Leadership & Management: A Critical Analysis of Robert Maxwell Video

This essay explores Robert Maxwell's leadership style through a video analysis, examining initial expectations, changes in perspective, and connections to leadership modules. The analysis reveals insights into Maxwell's character, business dealings, and personal life, including his confidence, negotiation tactics, and complex relationships with family and employees. The essay also reflects on the value of video-based learning and module-based education in developing essential skills. Key takeaways include the importance of self-confidence and dedication. Ultimately, the essay portrays Maxwell as a flamboyant figure whose life and career offer valuable lessons in leadership and management, despite his controversial actions and personal flaws. Desklib provides access to more solved assignments and study tools.

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1. Expectations before watching the video
Initially, I had several expectations related to the video. For instance, my first expectation
was that Robert Maxwell will talk about his pension plan with his life history considering that
the video was titled Maxwell. In addition, I was also expecting to watch a video that explains
about Maxwell’s employees as well as his family including the wife and the sons.
A politician and a business man could be expected to be a very serious man when dealing with
issues especially his business and generally his people, which was not the case with Robert
Maxwell. He deals with issues lightly and makes everything sound like a joke. For example,
Rampton (2007) asserts that Robert Maxwell was famous for making the wrong jokes including
threatening to kill a new managing director of finance if he says anything.
2. How has this changed after watching the video?
Robert Maxwell was not a straight forward man maybe because of the old age. The
statement above is supported by his tendency to say one thing and skip to another without
completing what he was talking about before. For example, at the beginning of the video, he
picks a call tells and tells a certain receiver that he was addressing his employees concerning the
pension plan and that they have their best interest at heart. Shockingly, he immediately

transitions to giving an explanation on how the pension plan works, which never came till the
end of the video.
3. How has the video changed about the perspective of the issue?
Not every successful man is a serious man because some are great jokers. The video
shows Maxwell eating some foodstuff. With the food all over his mouth, the wife comes in and
snatches the food away from him and he is mad about that. On the other hand, Robert Maxwell
in the office is patiently waiting for his son to arrive to the meeting to discuss a deal that he
wants with another company. He is told that the deal is already made at 300 pounds, which
prompts him to cancel the deal because he wanted it with 200. Eventually, he ends up signing it
at 220 pounds. It is for this reason that Sylvester (2007) considers Robert Maxwell as a very
serious man when making deals.
4. How do you relate videos to the learning on module?
Videos are a source of engagement and inspiration to the students. They immerse the
minds of the learners into activities that are student-centered thereby enhancing student
motivation and improving learning experiences. They also help students to develop priceless
skills that they can apply in real life events such as job interviews. Learning on module, on the
other hand, provides an interactive learning for the students. In particular, learning on module
creates a platform where students can ask questions on areas where they haven’t mastered
clearly. The person teaching can also present questions to the students directly and get feedback
instantly or rather in real time (Witchell, 2013).
5. What have you learned that can pass to others
The primary lesson from the video was that one should always be confident. The key idea
is that self-confidence can shield a person from being shaken by others as long as he or she is

talking about the facts. Robert Maxwell was always confident when making deals. As a result, he
mostly ended on the winning side as evidenced by his tendency to get deals signed at a low price.
Doing the best you can is also another lesson from the Robert Maxwell video. He wanted to
make sure that his employees had a perfect understanding of the pension plan. People like Robert
Maxwell are committed to laying a foundation that would help the beneficiaries of their workers
to benefit from their business (Whitney, 1991).
Conclusion
In conclusion, Robert Maxwell lived a flamboyant life style with his family and was a
great business man besides being a great politician. He never cared much concerning life, he
could do anything that he desired at any time. In the video, the wife talks about Robert Maxwell
being married to her for 47 years and wanted her to separate with him because he never wanted
them to attend joint events together. He is also asked if he was going to leave nothing to his
children. The confession that he is leaving nothing to these dependents shows that Robert
Maxwell never cared about his family. Robert Maxwell claims to have started the company and
refused to step down as the chairman. He could not handle the transition in the right way. On the
contrary, he opted to engage in endless quarrels with the person that replaced him. It is shocking
that he opted to act in a stubborn and arrogant manner.

References
Rampton, J. (28 April 2007). Maxwell was a monster but much more, too. The Daily Telegraph.
Sylvester, D. B. (19 july 2007). The grasshopper. Obituary of Maxwell, The Guardian.
Whitney, C. R. (6 november 1991). Robert Maxwell. From refugee to a ruthless builder of a
publishing empire, 5.
Witchell, A. (31 october 2013). Interview with Elisabeth Maxwell. The New York Times.