In the scene from the The Last King of Scotland, dictator Idi Amin is at fault. Although it is imperative that an advisor must be able to persuade his boss on what he should do, it is just as important that the boss trust his advisor enough to not need such incredible amounts of persuasion. In matters of urgency (which this scene implies), there is not enough time for persuasion. If Nicholas was truly an advisor, Idi Amin would trust his recommendation. If he still wasn’t sure, he could have asked Nicholas to defend his recommendation. If in fact, Nicholas could not defend his reasoning on why he recommended what he did, then there would be a problem. But for Idi Amin to blame Nicholas for his own fault when Nicholas in fact recommended what Amin wished he did is wrong. Without seeing the movie, the dilemma seems avoidable with either a stronger sense of trust in Nicholas or better communication skills between the two of them. It is definitely Idi Amin’s fault as he made the wrong decision and wrongly accused Nicholas to blame for the situation.
From the short clip of the movie, I found this scene to be incredibly interesting. This article was very insightful and accurate. It is true that, as a staffer, you must be able to persuade your manager. It is an essential development skill in business life. Persuasion usually has a negative connotation, however, that is not always the case. It actually helps one come to an agreement or a general consensus. In business, persuasion can help you effectively communicate your opinions or ideas. As the blog states, it can also help you market yourself. When we are at a job interview, that it essentially what we do. We persuade the employer that we will be a great addition to the company. It is definitely a trait that could help you work your way up to the top.
This is a great more t clip that demonstrates the power between “hearing” something and “listening” to it. I would have to say that it is Nicholas’ fault because it is the job of the subordinate to present an idea to the manager in a way that is effective, concise, and meaningful. Idi perhaps heard his suggestion but he did not listen to it because it did not strike him as valuable. It is important to be able to communicate things in a way that encompasses their importance. In an organization, the boss does not have time to decipher or interpret what you are saying. it should be black and white and include the details needed for the boss to make a decision based on your command. The issue with this video is that Nicholas simply suggested something rather than ordering it. A suggestion becomes an order (from a subordinate) as a result of persuasion. You cannot tell people what to do. but your opinion can be so compelling that it can lead them to change their perspective. While persuading it is important to appeal to trust and emotion; these are characteristics that make the opinion more personal to the receiver.
As the movie clip from The last king of Scotland, it shows you the importance of persuasion. When I relate it to CSW I feel Nicholas is the guy to blame because he did not persuade Idi Amin to not throw the Asians out, however, it is also the Idi Amin fault because he looks like a fierce dictator. It is very important for the advisor to persuade his/her boss on what to do and also it is important for the boss to give confidence to the employees to take this step and be comfortable persuading them. Many great ideas, specially in the technology industry has fallen to the floor because of the lack of persuasion. Persuasion can also help you in your personal life for example, by marketing yourself in job interviews and showing the employer how a great addition to the company you will be.
This movie scene is great for our class completed staff work because it shows the importance of being able to manage your manager. In this scene Nicholas is trying to pick up the pieces to a mistake that Idi Amin made. But why does Nicholas have to pick up the pieces? Simply because he did not correctly manage his manager. While Nicholas had clearly told Idi Amin not to kick the Asians out, he did so in a way that presented no benefits or upside in the eyes of Amin. So why would the manager listen, especially when he is a powerful man. Nicholas should have known his audience when he first presented Amin with the idea, he did not speak to Amin because he did not come across as confident. Nicholas, presented with a very dangerous situation now, finds a way to fix the problem because Amin knows now that Nicholas is a smart man and that is what convinces him. The fact that he was correct about the Asians is his only saving grace, so Amin listens to him even asks him what to do. If Nicholas had been persuasive enough in the first place this entire situation would never have happened.
