The 7 Leadership Qualities Used by Mr Sunshine’

Hwa&Dam/Netflix

Is leadership in a person born or made?

Mark C Crowley recently asked the question: are people born to leadership (19%) or are they made (58%) or is it a combination of both (23%). My response to his tweet was that leadership can be made.

There are plenty of examples throughout history of leaders who were either born into a leadership position (Alexander the Great, Edward II) or became leaders along the way (Hatshepsut, Kublai Khan, Hiawatha, Napoleon, Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Ghandi). We even have leaders who got there by accident (Joan of Arc, Pope Benedict XII, Elizabeth I). And of course we have the entrepreneurial gurus (Richard Branson, Jack Welch, Arianna Huffington).

In the scheme of things, Nelson Mandela is considered a person who was born with natural leadership. However, he could not have achieved the extraordinary things he did as a leader without the strong socialisation he experienced during his formative years. Both his family background and life as a university student influenced him greatly.

So, leaders come in all shapes and sizes. In today’s business world we are looking for leaders who resonate with a “tactile” purpose. In otherwords, they are leaders who are real, accessible and human.

Lady Shin who opens Eugene’s eyes to the dilemmas in Korean society

What are Mr Sunshine’s 7 Leadership Qualities?

In the Netflix and Hwa&Dam Pictures drama Mr Sunshine (Miseuteo Shunshain), Eugene Choi is a fictional character with an array of leadership qualities we would like to see in today’s workplace.

Mr Sunshine, in anyone’s language, is a stunning show. It is set at a time in Korea prior to its formal annexation by Japan in 1910. Our hero Eugene Choi aka Mr Sunshine, is a Korean ex-patriate who becomes a captain in the American marines. He returns to his homeland, quite bitter and determined to mete out some form of personal justice (notice I didn’t say revenge). However, when he arrives as the Acting Consul, a series of events overtakes his purpose. In fact they talk to his heart.

There has been some criticism regarding the accuracy and portrayal of the events in Mr Sunshine (it’s a drama folks and it has a disclaimer at the start of each episode!). There has also been praise for Mr Sunshine’s underlying message that there is actually cause for hope in today’s world.

The choice of name for our hero is interesting because the other Eugene Choi some of you may be familiar with is the character in the Shazam comic universe. In Shazam, our young hero has the superpower known as the “Wisdom of Solomon”. By contrast, our Mr Sunshine is heroic. He is capable. He is human. That being said, out of the many leadership qualities that there are out there, the 7 leadership elements that Captain Choi brings to the table are:

He is considerate. Eugene is considerate of others. So, even if he may not always know what is considered the appropriate protocol or good manners regarding some of his cultural interactions, he acts in a way that gets him through a difficult situation due to the perceived level of his integrity.

He listens. Captain Choi is smart enough to know that there is not only two sides to every story, but invariably there is always more to the story. He only acts once he has the facts.

He is supportive. He doesn’t flinch when it comes to supporting those around him, even those who irritate him. What is right is right. He is also willing to invest his time in people.

He believes in the greater good. Eugene is not a visionary as such, but he can see the sense in believing in the future including something that is not only bigger, but better.

He is aware of what is going on around him. He always turns up at the right moment. He generally has his ear to the ground and on most occasions, heads things off before they escalate. As a result he will use the appropriate strategy and resources for the situation at hand.

He is pragmatic. Captain Choi is very good at sitting on things until the right moment and there is no point in reacting in anger. He is also good at letting other things go. As he says to Lady Shin: sometimes it’s best to do nothing and the situation will resolve itself.

He can be tough, but fair. Eugene has a history with Lady Shin’s family that would set most people on a path of vengeance. He doesn’t. He faces head on those who shaped his past. He does this by making it clear he doesn’t forgive them. And, he reinforces he will not be punishing their son. Their sins are not their sons sins.

Photo: Jisun Park/Netflix

Is Mr Sunshine always right?

Mark C Crowley would consider our Mr Sunshine to have a heart. As would Leo Tolstoy, Ghandi and Dostoyevsky. Jack Welch calls what Eugene has the generosity gene. Eugene’s heart is always in the right place, even when he gets it wrong. And when he gets it wrong he atones for his mistakes.

If you haven’t seen Mr Sunshine yet, have a look. You might be distracted by other things as you watch this marvellous, but some of you will note Eugene Choi is worthy to sit alongside James T Kirk, Ross Poldark and Daenerys Targaryen. You don’t have to agree with my assessment here and that’s okay too 😎