offer his aid to Hercules, but Phil prevents Pegasus from doing so, saying that Hercules needs to overcome this on his own. Phil leaves Hercules to succeed on his own; Phil trusted that Hercules was capable, and by allowing Hercules to try and succeed individually, his competence and self-determination were developed. Hercules built confidence and was now an improved
Hades rules by fear and godly power. He can order his minions to do anything he wills. Meg is constrained to his orders because, as an Olympian god, he has cursed her to serve him for a set amount of time. Throughout the film Hades orders Meg to complete tasks and arrange situations for Hades to sap Herc’s strength, but as Hercules and Megara develop a romance, Meg becomes conflicted as she realizes the right thing to do is to oppose Hades’ plan despite his power over her and the consequences he may extend to her. She could have followed Hades’ orders and preserved herself, but she disobeyed him, demonstrating ethical leadership as she sought help and showed initiative in reconciling with and gathering Pegasus and Philoctetes to assist