Okay, I admit it –  I am a massive MARVELS, JUSTICE LEAGUE and DC fan!  I love the Hero Journeys and totally buy into Every. Single. Movie!!!

So when Aquaman hit the cinemas, well, lets just say – I was EXCITED!

You see, I actually believe that there is a heroes journey in every single one of us. We all have the ability to step up and lead at different times, to use our unique talents when it’s needed most.

And we need it!

A 2017 survey completed for the Talent Ignition Report  by Firebrand Talent, of 1,225 working employees around Australia (NSW, VIC, WA, QLD, SA) found that 34% of employees attributed their decision to leave the company to poor leadership. This statistic was just 19% in 2016.

In a world where people are increasingly leaving their jobs because of poor leadership it’s no wonder we allow ourselves to get lost in a MARVELS movie – the fight for justice and the characters that help us believe in better leadership.

What about Aquaman – what does he teach us about Leadership?

Aquaman is your ultimate Reluctant Leader. He doesn’t take the leadership reigns willingly, nor does he see himself as the “one true King”, openly rejecting it. He has to be convinced that it is aligned to purpose and the greater good.

His power is not in a title or a status.

It all comes down to that critical line in the movie when he states “I am no King”.

Mera responds “Atlantis has always had a King. Now it needs something more.”

Aquaman asks “What could be greater than a King”,

Mera utters“A HERO”.

SHAZAM! The switch has been flicked. (oh – wait Shazam is another hero movie LOL)

It’s in this moment that Aquaman gets his clarity and chooses to use his gifts, skills and strengths that he has spent his whole life honing and refining, for the desire to serve his higher purpose of uniting the two worlds in which he belongs.

Now, we may not all be fighting to unite the underwater and the earthly worlds like Aquaman, but we are working in jobs, businesses and organisations that serve a higher purpose.  And we all have our unique talents that we bring to our teams, our unique way of leading and uniting.

Aquaman shows us that a leader can be someone who:

• has peers seeking their counsel- going to the for help, assistance and support
• focusses on team success, not individual glory
• is passionate about their purpose
• is a life long learner, developing their craft, skill and wisdom
• does not necessarily choose leadership, but has it bestowed upon them
• does not hold a title or status

Your team has reluctant leaders in them. Those whose strengths and talents will need to be called upon, to step up and lead the team through new projects, processes, ways of doing business, at critical times as your business grows and evolves over time. Those whose talents will unite others and drive inspired, collective action.

Your job, as the Connected Leader, is to be a bit like Mera.  Seek out, empower and believe in the leaders with no title in your team as they step up to their heroes journey. Support them, collaborate, and work alongside them for the greater good and higher purpose.

**Just some “research” I was doing for this blog 😉

 

How do you know the Heroes in your team?

A better way of framing this is “Do you know the Talents in your team?”.

Because we all have talent.  And by talent I mean the unique value that individuals in your team bring,  where they are trusted to deliver  at a high standard consistently over time, and that they love doing it.

You can find out the talent in your team by doing these three easy things:

• Observe, observe, observe – and when you’ve done observing, observe some more. This is because we learn so much about people by  their behaviours.  Notice:
  • Behaviours and reactions of your team members to different aspects of their role/ tasks – are they excited, deflated, bored, disinterested?
  • Your our own behaviours – so, what do you actively seek out for assistance from with members of your team, who do you go to what for because you know that they will deliver and like doing it.
  • Behaviours of other members of the team – who do they seek out for different things?
• Ask them – pretty simple and straight forward.  Ask some easy questions:
  • What do you love most about what you do?
  • Whats your favourite thing that you do here?
  • When are you most in flow – in your zone, time flies and you’ve enjoyed what you’re doing?
• Take the test – to find out for sure, take the Talent Dynamics Test.  It’s simple, easy, insightful and jam-packed full of information. And it’s something I can help you with – simply follow the link to find out more. And if doing it as a team with a workshop would be of value to you, reach out to me.