Twelve O'Clock High: Lead Character Savage Depicts Different Leadership Styles and Management Theories
The classic World War II movie from 1949, Twelve O'Clock High by Darryl F. Zanuck, is a film that depicts different leadership styles and management theories. The film through its lead character of General Frank Savage, played by Gregory Peck, accurately shows how a transformational character can be a dynamic force on those around him. Furthermore, the contrast of Savage's leadership style with other officers serves to illustrate the service leader. Theories X and Y can be seen in the group's behavior as the film progresses. At the beginning of the film, the Army Air Corps 918th Bombing Group is suffering from a classic case of Theory X. The unit is known as the hard luck group due to low morale and excessive losses during bombing missions. As a result, the group is finding ways to avoid their duties by pretending to be ill. The men have no ambition for their duties and shirk responsibility whenever possible. In order to motivate the men, the officers have adopted a soft approach in which they attempt to be sympathetic to the men while trying to gain their trust and, eventually, obedience. Colonel Keith Davenport is the officer most guilty of this type of management. He tries to work with the men by showing empathy and
Savage is Davenport's antithesis when it comes to leadership. Davenport does not want the lieutenant to feel badly about himself. Ideally, this method of leadership would work to inspire the men to become better workers, better leaders, and self-actualized people. He fears that they are becoming stressed by the job they are doing, and they are overworked whenever the weather is clear enough to bomb. He serves alongside the men taking on as much work as they do and at times bearing more of the burden. An early step he takes is to arrest and demote one of the current officers. Loyalty to the group is paramount in dangerous situations where all guns must be used to guard against the enemy. He reacts by expanding leadership which helps promote pride, yet he still does not let up on the men and continues to push them to be better. Savage witnesses the sloppy discipline of the group in several ways in his first few minutes on base. To assist him in stalling the transfers, Savage enlists the assistance of another officer, Major Stovall. In general, however, Savage adopts a hard line with the men at first. Although Stovall may not agree with Savage's methodology, Stovall wants the failing group to succeed and recognizes the necessity of change in leadership styles. There is simply too much emotional contact between the leader and his followers. The men believe that their work has no bearing on the war. Others, such as the doctor who is more of a service leader like Davenport, disagree with Savage and insist that the men are suffering from stress.
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