3.9. Multi-faceted leadership
‘‘The Professor used to tell me. The most important part of leading wasn’t personality, tactics, or training. It was doing whatever it takes to get your team back alive.’’ –—Cyclops The dynamic sales environmentsthat firms navigate today increasingly callfor hybrid leadership. Hybrid leaders are effective doers who identify the needs of their followers and do whatever is necessary to ensure those needs are met. Hybrid leaders maintain an active, functional role within their team; rather than direct, hybrid leaders guide through example, preserving a hands-on approach. They are simultaneously a part of and a leader of their sales teams: a difficult but highly effective balance of power. These leaders occupy roles in both an organization’sformal(i.e., organizationalstructure and hierarchy) and informal (i.e., connections and relationships between organization membersthat are often vital to actual performance) networks. The comic book experts we drew on for this research identified Cyclops as the character most intensely embodying multi-faceted, hybrid leadership. Many comments referenced Cyclops being ‘‘a stronger leader because the X-Men knew he was ‘one of them’: a member of the team and the strongest member of the team.’’ A born leader, Scott Summers (Cyclops) was the first student of Professor Xavier. However, unlike Professor Xavier, who led his team remotely, Cyclops is the team’s field leader, commanding alongside them in battle. He is a leader that walks the walk and leads by example, encouraging open team communication and adopting a transparent leadership style. He is first and foremost a team member, doing whateveris necessary to help his team succeed.
