Clearing The Backlog: Career Lessons From Six Tripple Eight Movie

This week was my first full week back at work in the new year. Schools also reopened this week. Most working mothers of school going children know how hectic this can be. All I can say is thank God we survived the first week of the new school year!

During my Christmas holiday, I did a lot of Netflix and chilling. I watched Tyler Perry’s The Six Tripple Eight, a movie based on a true story of the 6888th Batallion, an all black and all female team that played a very  important role during World War 2. If you have been here for a while, you know we are all about helping working women thrive in their personal and professional lives. The batallion’s challenges were no different from the challenges that we face in our careers and personal lives today. I went through so many emotions watching the movie, and i encourage you to watch it this weekend. Here are my key career takeouts from the movie. If you have not watched the movie yet, please do so.

The Six Tripple Eight Movie

1. Own the mission: The batallion’s task was to clear a huge backlog of mail that had been sitting for months, hindering communication between the soldiers in UK and their families back home in America. This was not a glamorous assignment, but it was critical for the morale of the soldiers. I am not sure they fully understood the impact of what they were doing when they initially started the mission, but they understood eventually. Not everyone will be able to do work that has such impact. Yet, the ability to execute excellently even for mundane tasks can have a positive career impact.

2. Resilience is the face of challenges: I wish I could tell you that everything will always be smooth going for you. Even in the best working environments, as long as there are people, challenges and conflicts are inevitable.  The batallion faced racism, sexism, and the physical and emotional challenges of war. Their resilience helped them succeed even when the odds were against them. They shattered stereotypes that I am sure paved the way for black women in the military.

3. Lead with strength and integrity: When i grow up, I wanna lead like Major Charity Adams, the leader of the 6888 batallion ☺️, a role played by Kerry Washington. Even after proving herself, she was still discriminated against within the military.  She stood firmly against attempts to undermine her authority even from her own leaders and proved herself with her results. When challenges arise, stand your ground. Continue to deliver excellent work and speak up about your great work. Please don’t fall into the trap of believing that “your work will speak for itself.” Your work will not speak for itself. You have to do that, highlighting the impact and results you delivered.

4. Protect your team: Major Adams expected only the best from her team and also fiercely defended them. In return, they stood with her during a difficult time because they recognized her dedication to their success.  Have you ever worked for such a leader? The one who pushes you out of your comfort zone and defends you when needed? We need more such leaders! Be that kind of leader.

5.  Inspire through action, not just words: Major Adams worked alongside her team, identifying their individual strengths and allocated task based on that. I have had the pleasure to work for leaders who didn’t just direct from the sidelines but led by example.  If you are leading a team, walk the talk.

6. Don’t give up; there is a character in the movie whose name I can not remember, but I believe her role was critical. The mother who stood outside the White House for days, waiting for someone to attend to her. Eventually, the first lady ( Eleanor Roosevelt), played by Susan Sarandon, attended to her. That is how the issue of lack of communication between the soldiers and their families was brought before the president because one woman refused to give up. I can liken this part of the movie to the woman in Luke 18  vs. 1-8 in The Parable Of The Persistent Widow. The woman repeatedly kept coming back and asking for justice against her adversary. The judge eventually agreed to her request because he was bothered by her  constant visits. Some goals are going to require you to keep going, even when initially you might not get what you are seeking.  Don’t give up. If it’s that important to you, do not give up. You can read the Parable Of The Persistent  Widow in the NLT Bible here

7. Influence Isn’t Always Loud: When General Halt visited the batallion, all he did was criticize them. Major Charity Adams firmly defended her team. In your career, don’t mistake volume for power. Choose your moments strategically and choose your battles wisely. The mail backlog was  cleared in a record three months, putting to shame those who thought the batallion would not deliver because of their race and gender.

There are so many other career lessons from the movie, and I would love to hear what other lessons you picked up.

Gratitude: This week, I am grateful for the rains. We have had much needed rains across Southern Africa for the last few weeks. The dams are filling up, rivers are flowing again and I am expecting a great agricultural season!

Gratefully

PS: I still have a few slots available in my free career mentorship program. This will run for 6 months. If you are looking for someone to guide you and are committed to putting in the work, send an email to enquiries@muminstilettos.com with the title Mentorship Program.