Fifty years ago, a mechanical shark that barely worked helped launch the modern blockbuster and delivered unexpected lessons in leadership, adaptability, and strategic thinking.

As educators, planners, and organizational leaders ease into summer, Jaws offers more than nostalgia. It holds real wisdom for this critical season of pause… a time when we catch our breath, reflect on what’s working (and what isn’t), and chart a course for what’s next.

Here’s what the making of Jaws, and the story itself, can teach us about navigating chaos, leading with intention, and designing strategy in messy, high-stakes moments.

Behind the Scenes: Strategy, Simplicity, and Spielberg’s Pivot

By now, it’s common knowledge that Jaws director Steven Spielberg had to improvise. The mechanical shark, Bruce, was totally iconic but also faulty. So instead of leaning on flashy visuals, Spielberg leaned into suspense. He kept the shark mostly off-screen and used just two ominous notes from John Williams… dun dun… dun dun… to build tension and dread. That constraint ended up changing film history.

The takeaway? When your plan breaks, your mindset becomes your most important tool. Spielberg didn’t cling to what should have worked, he redesigned the story around what could work! By doing so, he made the invisible visible, allowing the audience to feel the threat rather than simply see it.

Here’s something you might not know: Jaws is an adaptation of a novel by Peter Benchley. Spielberg didn’t invent the shark story from scratch; he reimagined something that already existed. That’s a powerful reminder that innovation doesn’t always mean starting from zero. It can mean borrowing a structure, honoring what came before, and reshaping it with your unique mission and lens.

Strategic takeaways:

• Be clear on your why, flexible in your how
• Constraints can fuel creativity
• Scarcity often reveals what really matters

The Power of Cross-Functional Teams

Film production is the definition of a team effort. Just look at the credits that roll after a movie, they’re filled with hundreds of names. Why? Because great work doesn’t happen in silos. It happens when people with different roles, backgrounds, and ideas come together toward a common goal.

In Jaws, the three central characters—Brody (the public servant), Hooper (the scientist), and Quint (the seasoned expert)—couldn’t have been more different. But their collective knowledge and perspectives were essential to defeating the threat. The story wouldn’t have worked without their tension, conflict, and eventual collaboration.

Here’s another lesser-known fact: many of the townspeople in Jaws were played by real Martha’s Vineyard locals. Spielberg’s casting team chose them because they embodied the voice, look, and feel of the community. That authenticity anchored the film in something real and helped every decision feel grounded.

Strategic takeaways:

• Diverse perspectives are a strength, not a challenge
• Alignment doesn’t require consensus—it requires shared purpose
• Authentic voices often reveal the smartest path forward

As summer planning ramps up, consider this: instead of cutting back on meetings because “things are slower,” what if you intentionally brought together people who rarely collaborate, but whose work impacts each other daily?

Pair HR with IT. Sales with design. Elementary educators with high school teachers. What new solutions emerge when invisible collaborations are made visible?

Bonus insight: Stay mission-driven by listening to the heartbeat of your people. They often know more than the script does.

What’s Your Shark?

Every leader, planner, or changemaker has something lurking beneath the surface. Something avoided. Something uncomfortable. Something that, if left unchecked, could sink the plan.

What’s your shark?

Is it a difficult conversation? A broken system? A lingering fear of failure or visibility?

Whatever it is, don’t ignore the tension. It might not be a threat but, it might be clarity in disguise. Often, the thing you’re avoiding is the thing you need to face in order to grow.

One last thought before the credits roll

This Summer, Don’t Just Rest…

Reflect.

Adapt.

Strategize.

The shark might be broken. The pressure might be rising. But with clarity, courage, and the right crew, you can still make a masterpiece.

Let’s Talk Strategy

Whether you’re planning for the new school year or setting the course for Q3 and Q4, this is the perfect moment to be intentional.

What’s your shark?

What’s your masterpiece?

Drop your thoughts in the comments or reach out for a free consultation. I’d love to help you bring it all into focus.

Happy Summer,

Jenn

Founder, MADE Consulting

Mission-Aligned Design Excellence