Week 6: Twelve O’Clock High

Only one out of three airmen survived the air battle over Europe during World War II and the film, Twelve O’Clock High, is a study of leadership under such extremely difficult circumstances. Major General Frank Savage (Gregory Peck) is the new commander of the 918th U.S. Bomber Group stationed in England during World War II. His personal mission is to impose his will on the unit in order to build morale and confidence by committing themselves to a "maximum effort.” The general never defines “maximum effort” as a goal and its elusive meaning haunted me. How can you achieve something unless you know how It is defined (Communication)? He does brand, however, the members of his new unit as “washouts” and goes so far as to have one of the bomber crews paint The Leper Colony as the name on their aircraft.

The movie contrasts the leadership styles of two very different leaders and presents the case of why the first leader does not succeed and why his successor does (Situational Leadership). Gregory Peck, prior to assuming command, confronts the outgoing commander to learn more about the situation and the environment. Frank Savage (note the name) perceives Colonel Davenport as too attached to his men. This perception provides an obstacle (Path-Goal Theory) that Gregory Peck must overcome in his new leadership position.
Peck as Frank Savage believes “A man makes his own luck” and he, therefore, wants to achieve a clean break from the former commanders’ history of poor unit efficiency and performance (Transformational Leadership). The character is often an unconventional, radical and assertive as an agent of change like Robin Williams’ character in The Dead Poets Society. Gregory Peck, however, channels tough love into his approach to change. When the general first arrives at the new command, for example, he reprimands the gate guard for not checking his credentials. This is because the new commander views a lack of discipline in the bomber group as a focal point, and even amends his own personality enough to result in the disciplinarian behaviors required by his new position. General Savage later in the film tailors his leadership style for each situation. To encourage group cohesion, he uses words like we and us in their personal conversation to convert Bishop, a young pilot, to withdraw his application for transfer to another unit.

Savage uses equality and fairness in treating another pilot who is the son and nephew of decorated high-ranking officers to dare to rise above his record of underperformance and underachievement. This dare of a challenge to the young legacy pilot turns him around. The honest assessment Savage gives him in their first meeting coupled with the commitment he makes to the pilot to stick it out and thus discover his own strengths serves to create a foundation of trust (Transactional Leadership). The general’s inner principles emanate from his belief that he can resurrect the 918th Bomber Group through developing esprit de corps. He instinctively knows that when the unit begins destroying enemy targets while reducing its own losses, a sense of pride will permeate the changed high-performance unit (Vision).

The general is successful in effecting change but it extracts its toll on him. He breaks-down before leaving on a mission. The detachment resulting from the more human approach of his predecessor has a trade-off. The bomber crews remember his training and perform their mission almost flawlessly as a testimony to his leadership (Empowerment). I would recommend you consider viewing this film to appreciate how lonely a charismatic leadership can be in wartime.