I love Marvel movies and comics.
I’m a sucker for any media (or clothing) featuring super-powered individuals who possess the strength, intellect, and courage required to single-handedly attempt to save the world.
But, as much as I love it…that’s not real life.
At least, not the single-handed part. I’ll explain…
The Hero Who Walks Alone
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but, there is no one person coming to save us on their own.
- There’s no billionaire, genius, playboy, philanthropist coming to fix our climate crisis (turns out Elon was a fascist all along).
- There is no Super Soldier Serum-powered human being who fights for freedom and justice for all people.
- And, much to my dismay, it does not appear that someone who is bitten by a radioactive spider will manifest the strength and agility of a spider and with great responsibility keep their city safe from a pumpkin-bomb toting psychopath on a rocket-powered glider.
Stan Lee wrote works of fiction, Hulk is not here to smash, and we can’t fix things with a snap.
Too many times we’ve been lead to believe that one brilliant, powerful, and remarkable person will show up at the last minute to save us.
They won’t.
Similarly, neither you, nor anyone else on your team at work, is coming to save the day.
Not alone, at least.
The Power of Myth
If you’re wondering why we keep perpetuating this myth, it’s because it is part of human nature to want to be important.
We all feel it.
When we imagine a single person saving the day, it’s so attractive because we get to imagine ourselves as that person. We desire being that extraordinary. Even for those who can’t picture themselves as the Superhero, belief in the greatness of a single person is what makes this narrative so simple and attractive.
It is our addiction to this mythology that lets the current paragons of success in our world, have a plausible justification for their unreasonable position in society.
Our addiction to the mythology keeps us making the wrong people into heroes over and over again.
It’s that thinking that keeps feeding us the myth of the Super CEO whose charisma, brilliance, and vision is what built the company…rather than the collective efforts of all involved.
It’s that thinking that keeps people around the world turning to the recurring villain named “Strong Man” who will save the country from the threat of people who look different…rather than get involved and embrace the slow, messy, and steady movement of inclusive and compassionate progress.
Just as in business where there is no silver bullet, there is also no solo hero coming to save the day. Hyper-individualism is what got us here and it’s not too late to turn back.
So, while I love heroes, I hate hero-worship.
The Heroes & Villains of Industry
When we treat someone like they walk on water, that person might just start believing it. Once that person starts believing the hype, they might just start to think they have all the answers and that they are always right. Once someone is always right, what’s the point of listening to new ideas and perspectives?
So, what inevitably happens next?
- We find ourselves stuck defending the status quo instead of inviting new ideas to the table.
- We see another story of a company defending the executive and firing the person who speaks up or speaks out.
- We see admiration of the individual and skepticism of the collective.
The problem is power.
Assemble!
Here is the point: We can’t rely on Iron Man, but we can rely on the Avengers. You dig?
For my non-geeks, I’ll explain: Iron Man, on his own, makes tons of mistakes and nearly destroys all of humanity multiple times. The Avengers, however, are a team of flawed but brilliant individuals who, when working together, don’t just save the world, they save the entire universe.
No one is self-made. No one saves the world alone.
- Jeff Bezos isn’t packing boxes.
- Elon doesn’t design or build rockets or cars.
- Both of them have laid off someone who did that work.
Success is always a team effort. When we glorify individuals, we erase the people who helped them succeed. We keep feeding the myth of the solo Superhero, reinforcing our culture’s obsession with individualism. And that obsession warps what we value and aspire to.
Heroism is a team sport
My mission is to create a world with more Superheroes.
To clarify, that isn’t about individuals working alone. It’s about everyone bringing their gifts to the same fight.
If we’re going to make it through this moment to a better future, it won’t be because of a single superheroes working alone. We need lots and lots of Superheroes working together.
Being a Superhero isn’t a luxury, it’s a burden. It’s a commitment to making the world a better place. It’s not a vacation, it’s duty.
I believe we’re at an ideal point in time to shift that narrative from rank and prestige to duty and sacrifice.
So, whether you find your Justice League, the X-Men, or The Avengers, the point is to get on a team and put every one of your gifts in service of changing the world.
