Prof, I hope you still consider this paper. I overlooked your email. I thought the deadline is on December 12. Reflection paper pala iyun. God bless!
Regis Cebu Leadership - Leader Maricel Ngo -Movie Synopsis -JCampbell
The Iron Lady
Movie Synopsis
The Iron Lady is a surprising and intimate portrait of Margaret Thatcher (Meryl Streep), the first and only female Prime Minister of The United Kingdom. One of the 20th century's most famous and influential women, Thatcher came from nowhere to smash through barriers of gender and class to be heard in a male dominated world.
I. The hero was introduced in the ordinary world
Margaret Roberts, as a young woman worked for his family's grocery store. She looked up to his father and delighted to hear his political speeches. She had a poor relationship with her mother.
Margaret as a girl in Grantham experienced a 2nd world war air-raid. The film also shows, Thatcher as an isolated person from other women her age. She had to bear the unkind remarks of her classmates.
Being an intelligent young lady, she has won a place at the University of Oxford.
Dennis Tatcher, a businessman, proposed to Margaret and promised to support her apparent political ambition. Margaret was vocal in informing Dennis Tatcher about the trade off she has to make for her political career. Her exact words were :
" I will never be one of those women Dennis, who stay silent and pretty in front of their husband. One life must matter Dennis. Doing the cooking, the cleaning and the children. One's life must mean more than that. I can't die washing up the tea cup, I mean it Dennis"
II. The Call to Adventure
Thatcher won a seat in the House of Commons in 1959, representing Finchley. She was appointed as the Education Secretary in Edwards Health's cabinet, Prime Minister of Britain
III. The Hero is reluctant at first
She had lot of challenges, as a young lower-middle class woman, to break into a snobbish male-dominated. She struggled to fit in as a "Lady Member" of the House.
She found her position frustrating, not because of all the bad press around her actions, but because she had difficulty getting Prime Minister Edward Heath to listen to her ideas. Seemingly disenchanted on the future of women in politics, Thatcher was quoted as saying, "I don't think there will be a woman prime minister in my lifetime," during a 1973 television appearance.
IV. The Hero is encouraged by a wise man
One of the wise men in the Iron Lady who encouraged Margaret is Airey Neave( later assassinated by the Irish National Liberation Army). He encouraged Thatcher to consider standing for the party but she had to undergo makeover including her image particularly her voice and manner in deepening her delivery and injecting authority.
V. The hero passes the first threshold
As party leader, Thatcher made history in May 1979, when she was appointed Britain's first female prime minister.
VI. The hero encounters tests and helpers
The first test that Margaret had to face is the pressing problems on the rising unemployment and recession. There were strikes organized by union questioning his monetarist policies and tight budgeting.
Being the prime minister, she had spent little time with her family. There are scenes in the movie suggesting an emotional distance from her children and a marriage based on the self-effacement of her remarkably recessive husband.
As a firm woman leader who pledged to serve her country, she continued to implement the policies despite numerous attacks on her leadership.
VII. Hero reaches his innermost cave
After Argentina invades the Falkland Isles Thatcher has summoned the military top brass, determined to find whether it is possible to recover the islands. The consensus being that it is, if only barely, but is perhaps also inadvisable, Thatcher makes it clear that it must be done. Political speeches to parliament and scenes of preparation and the sailing of the task force follow. In a council of war she is given news of the Argentine ship the General Belgrano manoeuvring in the vicinity of the Task Force. Advised that it is a threat, she gives the order to sink it. Argentina surrendered in June 1982.
An assassination attempt against her happened in her 2nd term. A bomb was planted in her bedroom that caused a sudden explosion. Margaret and Dennis were unhurt with spirit unshaken.
VIII. The hero endures the supreme ordeal
For a third term, Tatcher did not gain a lot of support of her "Poll Tax" which was regarded as unjust causing so many protests and riots. Her cabinet members openly worry about their political careers because the government is so unpopular. She lost her support from her cabinet colleagues.
In November of 1990, Thatcher resigned as Prime Minister after 11 years in the office.
IX. The hero seizes the sword
Despite her being reluctant in resigning, she still did it with a lot of humility. In a statement, she said, "Having consulted widely among colleagues, I have concluded that the unity of the Party and the prospects of victory in a General Election would be better served if I stood down to enable Cabinet colleagues to enter the ballot for the leadership. I should like to thank all those in Cabinet and outside who have given me such dedicated support."
X. The Road Back
The old Margaret suffered from dementia. Her mental faculties were acute enough. She was imagining her dead husband, Dennis.
She also longed for her son whom she hadn't spoken for years.
XI. Resurrection
Her caring daughter, Carol, was by her side. She guided her to accept what life really is now for Margaret. There was a scene In the movie when Carol tells Margaret plainly that she is no longer prime minister after Margaret expressed her thoughts on Islamic Extremism.
XII. He returns with the Elixir
Margaret started to face the reality by packing her late husband's belonging and telling him its time for him to go. She is finally shown in her kitchen, alone, contentedly washing a teacup ( a wife's role she had told Denis she would never accept), have finally overcome her grief.
