Blog #2

The clip I picked was from the film Rocky V.  I want to show the relationship between Rocky and Mickey because it relates closely to the leadership model.  In this clip Rocky goes back Mickeys gym where most of his time has been spent in his life and it’s all run down and beat up.  For those who don’t know in the previous films this gym had a lot of life and energy.  I believe that this scene hits the components of the relational leadership model.

The clip opens up to a flash back of Rocky and Mickey training in the ring before the fight against Apollo Creed.  The leadership of Mickey to Rocky is evident in the training because Rocky listens to Mickey by slipping the jab and other training techniques.  Mickey is able to empower Rocky by encouraging him to keep going and telling him many motivational words.  For instance, when Mickey tells him he is going to roll over Apollo like an Italian bulldozer and that he is ready.  These words of motivation are also showing how much confidence Mickey has in Rocky.  Another part of this clip where you see Mickey being empowering is when he gives Rocky the cuff-link.  This cuff-link isn’t just a piece of jewelry to Mickey but his most favorite item he owns.  This cuff-link has a lot of meaning and to give it to Rocky it had great purpose.  Mickey says that when Rocky feels like he’s going down that this is a little angel on his shoulder that will be there to tell him keep going and fight.  After watching this clip you might not have noticed the ethical aspect of it or at least what I have noticed after seeing these films multiple times.  What I believe is that Mickey has strong ethical values that he has been teaching Rocky all along.  He mentions to Rocky that when he is no longer living that he will have instilled the knowledge in him how to fight but also how to live outside of the ring.  To me this is not only ethical and showing Mickeys purpose but empowering for Rocky to achieve greatness.  One final aspect that I believe might have been overlooked was when Mickey says Rocky gives him the motivation to keep on living.  This I believe shows how the relationship between the two goes way beyond just boxing, coaching, and leading Rocky to the big fight.