The hit Disney movie Moana returned to movie theaters with its sequel the weekend of Thanksgiving 2024. We have Dwayne Johnson returning as the voice of the demigod Maui and Auli’i Cravalho returning as the star of the film Moana.
While not as good as the original Moana, Moana 2 continues in the tradition of the first film. Moana has become a Wayfinder. A Wayfinder is someone who can navigate the raging seas, discover new lands, and possibly reunite the world’s lost people.
Moana’s mission in Moana 2 is to seek out the lost people and reunite the people of the world. Her task is huge as she will have to overcome the challenges set forth by Nalo (Tofiga Fepulea’i), a storm god. He’s preventing people from finding the island of Motufetu. It’s rumored that if a person were to step foot on Motufetu, the people would be reunited.
There’s also the minor villain, Matangi (Awhimai Fraser). She’s supposedly an evil goddess. It was teased Matangi would change the way Moana thinks. And it comes true.
Join us on our adventure to find Motufetu. On our way, we’ll discover multiple leadership lessons you can apply to your life.
Quotes And Leadership Lessons From Moana 2
1. Leaders can forget how difficult a situation is:
Moana is seen leaping across a chasm. She easily makes the jump. We see Pua, Moana’s pig, pop his head out of the bushes.
She begins to coax him to make the jump. What does she say? It’s just a little jump.
Not to Pua. It’s a massive chasm he can’t make. Yet Moana thinks he can.
I’ve seen so many leaders fall into the trap of thinking what is easy for them is easy for the team. They forget how much they had to learn, grow, and train to be in the position they’re in now.
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that your team can do everything that is easy for you. They can’t.
And here’s another lesson: What’s easy for your team isn’t easy for you. Remember that as well.
2. Moana:
What are you waiting for? Let’s go home.
Moana was on a mission with Pua and Hei Hei (Moana’s rooster, voiced by Alan Tudyk) to find people. Hei Hei falls into a piece of pottery that changes everything.
Moana looks at the pottery. There’s a drawing of an island with people.
What?!? Isn’t that what Moana was searching for? It was, and Moana recognized this.
After they find the pottery, Moana tells Pua and Hei Hei it’s time to go home.
What do you do after you accomplish your mission? Do you stick around? Do you find another mission? Or do you head home to the people who matter?
I want to encourage you to go home. Go back to your family. Let them know what you’ve accomplished and what they mean to you.
3. Moana:
I am honored to serve our people.
The village holds a ceremony for Moana. Chief Tui (Temuera Morrison) is Moana’s father and conducts the ceremony.
Chief Tui talks about the past, present, and future during the ceremony. How Moana will have to server the community.
Moana doesn’t hesitate. She’s honored to serve the people.
What about you? Are you honored to serve the people you lead? You should be.
Great leaders understand leadership isn’t about them. It’s not about what you can gain from others.
Leadership is about guiding, serving, and building up others. Be a leader who serves proudly.
4. Isolation will destroy you:
Moana has a vision. She sees one of her ancestors, Tautai Vasa (Gerald Faitala Ramsey). He has an important message for her.
Tautai Vasa tells Moana that their future is grim if her village remains isolated. It will be lonely, and her people will fade away.
Isolation will kill them!
The same goes for you. Isolation will kill your influence. You cannot lead while isolated.
You must be interacting with your people. You must be willing to interact with other leaders.
Stop isolating yourself. Find people to be around.
5. Moana:
Our people will rise if you let them.
Moana gained a new mission. She must find the island of Motufetu. To do this, she would have to assemble a crew. That crew would come from her village.
She tells her fellow villagers that they need to rise. That must rise.
And they did. Moana gained an amazing crew that helped her reach the island. These villagers included:
- Moni (Hualalai Chung)
- Loto Rose Matafeo)
- Kele (David Fane)
- Kakamora (he is a coconut-like warrior)
Together, they rose to the challenge. Your people can as well. But you must let them.
How do you let your people rise? You must give them something to strive for. They must have a challenge.
Give them the chance to rise, and they will.
6. Celebrate starts:
After Moana assembles her crew, they prepare to leave. Before they do, the villagers throw a going away party. Or, as I called it, a Start Party.
The villagers celebrated the start of the crew’s journey to an uncharted land. There was no guarantee they would return. So why not celebrate them before they leave?
I want you to start celebrating starts. When a new project kicks off, celebrate it. The project may not go how you expect, but you can start the journey on the right foot.
Imagine if we celebrated starts as much as we did finishes? People would start (and finish) a lot more.
Celebrate the starts.
7. Matangi:
There’s always another way even if you have to get lost to find it.
Moana had it in her head that Wayfinders always knew the way. They were never lost. Never questioned where they were going.
However, the minor villain, Matangi, challenges Moana’s beliefs. Matangi knew you didn’t have to know how to reach your destination. Sometimes, you’ll become lost, disorientated, and more.
What mattered was the quest. During the quest, you’ll find another way to succeed.
We love to plan out how a project will go. We believe we need to plan out all the details. If we don’t, how will we ever get to our destination?
You’ll get to it through being lost, finding your way, getting lost again, getting on the path again, and finally getting there.
Don’t be afraid of not knowing the way. You can find the way as you make progress toward your goal.
8. Moana:
Everytime I think I know what I need to do, it changes.
Moana became frustrated. She thought she knew the way. But as she moved forward, what needed to be done changed.
Isn’t this just like our lives? Every time we make progress, there’s something new. We have to discover a new way of doing things, of talking to people, of encouraging others.
You’re going to have to change your leadership style and methods throughout the course of your time as a leader. It’s constantly changing and so must you.
9. Live your story:
Moni was a chronicler of his people’s stories. He would draw images depicting what had happened so he could learn their stories.
He spent so much time doing this that he didn’t live out his own story. He realized this, thankfully not too late.
Are you living the story God put you in? Or are you focusing so much on the stories of others that you miss your own?
You need to take a look at your life. What’s your story? How are you living it? Is it your story?
Great leaders know they help others live their story without disregarding their own story.
10. You don’t always accomplish your goal the way you think:
Moana had the idea of Maui using his magical fish hook to grab the island of Motufetu. He would pull the island up and Moana would be able to step onto the island.
That didn’t happen.
The line to Maui’s hook was cut by lightning. He couldn’t raise the island. However, Moana could still do something. The island didn’t need to be above water for her to touch it. She could dive into the ocean, touch Motufetu, and unite the people.
That’s what she did. And it worked!
What out-of-the-box solution do you need to try? You might be going about things the wrong way.
You might need to bring in an outside consultant. Or you might need to listen to your employees instead of the consultant. You might need to revamp a tooling system you spent a million dollars on because it’s not working properly.
Look for unconventional ways to reach your goal.
