Sustainable Leadership

Resisting the Leader’s Kryptonite: High-Flying Tips to Avoid the Superhero Syndrome

Are your “heroic” efforts building people up, or wearing them down?

You’ve seen this movie before. Its essential plot lines and character types are emblazoned in your memory.

Spandex Superheroes

It’s the larger-than-life superhero leader: “Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings at a single bound!”

Chainmail Heroes

Or perhaps more classically styled, in the bright chainmail of mythical or medieval heroes. The daring soul who defies all odds to slay the dragon, rescue the princess, and restore the faltering kingdom to prosperity and peace. Always single-handedly.

Entrepreneurial Heroes

Only in our case, the realm is business or social-profit ventures. And the hero is the über competent one, who wields smartphones and erects platforms to take on their industry — heck, their society. Single-handedly. Perhaps even with hands tied behind their back.

This hero goes it alone. No need for vacation, rest, or advice from mere mortals. Leaping about, snatching victory after victory from the jaws of defeat.

Silicon Sagas

You know the pattern. The setting could be Silicon Valley, Sao Paulo, or Shanghai. Only the leaders’ turtlenecks, hoodies, cowboy boots or high heels — and domain names — change.

Typical stages in the saga:

• Maverick leader drops out of college to start a revolution from the garage.
• Possesses a vision no one else sees. The audacity to bring it to life. No one believes.
• Works more than breathes. Breaks all the rules. Changes the game. Early success.
• Falls out with business partner, regulator, or board. Strikes out, once more alone. Against the grain.
• Self-finances on maxed out plastic. Survives on ramen. Sleeps in a broken-down car.
• And so establishes a Fortune 500 company. Before breakfast.

Exhausted yet?

Breakthroughs and Breakdowns

The reality is, many hard-charging leaders actually do manage to secure stunning breakthroughs. Things others thought impossible.

Sadly, these are often accompanied by staggering breakdowns within their enterprises, teams, or families. Even, within themselves.

Heroic Strain

High capacity leaders are known to induce panic, stress and strain in those they lead. Breath-taking vision and breakneck speed seem admirable at first, but for those who can’t keep up, they can become draining and demoralizing.

When a leader’s high-revving, twin-turbo engines have everyone operating beyond redline 24/7, good people burn out, and good things blow apart.

Breath-taking vision and breakneck speed seem admirable at first, but for those who can’t keep up, it can become draining and demoralizing.

A Better Way?

We must ask, for the sake of leaders and supporters alike, isn’t there a better way?

Heroic Journey

In the ancient story of David (yep, the heroic Goliath slayer), he lived for years on the run from jealous King Saul. A decade-and-a-half after being foretold that he would be Israel’s next king, the warrior faced one last battle before he could receive the crown.

Returning home after a long march, David and his small militia found their village destroyed with fire, their wives and children kidnapped, and their livestock stolen.

Facing a mutiny from his distraught men who spoke of stoning him, David drew strength from his faith, then led his men to track down the marauders responsible for the attack.

Already battle-fatigued and traumatized, 200 of David’s men couldn’t continue on the hunt. They camped in a valley, guarding the supplies of the men who pressed on.

Valley of Decision

Returning from victory with families restored and belongings intact, some of those who had pressed on reunited the wives and children with their husbands and fathers, but refused to share any bounty with the men who had been too worn to join the battle.

All eyes fell to David the warrior. Surely David — the lion who had come to national prominence through vanquishing a formidable foe with just a sling, a handful of stones and a prayer — would despise the weakness of the weary ones.

What kind of kingdom would he have if its brave protectors couldn’t find the guts to power through emotional and physical hardship? David would bring down the hammer, his raiding party had no doubt.

Sharing Spoils

The future King made a shocking decision: The ones who “guarded the stuff” would share in the spoils equally with those who fought at the frontlines.

Ascending the throne to begin his reign, David had learned that he hadn’t arrived there on his own. The hero needed the help of heaven and the great strength of a team. Rather than self-indulgence, David even sent some of the plunder to elders in all the lands “where he and his men had roamed.”

