by Michael J. Urick, PhD, MBA, MS, LSSGB, SHRM-CP
- 1 May 2026
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Star Wars Day (May 4) is a fan-created holiday built around the pun “May the Fourth be with you” — a play on the famous Star Wars motto, “May the Force be with you.”
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, stories set in the Star Wars universe have provided endless hours of entertainment spread over movies, television shows, video games, comic books, novels, and even theme parks. These stories also present several illustrations of leadership that are both negative (for example Darth Vader, the Emperor) and positive. On this Star Wars Day, here are five key lessons that real-world leaders can consider from the positive examples in Star Wars. More are detailed in in my book A Manager’s Guide to Using the Force: Leadership Lessons from a Galaxy Far Far Away.
1. Mentorship matters.
Many characters in Star Wars engage in mentoring relationships: Din Djarin & Grogu, Rey & Luke, and Qui-Gon & Obi-Wan are a few examples. As a whole, the Jedi Order depicted throughout the saga calls the participants in mentoring relationships Masters and Padawans (i.e., a mentor and a mentee or an instructor and a student).
In these mentoring relationships, knowledge gets passed down from mentor to mentee. But mentors are also changed positively. Din Djarin’s rough demeanor is changed by the cuteness of Grogu, and Luke is moved into action by the high spirits of Rey. For real-world leaders, the lesson is to seek out mentees and help them to grow but also to be open to experiencing positive change in themselves as a result of the relationship.
2. Maintain focus.
There’s a scene in Empire Strikes Back, the second film of the original trilogy, where Luke is balancing a variety of items (including his teacher, Jedi Master Yoda) using the mystical Force. But, when he starts focusing on other things, he drops them all. In The Last Jedi, the second film of the sequel trilogy, there is a scene where Luke uses the Force to effectively put himself in two places at once. In doing so, he over-extends himself and effectively passes away from physical existence due to multi-tasking.
Many of the best leaders are mindful of what’s around them. They likely understand the importance of time management and live in the moment without overextending themselves. They are aware of their surroundings, themselves, and the other people around them. Real-world leaders need to be mindful and aware of the context around them as they make decisions and seek to influence others. This could include delegating and decluttering a busy schedule, minimizing competing job demands, and eliminating unnecessary conflict in order to maintain focus.
Experienced leaders know that they will inevitably fail from time to time, and exceptional leaders understand that failure can be turned into positive experiences.
3. Communicate with confidence in a way that resonates.
In the original 1977 Star Wars film subtitled A New Hope, there is a scene where Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi tells a group of stormtroopers seeking the droids R2-D2 and C-3PO that they are not the robots for whom they are looking. The stormtroopers miraculously believe him! In another scene in Return of the Jedi, the ghost of Obi-Wan explains to Luke that a possibly inaccurate story that he told him about his father was actually factual if viewed in a certain way. Some of the details may have been adjusted in order move Luke toward action.
An important part of being a leader is to influence others. Leaders understand the audiences they seek to influence. They are able to tailor how they portray the message to particular audiences. A leader skilled at communicating can frame ideas to be understood by a variety of different audiences while communicating with confidence. Like Obi-Wan, this could mean leveraging a clear and commanding tone, eye contact, and an unwavering voice while focusing on details that lead an audience to action.
4. Adapt in the face of crisis.
In The Rise of Skywalker, the last movie in the sequel trilogy, the main villain Emperor Palpatine unexpectedly returns. This forces the Resistance (aka the “good guys”) to adjust their strategy as they determine how to stop the Final Order (aka the “bad guys”). To do this, they have to understand who they are (i.e., how they define themselves, their values, their goals, etc.) while adapting to an evolving environment.
Real-world leaders need to understand their contexts including how their environment changes over time. There is an inherent need to find a balance between adaptability and resilience in order to survive and thrive during crisis situations. Leaders must know in what ways they are willing and able to change while understanding what aspects of themselves and their organizations need to remain stable. They may seek to transform their organizations to be ambidextrous with regard to being adaptable and resilient by teaching their organizations ways to learn about their contexts, instilling shared values among group members, and being mentors to others who also seek balance.
5. Learn from failure.
Experienced leaders know that they will inevitably fail from time to time, and exceptional leaders understand that failure can be turned into positive experiences. In The Last Jedi, the ghost of Yoda tells Luke that failure is a great teacher. In Luke’s context, what Yoda is suggesting is that Luke should not give up, but rather learn from his prior failings in order to use his power for the good of others.
Real-world leaders should, of course, try not to fail. But, they should also recognize that failing on occasion is inevitable and to be expected. They must learn from failures, manage any related negative feelings, and pass on what they have learned to future leaders so that they will not make the same mistakes.
Of course, every leader’s experience is a little different and the exact things that work for one leader may not work for all leaders operating in different contexts. Yet, some of the characters in the Star Wars saga can serve as models for what effective leadership could look like. You may find that your leadership context has more in common with a galaxy far, far away than you think!
Dr. Michael J. Urick is Dean of the Alex G. McKenna School of Business, Economics, and Government at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, where he also serves as Professor of Management and Operational Excellence. A prolific scholar, his research has been widely cited in academic publications as well as in news media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal and the BBC. Urick is the author, co-author, or editor of ten books on leadership and intergenerational phenomena at work. He was the editor of Emerald Publishing’s Exploring Effective Leadership Practices through Popular Culture book series and many of his books explore leadership using the lens of popular culture with topics including Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Taylor Swift. In addition to his books and more than 70 other publications (including dozens of peer-reviewed articles), Dr. Urick is a sought-after international speaker on leadership development and generational dynamics in the workplace, having presented on four continents including at the University of Oxford. He currently serves as Associate Editor of the Journal of Intergenerational Relationships.
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