I’ve been a fan of Tolkien since I was a boy, and articles like this are one of the reasons why. Tolkien’s writing is so rich, that it’s possible to “mine” little nuggets of brilliance like these leadership lessons. By the way, if you liked the movies, give the books a try! (Hint: there’s more than just LOTR!)
Case in point is this article from the blog The Art of Manliness where the author explores leadership from the Hobbit’s perspective:
4. To simply continue on is one of the bravest things that can be done. Near the end of the story, Bilbo is in the mountain and ready to gaze upon the dragon that is guarding the lost treasure. He’s alone, and in the dark (seems to be a common setting, doesn’t it?). He could see the glow of the dragon’s fire, but not the dragon himself. “It was at this point Bilbo stopped. Going on from there was the bravest thing he ever did. The tremendous things that happened afterwards were as nothing compared to it. He fought the real battle in the tunnel alone, before he ever saw the vast danger that lay in wait.”
Read the rest here.