دانلود رایگان مقاله فروش آیکون های رهبری و مدل ها

Abstract

Developing strong leadership within the organization is one of the most valuable pursuits any firm can undertake. Considering the many demands on the resources of leaders, developmental opportunities must be efficient and effective to truly impact leadership ability. Comic books and their role in storytelling can offer unique insights regarding core leadership characteristics underlying great sales leadership and act as a tool for growth in leadership capabilities. With the recent explosion in superhero awareness through blockbuster movie releases and increased comic book readership, this article presents a series of leadership characteristics and their embodiment within superheroes. A list of top sales leader qualities from a panel of practicing sales professionals is first provided. Specific examples of these leadership qualities as evidenced by a particular superhero are then offered. These examples are solicited from a panel of superhero subject matter experts and yield insight into how managers can use superhero narratives as a learning tool. We summarize the findings from our research and propose specific managerial challenges and actionable recommendations offered by the exemplars we review.

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.