Netflix got the rights to Cobra Kai, initially launched on YouTube Red in 2020. Although the drama series captured many people’s attention back in 2018, its popularity surged when it moved to Netflix.
Cobra Kai’s impressive writing style, storyline, life lessons, and jokes made it blast from the beginning and enabled it to bring a refreshing change.
Although people wonder whether a TV show can teach anything about leadership, the following are seven leadership lessons to take away from Netflix’s popular show:
1. Leaders Should Be Authentic
Although Johnny and Daniel approached martial artwork that interconnected the destinies in different approaches, both of them were authentic. While Johnny could be insensitive, politically wrong, and absolute mean, he has a golden heart. He explains to children that they need to study martial arts to enhance their self-defense skills because the world sometimes becomes the wrong place to meet dangerous people.
As their successful firms reflect, Richard Branson, Sam Walton, and Henry Ford are the three leaders who understood that authenticity is key to success.
2. Leaders Should Convey Their Distinctive Quality
In one of season two’s episodes, Daniel and Miyagi-do perform a karate demonstration to introduce folks to their dojo at a local fair. Johnny realizes this and decides Cobra Kai will serve as their demonstration. Although Miyaki-do’s demo was calm and temperate, Cobra Kai’s was extreme- loud music, fireworks, and rigorous. Cobra Kai’s uniqueness differentiated it from the competitors.
In business, leaders must recognize their distinctive qualities, and Elon Musk is a good example.
3. Leaders Must Learn and Listen
Cobra Kai revolves around Johnny, a character who redeemed himself through Karate despite the faced hardships. When everything seemed to be falling apart, Johnny learned from Miguel and modified Cobra Kai’s motto. Cees’t Hart, Carlsberg Group’s CEO, is an example of a leader who has demonstrated this ability-to learn and listen.
4. Leaders Should Give Quality
In today’s political environment, Johnny’s methods are unconventional, but Cobra Kai’s learners win. Johnny gives the quality service that boosts their confidence and enables them to win.
Microsoft and Compaq dominated the computing world in the 90s. Still, Steve Jobs took advantage of people’s willingness to pay more for high-quality products, a strategy that has made Apple one of the largest companies in the world today.
5. Leaders Should Understand Teamwork Significantly Contributes To Success
Cobra Kai shows many examples of teamwork. Daniel and his spouse must collaborate to save their leadership, and Cobra Kai learners work as a team to win the All Valley Karate Awards.
From 2013, teamwork enabled Ford to increase its earnings by $1.1 billion.
6. Leaders Must Find a Balance Between Work and Life
Although Johnny concentrates much on Cobra Kai, he’s divorced, and the relationship between him and his son is weak. In contrast, Daniel has a successful marriage and business and a strong relationship with his family. However, his strong desire to destroy Cobra Kai makes him forget everything else that mattered to him, including family. Nevertheless, leaders need to balance all aspects of their lives.
The lessons mentioned above can help leaders make their teams work effectively, accept their responsibility, and create trust with their subordinates.
Originally published on JavillByron.org