Look up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Superman! Many of you probably remember this saying as the famous line from the comic books, movies, and television series. In 2025, DC Comics’ Superman comes roaring back into the theater under the purview of director James Gunn.
James Gunn gives Superman heart. That’s what this Superman film is all about: Superman as a person.
Superman, or his alter ego, Clark Kent (David Corenswet), is an alien stranded on Earth. He was sent by his parents, Jor-El (Bradley Cooper) and Lara (Angela Sarafyan), to Earth to escape the destruction of his planet. He was one of only a handful of Kryptonians to escape.
He believed he was sent to Earth to protect the planet. That’s what he has done for the last 3 years.
Superman stopped bad guys, world wars, and natural disasters. He also took the time to save kittens, kids, and other minor issues.
He was a true-blue hero. Until…
He intervenes in an international conflict between the fictional countries of Boravia and Jarhanpur. While he stops the conflict temporarily, he is also beaten by the Hammer of Boravia. All of this leads to a distrust of Superman.
His story is one of humanity. He struggles to find his place in a world where he is an alien. One where he doesn’t belong, yet he does…
It’s also a story of leadership. There are numerous examples of what great leaders do (or don’t do) in the film. Let’s look at those.
Quotes And Leadership Lessons From Superman
1. Leaders may have to repeat themselves to their team:
The Hammer of Boravia beats Superman. He’s knocked into a snowy tundra. Luckily, he’s not far from the Fortress of Solitude.
He begins to whistle. We see a blur running toward him. It’s the superdog Krypto!
Krypto begins to jump around Superman. He’s being playful. Yet it’s not a time to be mischievous. Superman needs his help.
Superman tells him to take him home. To pull his cape. Krypto doesn’t listen. He has to repeat himself multiple times before Krypto listens and pulls him by his cape to the Fortress of Solitude.
We may become frustrated by our employees when they don’t listen. You may feel like Superman did when he was trying to get help from Krypto. Why won’t they just listen?!?
It is frustrating. It’s also something we have to be willing to deal with as leaders.
Our people aren’t perfect. They’re struggling to find their place. Sometimes, that means not listening.
Don’t be afraid to repeat yourself. Multiple times.
When you repeat yourself, you’re communicating what you desire. Repeat yourself until your people understand.
2. Find what restores your energy:
Krypto eventually brought Superman to the Fortress of Solitude. There, he’s greeted by robot caretakers, one of them being Four/Gary (Alan Tudyk).
The job of the robots was to take care of Superman in times of need. They also offered him companionship.
Since Superman was injured, the robots picked him up, carried him to a chair, and opened a wall that revealed the sun’s rays. They focused those rays on Superman and he began to heal.
They knew what it would take to restore Superman to health.
Do you know what it will take to restore yourself to health? Do you know what brings you energy?
For some leaders, solitude provides a sense of restoration. Other leaders find restoration in exercise. Still others find it through a good, home-cooked meal.
Understand what gives you energy. When you need to be restored, go to it.
3. Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult):
Your pride won’t make the choice, Angela.
Angela/The Engineer (María Gabriela de Faría) had discovered Superman’s Fortress of Solitude. She saw it sink back into the ice caps.
Angela told Lex she could drill into the ice and find it. Lex tells her no. He tells her not to let her pride make the choice.
Ohhh…
That’s good, isn’t it? Even coming from a villain, we know this is true.
Leaders can stumble by making a choice driven by pride or hubris. When they do, the leader often falls.
You can’t make your choices through your pride. You have to set aside your pride.
4. Do the most good:
Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) is Clark Kent’s girlfriend. She asks him if she could interview him as Superman. He agrees.
During the interview, Superman says his parents left him a message. The message states that he should do the most good. He took the message to heart in trying to help the world.
Leaders must do the most good. They need to explore ways to improve things, to create a better workplace for employees and to foster innovation.
What are you doing to do the most good?
Think about it today. Then write it down. Begin to do the most good.
5. Beware of distractions:
The Hammer of Boravia, Angela, and Lex break into the Fortress of Solitude. They begin to destroy the robots. Then Angela speaks up.
She wonders what will happen if Superman comes back. Lex reassures her that Superman won’t. Lex has unleashed a distraction.
What is the distraction? There’s a tiny creature that is unleashed. As it roams Metropolis, the Kaiju creature grows in size until it’s hard to ignore. He’s the size of Godzilla or larger!
Superman can’t ignore this distraction.
Yet, because his focus is on the Kaiju, he doesn’t see or hear what’s happening at the Fortress of Solitude. It’s being decimated. He paid attention to the distraction and paid the price.
You’ll pay the price if you’re always focused on the distractions. They will take your eyes off what’s important.
You need to assess what’s important. What should draw your attention.
Beware of distractions; they can divert your attention away from the more significant issues.
6. Surprise people:
James Gunn surprised people with some of the easter eggs in the film. One of those was the appearance of Peacemaker (wrestler John Cena).
A newscaster interviews Peacemaker. He gives his opinion on Superman. And it’s not a positive one.
Seeing Peacemaker from the HBO series was a pleasant surprise. It gave moviegoers something to ohhh and ahhh over.
When you surprise people in a positive way, they become more excited and energized. Think about the ways you can positively surprise your employees.
7. Have sources you can reach out to:
Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo) works at the Daily Planet with Clark Kent. He also works with Lois Lane, Perry White (Wendell Pierce), Cat Grant (Mikaela Hoover), and Steve Lombard (Beck Bennett).
When Superman turns himself into the Department of Justice, he can no longer be found. Jimmy tells Lois he can reach out to a source, Mutant Toes/Eve (Sara Sampaio). When he hears back, Eve gives him the details of where Superman is: a pocket universe.
Jimmy was able to get the information he needed because he knew whom to reach out to.
Who do you need to reach out to for help on your current project? Who could speed up the process?
Think about your personal Rolodex. Whose names are in there? What do they do? How can they help?
The next time you need help, reach out.
8. Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi):
Only because it’ll piss off Green Lantern/Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion).
Lois Lane needed help to get to the pocket dimension. Mister Terrific agreed to help.
His help wasn’t because he wanted to do the right thing. Mister Terrific wanted to help because it would upset a team member.
His frustration led him to help someone else.
We need to understand what motivates people. Sometimes, you can find help from people who don’t want to help but will because it may upset someone else. Or it may further their agenda.
Know that you can get help from others even if they don’t want to do it for the right reasons.
9. Pa Kent (Pruitt Taylor Vince):
Your choices, your actions, that’s what makes you who you are.
The message Superman’s parents had left for him had been damaged. Superman was only able to listen to the first half of the message.
Lex Luthor uncovered the second half of the message. Superman’s parents told him to conquer the Earth.
Hearing the full message almost destroyed Superman. He had believed a lie.
His earthly parent tells him differently. Pa Kent tells Superman that he can make choices. Those choices make him who he is. He’s not who his parents were. He’s not what they wanted him to be. Superman is made up of his choices.
You, too, are made up of the choices you make. Your decisions, reactions, and actions mold who you are.
Don’t live your life based on what others tell you to be.
10. Superman:
Brain beats brawn.
Earlier in Superman, Lex Luthor tells Superman, “Brain beats brawn.” Superman repeats this line, but this time to Luthor.
Superman is being beat down by his clone. He looks on the verge of defeat. Then he states the line.
Superman then whistles. He’s calling in Krypto. Krypto hits the clone, and they “destroy” the clone.
Superman used his brains over his brawn.
You can’t beat your way to victory. Your brawn will only get you so far.
You’ve got brains. Use your brains to accomplish more than your strength ever could.
