According to Wikipedia, Hua Mulan is a legendary/fictional female Chinese warrior who dresses as a man, to take her aged and disabled father’s place in the Imperial Army. The story was initially described in the Ballad of Mulan and more recently made into an animation and movie by Disney.
At the beginning of the Disney animation, Mulan is seen trying to fit into society’s mould. She is preparing for her appointment with the matchmaker who is supposed to find her a suitor. She is under a lot of pressure as her father tells her the family is counting on her. When she arrives her mother and grandmother are waiting for her, and she is late, disorganised disorientated and full of excuses. One can tell from her mother’s and grandmother’s statements that this is her modus operandi. The woman tasked with preparing her as is the custom takes one look at her and asks the mother and grandmother, is this what you give me to work with? She is not impressed. Mulan desires to bring honour to her family, and keep her father standing tall, and while she is trying hard to make this whole deal work, it is clearly not working, and she is evidently not in her place. Eventually, her appointment with the matchmaker is a total disaster.
Then the emperor’s representative calls to enlist a man from each household into the Imperial Army to fight the Huns. Mulan is concerned because her father is unwell and walks with a limp. But he has no son to take his place and so he must go to war himself. She decides to become a son and save her father. At night, while the rest of the house is sleeping, Mulan cuts her hair, steals her father’s armour and sword and disappears into the night. When she leaves home, she has no way of telling what awaits her or whether she would return.
Mulan goes to battle, and although she is discovered, she saves the emperor and China. One man is not excited, and when the captain says, she’s a hero, he replies, she’s a woman, she’ll never be worth anything. But then the emperor arrives and demonstrates that he doesn’t care that she is a woman, only that she has saved them all. He bows to Mulan in appreciation, and because of what he represents, everyone present falls to their knees and bows to Hua Mulan. He presents her with his medallion and says, take this so that your family will know what you have done for me. Then he presents her with the sword of the leader of the Huns and says, take this so that the world will know what you have done for China. At her home, Mulan presents the medallion and sword to her father and says, they are gifts with which to honour our family. Her father responds by saying, the greatest gift is having you for a daughter. Thus, Mulan brings honour to her family; not the way they hoped but in a different way and on a grander scale.
Leadership Lessons from the Story of Hua Mulan
- Everyone and everything has a place, and every great woman seeks out her place. When you are out of your place, you will struggle in vain, and you will be at best, average. But in your place, your endeavours will make a significant difference; you will stand out and be the head. Mulan struggled to impress the matchmaker but never did, but when she channelled that determination into becoming a soldier, she was distinguished; her colleagues hailed her as the greatest of them all, and the emperor said to her, you have saved us all. Find your place and grow there. You will never be celebrated elsewhere.
- Great women ask great questions. Mulan asked questions such as, why should Mulan be different? What about a girl with a brain who speaks up? A great question is the product of a great mind and productive thinking. And great questions challenge beliefs and foster change. Ask great questions. Great woman do.
- Great women do not follow tradition blindly. They do not force themselves to fit into society’s mould. They are not afraid to challenge the status quo or forge a path for themselves. They are pacesetters, trailblazers, and pathfinders. Mulan tried to fit into the image of what society and her family accepted, but when it did not work, she abandoned it and fearlessly carved a path for herself. You may not act like others or follow convention, but that doesn’t make you useless. We are all born for something, and when we find it and embody it, we are unstoppable and invincible.
- Another person’s view of you does not have to become your truth. The matchmaker said to Mulan, “you are a disgrace. You may look like a bride, but you will never bring your family honour!” But the emperor said to her, “you have saved us all.”
- When you follow the path that is meant for you, shame quickly becomes honour. Mulan began as a disgrace to her father, but she ended up bringing him dignity and pride as she followed the path that was meant for her.
- Great women believe in themselves. They know that they can. During the battle, Mulan took the lead; she was not afraid to act on her instincts and then face the consequences. She trusted herself and her decisions. And she was not afraid to fail.
- Great women are bold and courageous; they are not afraid to speak up and share their truth. They are quick to rise to the defence of those they love and speak out against societal evils and injustices. Mulan spoke up for her father when he was being enlisted for the war. He was weak and walked with a limp, the war front was no place for him, and she said as much.
- There is a great man for every great woman. Mulan eventually found love which indicates that there is a man for every woman no matter how unusual she is. A man exists for every kind of woman.
- Great women understand the place of perseverance in the journey to attain their goals. Great women don’t quit or accept defeat. They persevere until they win. At camp, Mulan struggled to keep up, with the military training and she was sent home. But she did not leave; instead, she worked through the night to prove that she was worthy of remaining in the army. Her result gave her a place of honour and respect amongst the men when she fetched the arrow that others had tried to retrieve but failed.
- Who you are will show up in a crisis. Mulan was selfless to the point of sacrificial. She took her father’s place in the army and twice when the captain was in danger, she refused to abandon him and risked her life to save him. You can count on a great woman. Great women are loyal and committed.
- Great women have bad days, and they are not always confident. Sometimes, they doubt themselves; sometimes, they are discouraged and depressed. After the first battle with the Huns, Mulan is hailed as the bravest of them all. But then she is discovered and called a treacherous snake. She should be killed per the law, but the captain spared her life as she had just saved his. The troop moved on without her; she was rejected and abandoned. Mulan was devastated; she was full of regret; she became discouraged and depressed. This is normal on the path to success or greatness. A time comes when the leader is left alone, and the leader second-guesses themselves.
- Ultimately, people are looking for saviours and don’t care whether they are male or female. When the Huns attacked the palace and seized the emperor the men of the Imperial Army were clearly at a loss how to save him, their plan was not working, and they abandoned it and decided to give Mulan’s approach a try and once again, she was leading them no longer disguised as a man but as a woman. People will follow you despite your gender because ultimately, people want to be saved and don’t care if their saviour is male or female.
- Great women blossom in adversity. They know how to make the most of adverse situations. The emperor said of Mulan, the flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all.
- Great women are an inspiration to other women. Their story sends across a simple but powerful message to other women. One that says, if I can, so can you. Eventually, Mulan brought honour to her family. You can bring honour to your family and your nation and the world. Anything is possible for you.