This movie scene is perfect for our class Completed Staff Work at CUA because it shows the importance of being able to manage and PERSUADE your manager. In this scene Nicholas is trying to fix the broken pieces of a mistake that Idi Amin made. Why does Nicholas have to pick up the pieces?Strictly because Nicholas did not correctly manage his manager or persuade him to make the correct decision. Even though Nicholas had clearly told Idi Amin not to kick
the Asians out, he did so in a way that presented no benefits or plus side to the conflict involving the admin. Therefore, why would the manager listen so an argument that is not persuasive, especially when he is a powerful manager. Nicholas should have been more aware of his audience when he first presented Amin with the quick idea. Because of this lack of understanding, the message was not delivered efficiently. Nicholas was presented with a very dangerous situation and now he finds a way to fix the problem because Amin knows now that Nicholas is a smart man. And from there he should be convinced. The fact that he was correct about the Asian situation is his only saving
grace, so Amin listens to him and gets tips from him on what to do. However, if Nicholas had been persuasive enough in the first place this entire situation would never have happened.
Persuasion is a powerful asset to add to any staffer hoping to climb the ranks of their organization. This movie clip was so intriguing because of the trueness behind the script. When trust is built between an employee and an employer, there isn’t anything besides a collapse of a performance that will hinder the employer’s thought process. When they trust in you, they will continue to do so until given reason not to. By being a completed staffer, you open yourself up for more opportunities such as seen in the video. More is expected of you, but the feeling of making your employer proud is very rewarding. The clip shows examples of how being consistently efficient can boost your rapport with your boss. Nicholas could have taken a step further and provided Amin with quality options by anticipating this coming - but then we wouldn’t have this golden opportunity to dive into this interesting scene. Even the most highest positions require counseling and the best staffer is the one they will go to for advice on business ventures. Providing your boss with options before they ask you to do so is a sound way to solidify your relationship with the organization.
Nicholas, I believe, is at fault for not persuading Idi Amin. When presenting valuable information to someone who needs to hear it, persuasion is everything. What good is information alone without proper messaging? As the article states, “to have any hope of influencing others, you must be able to persuade them.” To truly convey your message to another person, both information and persuasion must be present.
The Letter from Birmingham Jail is a famous example of highly persuasive messaging. What was it about this letter that made it so compelling? As the article asked, what techniques did it use to sound so persuasive? How did Martin Luther King Jr. use the information at hand to persuade? Asking these questions can lead to a discovery of what makes up a persuasive message.
Perhaps if Nicholas knew how to make his delivery of information more persuasive, Idi Amin would have heard him the first time. If we want our message to reach the people we are speaking to, we must persuade them. As history has shown us, never using your voice will never have an impact. However, effecting change is possible when we learn how to persuade.
After reading this article and seeing this clip, I see the reason why this is a required viewing for this course. This is such a vital example of the ways in which a manager must provide an example of how an individual must behave but also serves as an example of the versatility that is required of an employee. One must be willing to, at times, sacrifice their natural behavioral manners in order to be as efficient and productive as possible. In the clip we see that the advisor was put to blame for not being forceful enough while attempting to persuade the dictator, Idi Amin, of what he believed was the correct move. Although the dictator is at fault in this situation due to his lack of professionalism and misuse of collective intelligence, it does reveal the fact that in order to be a efficient advisor, you need to know how to effectively communicate with your leader especially in times of urgency. The skills needed to be able to persuade someone in a higher position are often overlooked but are crucial to a successful life in business and demonstrate a confidence which is often sought after.
It is a very important skill to be able to convince the boss as to make a decision in what to do. It is not just the job of an assistant to spout off ideas for possible directions. The key is to understand the position and make a more educated and practical judgment. Deeper thought and being forced to defend or explain your decisions and recommendations is key to work out kinks and further improve the idea. When the duty of an advisor is to give quality ideas, not quantity of ideas.
This film scene is extraordinary for our group finished staff work since it shows the significance of having the option to deal with your chief. In this scene, Nicholas is attempting to get the bits of a slip-up that Idi Amin made. However, for what reason does Nicholas need to get the pieces? Essentially on the grounds that he didn’t effectively deal with his administrator. While Nicholas had obviously disclosed to Idi Amin not to kick the Asians out, he did as such that introduced no advantages or potential gain according to Amin. So for what reason would the director tune in, particularly when he is an influential man? Nicholas ought to have known his crowd when he originally gave Amin the thought, he didn’t address Amin on the grounds that he didn’t seem to be sure. Nicholas, given a risky circumstance currently, figures out how to fix the issue on the grounds that Amin realizes since Nicholas is a keen man and that is the thing that persuades him. The way that he was right about the Asians is his solitary redeeming quality, so Amin tunes in to him even ask him what to do. In the event that Nicholas had been powerful enough in any case this whole circumstance couldn’t have ever occurred.