Sources:
My Life Story
I. The hero was introduced in the ordinary world
I have always wanted to become a teacher. During my college days, I enjoyed presenting to the class and even volunteered to tutor my classmates. In late 90's, computer professionals were one of the most in-demand jobs here and abroad, which is why my father wanted me to take BS in Computer Science. I followed his order. He was firm in his decision, "You either take BSCS or not study in college and be my assistant in running our business "
The biggest challenge was the several Math subjects required in a BSCS program. I was not a MATH person. I actually hated it. In the middle of the sem during my freshmen year in college, I had a talk with my dad and begged him that I shift course. He refused.
Left with no choice, I struggled learning to love Math. I became a nerdy student, staying long hours in the library, buying many Algebra books with a lot of problems and solutions at the back. I answered them religiously by myself without any tutor, as money was a problem before. My determination worked. I became good in solving mathematical problems and even got high grades both in differential and integral calculus. I was then one of the lead programmers in my batch.
During my 3rd year in college, our dean was my professor in one of our major subjects. She assigned me a report that I presented to the class. With all humility, she was impressed with my presentation and offered me a teaching position. It was so flattering that the job offer came one year before graduation.
II. The Call to Adventure
It was mixed emotions. I was thrilled, as I will be fulfilling my dream of becoming a teacher but scared of my father's reaction if I accept the job offer. I followed my heart. I accepted the offer as computer instructor in University of the East, College of Computer Studies and Systems.
III. The Hero is reluctant at first
It was in 1996 when CHED issued a CMO requiring all faculty members teaching in colleges and universities to have an MA related to the subjects they are teaching.
I was hesitant to continue teaching as I had the fear that anytime my services will be terminated due to lack of qualifications.
IV. The Hero is encouraged by a wise man
I was encouraged by my dean, Dean Natividad San Gabriel, to continue my work. She said that I have a gift in teaching. I have to enroll though in graduate study for my tenure. I earned units in MA in teaching Math and later on decided to work in the industry to get relevant trainings but that was short-lived.
V. The hero passes the first threshold
To fast track my career, I owe the opportunity I had with STI Ormoc as school administrator to the work experience I had with University of the East.
VI. The hero encounters tests and helpers
Managing a school was quite a challenge. Being young, I was 23 that time, it was difficult to gain the trust of senior employees. It was such a grueling experience the resistance of the employees about my appointment as school head.
In addition to the tests, CHED said I am not qualified as school administrator until I completed any related graduate studies. Due to scarcity of qualified pools of talents in REGION VIII, our school had an agreement with CHED to send me to a graduate school to earn MA through CHED scholarship for a period of two years.
My boss, Atty. Antonio R. Lucero, Jr., one of the Coca Cola managers in the Philippines, guided me all through my early journey as school administrator. He was my mentor and coach. One of the lessons I had with him is "Maricel, you need to give your people a certain amount of trust. Delegate but follow up!"
VII. Hero reaches his innermost cave
One of the trade-offs was my family. Due to my busy schedule, I had less time with them, which resulted to a very painful infidelity of my husband.
Being a young manager, I tend to be like a "jack of all trades", performing the task of a dean, marketing staff and handling 15 teaching units. This resulted to jeopardizing other areas of the school operations. Retention rate (students who stay until the end of the semester) and migration rate(students who enroll the following sem) started to dip. Enrollment started to drop.
VIII. The hero endures the supreme ordeal
One of the founders suggested to stop offering 4-year program to reduce losses and concentrate instead on offering 2-year vocational programs which I didn't subscribe to.
It was no longer viable to operate the school.
IX. The hero seizes the sword
Due to the increasing arrears the school owes to the head office, the school applied for restructuring of accounts (frozen accounts). I convinced our President to continue offering our 4-year programs and assign competent people to supervise the different departments. I focused more on empowering our department heads through mentorship. The school retained only those employees who have the passion to serve the school.
We intensified our marketing campaign. The school diversified by offering non-IT programs like business and engineering. We invested on our facilities and faculty development program.
The enrollment started to increase making the operation of the school viable.
X. The Road Back
While it is fulfilling to work in a school especially if I see our graduates became successful in their chosen career, it is not financially rewarding. I realized that any one could be trained to do what I am doing for the school. I can still help the school while working full-time for our own business.
XI. Resurrection
It was an eye-opener for me when I, once, asked the son of our President this question, "What is the best advice that your Dad shared to you?" His answer is: "Do not work for others?"
I can say that I have already gained the experience (17 years) I need for me to become a good business leader. It is about time that I grow my own businesses and apply the learnings I got from my work experience.
XII. He returns with the Elixir
I recognize that my work experience and the mentorship of my boss have helped me become a better leader. With my MBA program, I foresee myself to become an entrepreneur who can contribute to the economy of our city and a productive member of our society. I consider my active involvement to the civic organization and LGU as another form of education revealing to me the big picture of the community where I live in. I return to my old world but this time with greater purpose.
Maricel Reyes-Ngo,MCS
Mobile No.: 0928-5549795
Mobile No.: 0928-5549795
No comments:
Post a Comment