Copyright Brian Kinney, 123rf.com
When a young Jack Nicholson was growing up in New Jersey, he had a summer job in a local movie theater. He saw every performance of On the Waterfront with Marlon Brando—twice a night. Nicholson was spellbound. As he said, “I couldn’t take my eyes off him.” It was from that experience that he decided to pursue an acting career. Brando was a positive influence leader on several generations of actors who never met him.
Interestingly, we have come to understand that a person may be positively influenced by someone even without having met them. Such a positive influence leader is almost always an iconic role model, such as Ronald Reagan was for a generation of politicians and Marlon Brando was for several generations of actors. As Nicholson has said many times, he was part of the first generation of actors that idolized Brando, but far from the last.
Beginning in the 1950’s, Brando indirectly influenced several generations of actors by shifting their approach away from the British classically stage-trained style to the Stanislavski method taught by Stella Adler. Brando studied acting with Adler and later with Elia Kazan. While Brando is acknowledged to have had “something special,” he took acting seriously and studied hard to get better. An entire generation of actors was positively influenced by one actor, a role model whom most never met.
For example, he inspired Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Nicholson early on; followed by Sean Penn, Johnny Depp, Daniel-Day Lewis; and more recently, Christine Bale, Ryan Gosling, and James Franco.
Finding your Role Model
You do not have to look to a famous actor or athlete to find a role model who can be a powerful force in your life and career. It can be, among others, a parent, teacher, coach, or manager. A role model is a person who provides an example from whom you can learn how to be successful. You may choose to closely emulate a person you admire, although you may also benefit by extracting certain traits and values and integrating them with your unique style.
Even Jack Nicholson, while he idolized Brando, was smart enough to recognize that it is ultimately all about who you are. As you may have already found, the effective role model is a positive influence by articulating a clear vision and describing a path forward. They never foster a dependency relationship, but rather empower you to seek and find your own destiny.
For more stories of role models and positive influence leaders and how you can become a positive influence leader, pick up a copy of our new book, Positive Influence: The Leader Who Helps People Become the Best Self (HRD Press, 2020).