This clip also demonstrates how important it is to communicate. Effective communication can be verbal and nonverbal, in this case it was verbal. By communicating, Nicholas was able to notice that the other man, his boss, was frustrated due to his actions and tone of voice. Nicholas was able to deescalate the other man’s frustration by simply hearing him out, allowing for him to get rid of his frustration. By Nicholas doing the simple job of listening to his boss, it allowed for him to hear out his boss, and understand the situation going on. This then led Nicholas to think of a solution and present it to his boss, thus demonstrating the concept of completed staff work. Nicholas was able to communicate an idea or recommendation to his boss, just like completed staff work tells us. By Nicholas making this recommendation, he was able to calm down his boss. I find that this clip does a good job of demonstrating how simple completed staff work is. However, by Nicholas making a recommendation at that moment, the situation may have been more complicated than what Nicholas may think it is. Therefore, it is important to make a recommendation that is truly effective because his boss says, “What would I do without my Nicholas,” in a sarcastic tone. So it is important to complete effective completed staff work.
In this particular circumstance, I believe Nicholas was at fault. Being a leader requires persuading your audience. Simply giving an order will not make your audience want to take in the information and follow your orders, it is important to allow the audience to understand why the order is being given. Depending on the situation, science or data could be helpful support points as to why an order should be followed. In order for a leader and his staff to work efficiently, the staff must feel that they are contributing and fully given the opportunity to understand the tasks at hand and this is done through the art of persuasion. Through persuasion, the staff will feel more empowered to follow instructions or orders and the leader will be able to accomplish necessary tasks. It is important to show staff, or your audience, how to perform correctly and this can be done through example. If the staff feels that you know how to accomplish the task, they will feel more able and believe in the cause and be persuaded to follow through. Persuasion should not be done though anger, aggression or any negative emotion, the best persuasion is calmly presented and supported with facts or evidence.
I agree with you here that Nicholas was at fault and he did not handle the situation as a responsible leader/boss. Acting out in rage and anger will not get your point across and will not help get the issue resolved faster or better. He should have taken time to collect his thoughts and emotions before presenting them to others. When speaking with your staff, you should express your feelings and issues but not in a way that makes them respect you less or fear you. You are one team working together to solve issues and grow the company. If an issue like this arises and causes this reaction then it was clearly a serious issue that regarded more than one person so it is wrong to take out frustrations or place blame onto one person. Nicolas should have spoken to others and found the best possible solution to the issue.
I believe that they it is somewhat both their faults. It is Nicholas’ fault for not providing the boss(Idi Amin) a convincing argument for his position. Nicholas may have suggested an idea but he may not of provided all the necessary facts and most likely did display confidence when communicating it to his boss. Nicholas should not feel as that presenting ideas to the boss is something dangerous and possible life threatening and because of this I feel Idi Amin is more at fault that Nicholas. It is also Idi Amin’s fault for not being open minded enough to look more into his subordinate’s(Nicholas) suggestion. Idi Amin needs to curb his ego enough to think deeply into his trusted subordinates ideas. As a leader decisions should be made with minimal emotion and with the goals of the organization in mind. Idi Amin did let his emotions take over and did not self reflect on what he could have done better.
In regard to the video mentioned, that scene in the movie holds a lot of contexts. I think Atwood chose it for this very reason. Even though Nicholas was not able to persuade Amin, that does not mean that this is entirely his fault. Nicholas is an advisor, he is meant to advise, not argue. Amin is shifting the blame onto Nicholas because he did not take the advice given to him. For Nicholas’ situation, he has to make his case with facts and reason. With the number of things Amid has to be advised on, Nicholas cannot physically create an argument for every single one. Of course, I have never seen this movie, so I don’t know the extent of their relationship together. But Amid cannot blame Nicholas for everything. Nicholas gave Amid advice as his job entails, if Amid wanted to argue or discuss he could have inquired, but he should not act surprised when going against his advice ends up backfiring and suddenly, he is in a lot of trouble. I still think Amid is at fault. But that does not disregard the point of this article. Persuasion is extremely important and should be taken very seriously because it is the only way things can get done.
