One of the best practices while leading a team is to be a “Superhero”. I am sure that none of us has come from Krypton, or have not bitten by a radioactive spider, or haven’t been a subject in a super soldier experiment. So how to become a “Superhero”?
First of all there are exceptions, such as Bruce WAYNE (aka. Batman) or Tony STARK (aka. Iron Man) who have no super powers but become a hero. If you are reading this article, I am almost sure that you do not posess a wealth such as Tony STARK or Bruce WAYNE does, but however the point is not that. Although these fictional characters posess a great wealth, this is not what make them a hero. There are many other rich people with large sums of money who don’t show heroic characteristics. It is their commitment, the fight to become a hero. As once Mark TWAIN has said “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” which brings to our main point, dedication.
Do not work for yourself, for your career, for your salary; work for your team. You will eventually notice that it is the team that makes the progress, like an engine in the car. A car does not move itself. It is the engine that drives it, but what everbody see is the car moving, not the engine. Your solely and exclusively job is to provide the best for the team. Remove impediments, detect problems and solve them before they become a defect, open the path for their development and make them progress and while doing this implement this as a culture. Try to make better copies of yourself for the future, embracing the culture and making it even better.
Dedicating your work to create a better team is one point. But still we have not talked about the “Superhero” action yet. Can you spot a common point which the “Superhero”es display? You can not see them in daily life, they show up just when you need them. You can not see Superman walking on streets hurling his cape, but Clark KENT, as a simple journalist. You can not see Batman saluting people in the morning, in a coffee shop with his raspy voice, but in his high-tech suit in a dark alley when you need him most. No “Superhero” walks the streets with a sign saying “I am here for you!” in the day light, but show up to save you when you are desperate and in need of help.
So, this brings us to the point on how to become the “Superhero” that the team needs. When everything is on the track, do not walk around in capes trying to display your best heroic moves. Be the team member like everybody other is. Be Tony STARK, be Clark KENT, be Bruce WAYNE, be Peter PARKER; not Iron Man, not Superman, not Batman or Spiderman. But rush into a phone booth as soon as your team needs you to save the team. Be the “Superhero” for the team when the team needs you, not when you feel like one.
Long story short, out of the “Superhero” anology, don’t show around that you are the boss. Be as invisible as possible as a leader, but just make sure that everybody knows that you will be there when they need you, make them feel safe.