Good Example Of Critical Thinking On Harry Potter Movie - The Sorcerer’s Stone

1. Harry, Voldemort, and Professor Dumbledore all have power but different types of power. Identify the type of power they have/use and give an example of each from the movie.
Harry uses soft power, including expert and referent types. We can assume that from the beginning he utilizes expert power, as he is admired among wizards because of his unique experience of battling the most dangerous magician of that time. This type of power is also characteristic of him on the quidditch field, as he performs skilful stunts at the first lesson. However, as the plot develops, he meets people, who respect his for who he is. Thus, Harry also acquires the referent type of power, as both Ron and Hermione are willing to spend time together and trust him with saving the Sorcerer’s Stone in the culmination scene.
In the first film, Voldemort uses hard power, including reward and coercive types. When luring Quirrel into sacrificing his body, Voldemort obviously used the power of reward, promising his servant power or other possible bonuses. He also attempted using this type on Harry, when saying his parents would rise from the dead if Harry dives him the Stone. We can also suppose it was his primarily used type of power when gaining followers. This type was combined with coercive power, as he tried to kill Harry, when he refused to give back the Stone.
With the case of Dumbledore, his power types also change and evolve, including both hard and soft power. At first, we witness his referent power, as he is the one whom it was trusted to leave Harry with the Dursleys. Then his legitimate type of power becomes apparent, as he is Hogwarts’ Headmaster. He starts ceremonies, awards points and rules the school’s schedule in general. In the ending scene, we have a glimpse on his expert power, when during a private conversation with Harry Dumbledore shows his unique knowledge and experiences with Voldemort and Nicholas Flamel.
2. Voldemort and Harry each utilized a type of situational leadership. Identify the type and correlate with your findings with a scene from the movie.
Throughout the film, Harry utilizes coaching situational leadership with high attention to both emotions and tasks. He values friendship, as he was deprived of such emotional background in the past. He is task oriented, both in the fight with a troll and with Voldemort. For example, he remembers that Hermione is in the toilet during the banquet, because he was concerned with her being upset. Also during the battle, he takes action himself and also encourages Ron, thus both boosting Ron’s confidence and achieving the goal, which was saving Hermione.
During the culmination of the film, Voldemort used directive style of situational leadership. He planned and scheduled the entire attack plan, and during the conversation, he gave Quirrel clear orders to let him speak to Harry and then to attach the boy. The style was effective in terms of orders execution, as Quirrel lacked confidence and ability to act independently.
3. Ron and Hermione are devoted supports of Harry. Do their actions reflect followership or are they an extension of coalitional leadership? Prepare a persuasive argument based on your opinion of this.
The trio can be characterized as an example of coalitional leadership. It supports and tries to achieve the same goals (i. e. finding the Stone). Also, throughout the film the trio develops connection with the entire wizard world network of people, starting from school friends and teachers, ending with family members. This will later contribute to achieving the ultimate goal and battling Voldemort. They adapt their behaviour to approach different people and situations: they are careful with Fluffy, impudent with their library plan and opposing when someone tries to obstacle them, as was the case with Neville. However, they still manage to develop positive relationships between themselves and with others.
There are some other arguments for the trio to be a form of coalitional leadership. Ron and Hermione are critical thinkers, who may disagree with Harry and act independently. Hermione has more knowledge of the wizard world, and Ron has more experience of it. Hermione is more inclined to disagree, with an example of her leaving the boys and going to her bedroom after they meet Fluffy. Their independence is explicitly shown close to the end of the movie, when Hermione freed the trio from a magical plant and then chose to stay with Ron, who took on the responsibility for the chess battle. Such actions also prove their expert power and participation in plan structuring.
4. What organization role does Hagrid play in the Hogwarts infrastructure? How would you characterize his leadership style? Give an example from the movie.
Hagrid’s role can be characterized as of a monitoring follower of high readiness, as he was the one delivering Harry to the Dursleys and transporting the Sorcerer’s Stone from the bank, which are responsible tasks. He also is Hogwarts’ forester, thus he has a controlling function concerning its premises and its inhabitants. Hagrid is an effective supporter of Dumbledore, who highly values emotions, loyalty and justice.
Hagrid’s leadership style comprises of high relationship behaviour, from which task behaviour suffers. A bright example is Norton’s birth. Hagrid was rather fond of the dragon, so he allowed it to be born on Hogwatrs’ premises, thus putting school’s safety at risk. Thus, behaviour relationships are of higher priority for Hagrid than task goals. We may deduce his participative leadership style, as he mainly encourages with emotional support, for example, supporting Gryffindor during a quidditch match.
5. Professor Snape is feared by many. What is his source of power (give an example from the movie) and how would you characterize his leadership style?
There are three main sources of Severus Snape’s power, which are his position, his knowledge and fear, arousing from his peculiar charisma and expertise. Since he is a professor, he possesses legitimate power, thus students are supposed to obey his will. Also, when we first meet him in the class, he tells what kind of rather dark skills he has and how influential they are. From that scene we deduce his expert power, from which a potential fear derives.
Considering three types of power Snape operates, we can conclude that he also uses different leadership styles. Nonetheless, the directive style was represented the most brightly, with low concern for relationships and high concern for tasks. He asks Harry direct questions during the first class, authoritatively subtracts points and does not reveal any attention to feelings, emotions and keeping motivating atmosphere. However, in the following parts of the story it will be unravelled that the directive style was only superficial.
6. If you could emulate any of the leadership styles of the characters you just analyzed, what/who would it by and why?
I really appreciate Dumbledore’s leadership style. He has multiple sources of power, which have sound basis: his position was earned through his knowledge and respect of others. He adjusts his style according to situation, considering both behaviours, emotion, tasks and their order of execution. At the same time, he manages to be approachable and flexible advisor. Dumbledore consecutively involves supporters into the process, simultaneously managing projects of various scope and importance: storing the Stone, solving Voldemort’s puzzles of disappearance and immortality, awarding Hogwarts’ houses and being present at school banquets. I believe his leadership style is the most consistent in terms of gaining devoted supporters, who will contribute positively to the plan realisation process. Moreover, his style of planning is also well-balanced and thought trough.