No wonder this man inspired such loyalty that people risked their lives for his.

What kind of kingdom would he have if its brave protectors couldn’t find the guts to power through emotional and physical hardship?

Learning Humility

As leaders, it can be easy for us to believe our own press releases, accolades, and cover stories. To think we alone are responsible for our success. That all would be well if everyone else would just get in line, do what we need, and keep up with us.

This pride is dangerous on a number of levels. It starts with an inflated view of our own competencies, and overstates the value of their contribution to any success. This diminishes the crucial role others play in positioning us to put the ball in the net or advance the cause. Arrogance only sets us up for a fall.

Sharing Credit

In “The Last Dance,” a documentary about the Chicago Bulls’ arduous path to NBA glory, the legendary Michael Jordan calls out the critical role of his teammate:

“He helped me so much in the way I approached the game, the way I played the game…When everybody says, well, I won all these championships, but I didn’t win without Scottie Pippen.”

If the best basketball player the game has ever seen (don’t @ me) credits his success as shared, shouldn’t we acknowledge the role of those we win with?

Football quarterbacks wisely treat their linemen to fancy dinners, knowing these men take a beating to protect their backsides. Such gratitude grounds the leader in reality, and inspires loyalty in those who feel rightly appreciated.

Misplaced Expectations

Another danger of having too high a view of our own capacity is the toxic spillover of unrealistic expectations placed upon others.

As a function of its rugged design, the case that protects my iPhone can handle most things thrown its way. Exposed to the same physics, the phone would shatter. But not matter how tough the case, it can’t provide directions, serve as a camera, or connect me to Zoom meetings all day. (Yay?!)

Each has its own maintenance and handling requirements. My case never needs recharging. My phone, constantly. Which one is stronger? It’s a foolish question.

Let’s be wise to understand that the varying capacities, composition and routines of team members may require tailored care.

In-Flight Principles

A few guiding principles and practical tips for valuing and drawing the best out of our teams and ourselves, keeping us all airborne.

FIRST FLIGHT PRINCIPLE: We are far better together.

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, build a team.”

When I was leading an NGO from start-up to scale, it was a blur of motion. I constantly criss-crossed Canada (on Moose-back, hockey skates, or in my canoe), preparing and executing countless speaking engagements, media appearances, fundraisers, and briefings for judges, politicians, and police.

This was crammed between frequent leadership meetings in the US, pursuing a Master’s degree in the UK, and spending weeks at a time with colleagues in Africa, Asia, or Latin America, to observe, learn, counsel, or assist in the work.

Sharing the Burden

The only way I could sustain these efforts, was to be surrounded by an outstanding array of Board members, colleagues, volunteers and supporters. Each brought distinctive gifts, key contributions and needed corrections.

Behind the scenes was the devotion of my wife who shouldered the heaviest load, and who, along with our children, ever guided and urged me on in justice work they embraced as their own.

Regrettably, there were stretches when I overlooked the needs and burdens borne by those around me. Over time, as I slowed to listen, I began to learn. I needed to pour into those who poured into me.

Instead of being caught up in its shiny nature, an apple might well gather that it owes its lofty perch to the tireless support of the branches, the great strength of the trunk, and the nourishing grounding of the roots. It’s evident that without roots, no tree would stand at all.

Practical Tips for Building up a Team:

Since we are all in this together, how might a leader best attend to her team?

Develop Strengths

Recruit and develop your team into an unstoppable flight C.R.E.W. Find people with diverse backgrounds, skills, and ways of thinking. Your gifts should complement each other’s.

Work to have your C.R.E.W. comprise a blend of:

• Challengers, who say what you need, not want, to hear;
• Risk takers, who are positively impatient with the status quo;
• Encouragers, who jump on board first, turning failures into success; and,
• Workers, who roll up their sleeves to get the job done, taking pride in their key roles. The backbone of any enterprise, without whom it all falls apart.

