Thayer Leadership is excited to share our 2025 Media List, a popular annual roundup of inspiring content curated by our faculty.
Each summer, we ask our faculty to recommend thought-provoking films, documentaries, shows, and podcasts they’ve watched or listened to over the past year. This year’s list offers fresh insights and inspiration for your summer learning and reflection as leaders.
MOVIES
‘Invictus’ – Recommended by MG (Ret.) Keith Thurgood, Ph.D.
Set in post-apartheid South Africa, this inspiring drama follows President Nelson Mandela as he teams up with rugby captain Francois Pienaar to use the 1995 World Cup as a unifying force for national reconciliation and pride.
- Leadership Topics: Building Trust, Change Management, Visionary Leadership
- Favorite Quote: “I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.”
- Leader Questions: What role does visionary leadership play in achieving long-term goals? How can leaders balance vision with practical implementation?
‘The Last Rifleman’ – Recommended by BG (Ret.) Becky Halstead
Inspired by a true story, a WWII veteran escapes his care home to journey to France and honor the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
‘Remember the Titans’ – Recommended by COL (Ret.) Remi Hajjar, Ph.D.
Set in 1971 Virginia, this drama explores how the forced integration of an all-Black and all-White high school challenges a community’s deep-rooted football traditions and ignites emotional and cultural tensions.
- Leadership Topics: Conflict Resolution, Resilience, Team Building, Transformational Leadership
- Leader Questions: How did the leaders/coaches build cohesion on the new team? How did the leaders/coaches overcome initial community resistance towards the integration of a football team?
- Fun Fact: The film highlights two military brat kids, “Louie Lastik” and “Sunshine,” who comfortably interact and form friendships across racial lines, showcasing the military’s advanced maturity on race relations compared to broader U.S. society in the early 1970s. This subtle but powerful detail underscores a key military connection within the story.
‘We Were Soldiers’ – Recommended by MG (Ret.) John Batiste
Based on the best-selling book, this war drama tells the true story of the first major battle between U.S. and North Vietnamese forces in the Vietnam War, highlighting the courage, loyalty, and sacrifice of soldiers and their families.
- Leadership Topics: Compassionate Leadership, Decision-Making Under Pressure, Leading by Example, Resilience
- Fun Fact: Thayer Leadership faculty member, Colonel (Ret.) David Moore is the son of Lieutenant General (Ret.) Hal Moore, co-author of We Were Soldiers Once … and Young, alongside journalist Joseph L. Galloway.
Additional Movies to Explore About Women Leaders
- GI Jane (drama/action) – The first woman candidate integrated into the U.S. Navy Seals engages in a demanding training program, where she faces tough challenges from her commander but ultimately earns his respect through perseverance.
- Courage Under Fire (drama/action/mystery) – Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Serling investigates the death of Captain Karen Walden during a Medevac rescue, uncovering inconsistencies in the crew’s accounts that hint at a hidden truth.
TELEVISION SHOWS
‘The Pitt’ – Recommended by LTC (Ret.) Sande Schlesinger
This drama offers a realistic portrayal of the complex challenges facing healthcare workers in America, seen through the eyes of frontline heroes at a modern-day hospital in Pittsburgh, PA.
- Leadership Topics: Communication, Leading Under Pressure, Self-Care, Team Cohesion
- Key Takeaway: Though he appears to have everything under control, the main character’s flaws surface at times, reminding us that—even for leaders—being human means grappling with imperfection. True character is revealed in how we respond when our worst instincts momentarily take over.
‘Ted Lasso’ – Recommended by MG (Ret.) Doug Crissman
This comedy follows an American football coach who is unexpectedly hired to lead a British soccer team. While he lacks experience in the sport, his unwavering optimism, determination, and charm win people over.
- Leadership Topics: Culture Building, Empowerment, Leader Vulnerability, Servant Leadership
- Leader Questions: What am I doing to create a positive, supportive, and fun culture within my team? How willing am I to show vulnerability and share my own challenges to build trust?
‘Zero Day’ – Recommended by MG (Ret.) Bob Ivany, Ph.D.
This drama/thriller series explores the challenge of uncovering truth in a crisis-ridden world, questioning how much of the chaos stems from external forces versus our own perceptions and creations amid widespread conspiracy and deception.
- Leadership Topics: Crisis Management, Leader Integrity, Trust
- Leader Questions: What unique challenges do leaders face within complex organizations, and how do these challenges underscore the importance of leading with integrity?
PODCASTS AND BLOGS
‘Disrupt Yourself’ Podcast – Recommended by Alison Levine
Explores the power of personal disruption through insightful conversations with changemakers, offering fresh perspectives on how we work, learn, and live.
- Leadership Topics: Learning Culture, Purposeful Action, Risk-Taking
- Thoughts by Alison Levine: ‘From disruption comes innovation and growth – two things leaders should be focused on.’
‘The Green Notebook’ Podcast & Blog – Recommended by MG (Ret.) Doug Crissman
A platform for leaders to help each other by sharing lessons learned — lessons that come from our own green notebooks (aka: personal journals or notes kept by military leaders).
- Leadership Topics: Building Culture, Effective Communication, Leading Yourself, Navigating Team Dynamics
- Fun Fact: Founded by U.S. Army officer Joe Byerly, this blog earned the respect of Thayer faculty member Doug Crissman during his active-duty service. Since retiring, Doug has developed a personal connection with Joe, appreciating his consistently well-crafted and thought-provoking content.
‘The Psychology Podcast’ – Recommended by Alison Levine
Thought-provoking conversations with scientists, thinkers, and self-actualized individuals to explore human potential and offer deeper insight into ourselves, others, and the world around us.
- Leadership Topics: Emotional Intelligence, Motivation & Purpose, Radical Listening
- Thoughts by Alison Levine: ‘This podcast dives into so many fascinating areas of psychology: toxic positivity, the power of regret, the value of suffering, the science of resilience, etc.’