A Particular Set of Skills

The 2008 movie Taken, is the story of a man, a former CIA agent played by Liam Neeson, whose daughter has been kidnapped in Paris by Albanian sex traffickers. In a now-famous line from the film, Neeson’s character, Brian Mills, warns the kidnappers over the phone:

“I don’t know who you are. I don’t know what you want. If you are looking for ransom I can tell you I don’t have any money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills I have acquired over a long career… if you don’t [let my daughter go], I will look for you. I will find you, and I will kill you.”

To make a long story short, the kidnappers soon learned of Mills’ particular skills and he ultimately retrieved his daughter from them, safe and sound.

This scene resonated with audiences and the “particular set of skills” line has become iconic in pop culture, generating countless internet memes.

The Mills character is not arrogant and he is not bragging when he warns the kidnappers. He calmly exudes confidence because he knows exactly what he is capable of due to his training and experience. The movie audience is able to relate to Mills’ self-assuredness just as any follower relates to a self-assured, confident leader.

Is it possible for us, as public sector leaders, to have this much influence on our followers? Do we not have a “particular set of skills acquired over a long career” that allow us to lead our followers with the same amount of confidence?

The answer is: Of course we do!

Over the past 9 weeks, this blog has highlighted a number of skills and traits required for success in public sector leadership. We have studied examples of public sector leaders who have made a positive difference in their communities and organizations.

• Captain Michael Abrashoff ran the Best Damn Ship in the Navy by articulating a mission objective his crew could embrace and were motivated to achieve.
• Likewise, Mark Aesch turned around a failing New York public transportation service by rallying his people around a collective goal of “getting people where they want to go, quickly, easily, and affordably.” Simple, yet incredibly effective.
• Rudy Giuliani portrayed resolute strength in the face of catastrophe becoming a confident symbol for New Yorkers and all of America. In his book on the subject of leadership, Giuliani speaks of courage of conviction, preparation for the improbable (so one isn’t surprised by the impossible), belief in one’s principles, courage, and trust in others.
• Rich Baker of St. Petersburg, Florida recommends setting lofty or “stretch” goals (“Make St. Petersburg best”), communicating those goals, and developing a plan of action to achieve them.
• Explorer Roald Amundsen similarly espouses the importance of proper preparation for the objective set, and having the discipline to pursue the goal methodically and according to a plan. Finally, he advocates for humility and knowing what you don’t know so one isn’t afraid to seek out help when necessary.

Throughout the stories of these and countless other successful leaders, a common thread of particular skills emerges:

• Developing a “why” – a mission which is meaningful to the follower
• Articulating that mission with passion and confidence
• A confident belief in one’s principles and the courage of conviction to stay the course even in the face of hardship
• Acknowledging one’s own limitations and being willing to listen and trust others
• Setting goals, preparation for meeting those goals, and determined and constant effort towards goal attainment

These are not big secrets and they are not items reserved only for the most charismatic leaders. But they do require confidence in oneself and willingness to push back against the invariable complacency that often overtakes many organizations.

As public sector leaders, we have a particular set of skills at our disposal – the ones listed above and many more. We also have one striking advantage over many other enterprises:

Our organization’s missions are meaningful and there are a great number of people who embrace the idea of serving others. Many of these people probably already work for us. We must not get so caught up in the day-to-day routine that we forget to remind them how significant our work is in our communities. 

This blog regularly returns to this theme of a public service ethic. The most important thing we can do is to keep our public employees engaged in the idea of serving the communities in which we live.

Stay tuned to this blog for more stories of public agencies which live up to the ideals of public service and the leaders with the particular set of skills to run them effectively.