Invest in your team’s professional development through appropriate courses, thoughtful coaching, and stretch assignments. Believe in and bring out their absolute best.

Entrust Responsibility

In my wrestling days, our coach had us compete in heavier weight classes, so we would be ready for tougher competitors when the championships arrived.

Similarly, I treat managers like directors, directors like VP’s, and VP’s like CEO’s. This helps everyone develop towards Benjamin Disraeli’s sage counsel, “The secret of success is for a man to be prepared for his time when it comes.”

SECOND FLIGHT PRINCIPLE: Genuine interest compounds value.

“People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”

As a communicator, I’ve conducted public speaking for decades, to audiences of handfuls to thousands. With international media appearances the impressions reach into multiple millions. But this makes it easy for me to forget that listening is by far the most important part of the communication equation.

In a recent one-on-one meeting, one of my managers shared this brilliant insight from theologian Kevin DeYoung: “One of the greatest gifts you can give to others is the gift of your curiosity.”

If we are incurious, even inattentive, it’s a step towards being uncaring. The best leaders leverage their craft and skill to expertly care for their people. From the heart.

Have you explored what makes your team members tick? Drives their passion? Engages them in the cause?

Have you begun to share bits of personal journeys, intriguing backstories, embarrassing moments, or family lore? These bond teams.

Observe and inquire to unearth each team member’s “very particular set of skills” (yeah, looking at you, Liam Neeson.) Genuine interest in people’s education, ideas and perspectives enhances trust. It also allows for more precise coaching, team alignment, and role or task assignments.

Individual connections, smaller group meetings, or social activities provide opportunity to delve deeper into the worlds of your team. With the onset of physical distancing, I’ve taken to conducting virtual “Coffee in Cars with McIntosh.” Informal team Zoom meetings, more personal than professional, while sitting in our respective cars. I’ve been working to leverage chats on Microsoft Teams to keep in the loop of my teams’ concerns, while keeping out of the way of their work.

A highlight for our entire organization is the GIFs-laden banter in the Fantasy-Fantasy Baseball league one of our hilarious leaders has launched, complete with entertaining Commissioner Press Conferences and PED suspensions.

During this season of Covid-19, this diversion has facilitated surprising team cohesion and camaraderie — not to mention rapid adoption of the collaboration platform it runs on. (Plus, my Zoolander York Yankees are killing it!)

Bringing it Back Down to Earth

In the Superman comic book series, over time the hero develops a level of resistance to Kryptonite’s power-zapping properties. Apparently, long exposure to solar radiation begins to ward off harmful aspects of the green-glowing matter. (Did you know it was originally red? Google it.)

What lessons might this hold for anyone of us who might be tempted to act as if we possess superhuman strength? Or to think that we can sustain success while flying solo?

Such dangerous delusions can be avoided by repeated exposure to the searching daylight of reality, the glowing-yet-grounding practice of gratitude, and through time highlighting the brilliance of our team’s contributions.

Special Effects or Shirt Sleeves

In the days before advanced CGI, special effects artists created the illusion of Superman in flight. The gimmick was clever. A green screen, a clear acrylic box to support the actor, and well-placed fans blowing cape and flowing hair.

In our work back on earth, let’s acknowledge the gifted person in the fancy suit may well be passionately, and tirelessly, stretching themselves out in full flight for the mission. But without doubt they are powerfully supported by the good work of many others outside camera range.

Take these away and the fall would be swift. At least on occasion, it might be good to take off the cape and tights, and remember that at heart, we’re all really just Clark Kent in a pair of slacks, glasses, and rolled up sleeves. Or David the shepherd boy with a grateful heart, simple faith, and simple sling.

Superhero swagger might be good for the movies, but please don’t try this at home — or in the office.

Jamie McIntosh is speaker, writer & executive leader in the international humanitarian, development, global surgery & human rights arenas. He holds a Masters degree in International Human Rights Law from Oxford University. To connect with his reflections in poetry & prose: LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram