Ditch Your Cape
you aren’t the hero of your story
Photo by Joseph Chan on Unsplash
Many of us love superheroes. We make massive, budget-breaking, grand-sweeping, so-much-action-we-need-all-the-green-screens movies about their adventures and then remake them over and over again.
Why do we love them so much? Well, I think we like to put ourselves in their shoes (or jumpsuits) and imagine, for a while, how cool that would be.
I think that’s especially true for doers who want to make an asteroid-sized mark on the world.
But to do that — I mean really do that in a lasting way — we need to recognize that we aren’t the ones wearing the cape at all. And our company isn’t wearing one either.
Our people are the heroes.
The people you serve (your customers or beneficiaries) are at the root of your purpose. You’re here to deliver value to them. Your success is their success. They are the hero of your story.
You are the Shang-Chi to their Spider-Man, the Ben Kenobi to their Luke Skywalker. (Sorry, had to throw a Star Wars reference in there).
The tools you provide, the knowledge you impart, and the skills you help them build are what enable them to overcome challenges, defeat their enemies, and thrive.
And before you think you have to take all this on alone, realize that your whole team comes together to support your hero. You’ll need to invest in them to make sure they’re able to do their best work as human beings because your hero needs them to.
Being a leader isn’t about you — it’s about your people. That’s what running a business in the purpose economy is all about.
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