I found the clip from The Last King of Scotland as well as the following article to be very informative and insightful because the discussion of the importance of persuasion is entirely relatable to why good, persuasive communication is also essential to the execution of Completed Staff Work. In other words, while managers do rely on their subordinates to work efficiently and provide them with all the necessary facts and data they need to decide in a prepared recommendation, they also trust that their direct reports will cogently present the finished business plan so that they are fully confident in its approval and implementation. In CSW, the individual contributor cannot put forth half-baked plans or do all the background work but propose the strategy in a way that not only causes them to question their reasoning but also makes their manager feel even more uncertain about the decision they have before them. Based on the clip, I think Nicholas is at fault because while he did inform Idi Amin what he should not do with the Asians, he did not convey his recommendation in a manner that expressed his sincere support of the solution and that would convincingly urge Idi to follow-through with it. To effectively “manage their manager,” a staffer must be an assertive communicator in the decision-making process so that they vocalize their trust in the prepared solution as well as their superior and as a result, influence the executive to approve the proposal and implement the resolution. As Idi’s “advisor,” Nicholas failed to induce Amin to take the suggested action because the narrative of his proposition lacked assurance and did not declare a plausible reason for why he should not throw the Asians out.
This is one of my favorite scenes in the cinema history, not only does apply on so many things in life but also because it really shows you how dictators think and how they always see themselves to be right and what is happening to them is the fault of others. I found the article to be very informative and applicable to studies outside coding including business and Completed Staff Work. Back to the scene with Nicholas and Idi Amin, the question of “Who’s at Fault here?” is a very interesting one, as it would seem that at first glance that Idi Amin is the one at fault for not taking the words of Nicholas and done as he advised of not have thrown the Asians out, but Idi Amin brings up the question of Persuasion, “You did not Persuade me!” If Nicholas had persuaded Idi Amin, he would have not had the problem the press coming down on Idi Amin and have proven to Idi Amin that he is a worthy advisor and one of the things that would make a great advisor is the ability to persuade the leader into seeing the option or the recommendation that you present him with to be the right one, not to say that Idi Amin isn’t completely at fault here but when it comes to the question of should it be the responsibility of the advisor to persuade or the leader to do something that he isn’t sure about I think Nicholas is at fault. Nicholas should have presented the advice in a way that seemed to be the best and most profitable option to Idi Amin in way that he wouldn’t refuse.
| This scene from The Last King of Scotland is a perfect example of the fundamentals of Completed Staff Work not being followed and the consequences that happen because of it. As the article puts it, “to have any hope of influencing others, [we] must be able to persuade them.” This encapsulates the idea behind CSW about “managing up,” or more specifically, the dynamic relationship between leadership and followership. A leader needs to be able to take the recommendations of the followers and make the best decision using their information while a follower needs to be able to “manage their manager” or enact their best work for the benefit of their leader. In this way, both Nicholas and Idi Amin are almost equally at fault for the inappropriate action done. Idi Amin, as the leader, should have taken the advice of his followers and made the appropriate action while considering every possible scenario. Nicholas, as the follower should have made it more clear that neglecting the issue would have dire effects. | |
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| Without the proper context, as I have not watched the entire movie, it is quite plausible that either party is more at fault overall. One should be the judge of whether their or other’s work is righteous depending on all the context. It is possible that Nicholas neglected to mention the severity of the issue in fullness, and it is equally as likely that Idi Amin created a workplace environment that hampers cohesiveness. |
Being able to persuade someone is not an easy task, especially when that someone is a superior. In the workplace, we all hold certain positions of more or less authority. Those with more authority, we look up, and it can be easy to let that intimidation silence us at times. But with that behavior, an organization can never grow. No matter the level of authority we possess, we all have an important role within the company. A role in which we are the expert, and it is our job to be that expert so that our managers don’t have to be. As the expert, we are given the responsibility of sharing our recommendations with the managers. The manager, not being an expert himself, could refute our recommendation, but that does not mean we give up. If there is reason to fight for our recommendation it is our responsibility to do so. It is our responsibility to persuade. Therefore, while I do agree that Idi Amin should have been listening better, I would place the fault on Nicholas. He did not stand for his recommendation as much as he should have and bent to the manager’s command, even though he disagreed.