Great leaders are the real superheroes

Some of my favourite childhood memories include nights sitting in front of the television, watching in awe, as my favourite superheroes courageously defeated bad guys. I devoted many nights to watching superheroes like Superman race through the sky to save people from burning planes and collapsing buildings that were caused by diabolical supervillains. It was inspiring to watch these heroes stand up to the likes of Lex Luthor and fight for the people who could not fight for themselves. The superheroes protected everyday people. I cannot remember a time, as a small child, when I did not want to be like them. I spent a lot of time daydreaming about possessing super powers. If only I could run faster than a speeding bullet or be indestructible like Superman.

As a teenager, I found myself recalling my childhood heroes. I dreamt of having the strength to stand up to the CEO or the courage to tell him that he was wrong. However, any strength I had was quickly diminished as I watched others tell the CEO that he was wrong and then proceed to be abruptly walked out the door later the same day. It was clear that I was just as vulnerable. I could not help but think about all the amazing things that I could do if only I had superpowers. I would get excited, almost exhilarated sometimes, by the thought of having a superpower even if only for a day. I imagined the good things that could be done. But, it would not be long before reality washed away these dreams. What was I thinking? Everyone knows that superheroes are not real. They do not exist. It was disheartening to think about all the amazing things that could be done if only I had the power to do them. As a young adult, this feeling continued to haunt me.

When I was in my early thirties, everything changed. I met a real superhero! He was the owner of a large company. He was passionate about life and kind to the people who worked for him. On a daily basis, he performed heroic deeds. Many tales of his amazing feats and incredible kindness were shared throughout the company. One story recounted an occassion when a long-time product supplier for the company had a fire in its main factory. Due to a lapse in insurance, it looked like the supplier would go out of business. When the owner heard the shocking news, he booked the next flight to meet with the supplier. He told the supplier that the business was NOT going to close. He proceeded to give the supplier a cheque for hundreds of thousands of dollars to get the factory up and running again. He told the supplier not to worry about paying the money back right away because he knew the supplier was good for it. To this day, he never had a more loyal supplier.

On another occasion, I witnessed his heroics firsthand during the grand opening of a new store. He completed the customary five o’clock walk through the store with a team of executives, introducing himself to employees along the way. Later that evening, at the party to celebrate the grand opening, two young warehouse staff mustered up the courage to congratulate him on his son’s performance in the NHL. The owner looked at them and said, "Steven. John. You did a tremendous job getting the store setup in time for the grand opening. I know it’s a lot of work and you did an amazing job. It’s great to have you as part of our team." I was amazed. He made the effort to remember their names after meeting them only briefly earlier that day! Even though he was the owner of a chain of over 100 stores with more than 5000 employees, he cared enough to remember and use their names. That is a real super power! The employees felt so important. They beamed with pride. I remember thinking that I wanted to be like the owner: assisting people when they need help and elevating them to higher levels. He constantly set good examples that others wanted to follow. He exemplified what I wanted to be. That’s when it hit me. Being a great leader is like being a superhero! I realized that being able to inspire others and make them believe that they could accomplish anything was better than being bulletproof.

I finally realized that the real superheroes are not the characters that we see on television, but rather they are the ones who can inspire others and bring about positive change. This revelation was inspiring. However, it did not take long for me to realize that great leaders are rare. Through my work with various organizations, I have learned that most desperately want more great leaders but have tremendous difficulty finding them. Where have these modern day superheroes gone? Where are all the leaders who inspire and motivate others?

Most organizations do not know where to find great leaders. Many lack the programs needed to identify, develop and groom their own potential heroes. As a result, many look outside of their own organizations to try to find the superheroes they need. Unfortunately, this strategy is often expensive and less effective than internal development. One of the biggest threats facing organizations today is the impending mass exodus of great leaders as they near retirement in the coming years. Organizations already desperate to find great leaders are going to face an even greater challenge in the near future.

As in most superhero television shows, with great challenge comes great opportunity - the opportunity for a whole new generation of superheroes. The positions left vacant by the exiting leaders will open the door for many young and passionate individuals to become the leaders of tomorrow - superheroes who inspire others to accomplish great things, help employees believe in their own abilities, and protect hard working individuals from the disruptive actions of self-serving individuals.

Great potential lies within everyone. This potential could be an untapped talent, passion, or desire to make a difference. If organizations want superheroes, they should stop looking to the sky and start looking within their organizations. By providing their people with effective leadership training, development, and mentoring programs, they will be able create home grown superheroes that can really make a difference in the organizations of tomorrow.