Community Bankers of Iowa Monthly Banker Update June 2014 | Page 19
Up, Up and Away! Be a “Superhero” Leader
Written by Frank Accurso, Vice President of Business Development - Merit Resources
“Look...up in the sky...it’s a bird...it’s a plane...it’s......the
boss???”
A recent article was posted on Inc.com, written by entitled “Be
the Hero Your Employees Need (Captain America Style)”. The
key message for leaders is that Captain America immediately
and effortlessly establishes himself as the leader of every
group in which he’s involved.
Leaders in community banks need to develop the same type
of qualities as superheroes have, so they can face adversity
and tackle any challenges that face his or her company and
employees.
No, that doesn’t mean having Herculean-like strength, infrared
vision, or be able to leap a tall building in a single bound. Here
are three qualities of what a “superhero” leader should have
and why these qualities are important in my opinion:
1. He/She has a moral center
Captain America’s sense of right and wrong is a personality
trait, rather than something he’s striving to achieve.
blend into the woodwork, and always generous with his praise
of the team.
In business, I am not aware of a single endeavor that
deserves individual accolades, meaning that no other person
contributed to the success of the outcome. Often, it is the
leader’s role to speak on behalf of the team; and always, it is
wise to bring praise to those who contributed to the outcome,
while deflecting individual glory.
By establishing themselves as “superheroes” for their
companies, leaders earn the respect and trust of their
employees, and in turn, employees show their appreciation
and loyalty to their employer through increased productivity,
creativity, and exuding the same qualities that their leader
show every day.
Frank Accurso is the Vice President of Business Development
for Merit Resources in Des Moines. He can be reached via
email at [email protected].
Other people, even those who are far smarter and stronger,
are drawn to trust Captain America and to follow his
leadership because, by doing so, they feel more certain that
they’ll be doing the right thing, too.
I agree with the author’s perspective. As I relate this to a
business situation, it doesn’t take long for employees to figure
out a leader that may not have their best interest at heart, and
as important, their client’s best interest at heart. No matter
how strong of a personality you have, or how good of a leader
you think you may be, you will lose your team if you lose your
sense of right from wrong.
2. He/She stands for something
Ever since his creation as a comic book character in the
1940s, Captain America has been written as a person who
embodies what’s best about the United States, traits such as
individualism, justice, and fairness
In my experience, great leaders are the same way. They don’t
just post a mission statement; they embody the meaning of
the words, and expect their employees to do the same. For
example, a company that says it “puts the client first”, must
have all hands on deck to do just that. That may mean leaving
some non-core essentials to others, to make room for the
customer.
3. He/She shuns the limelight
For a famous guy who wears a costume that’s immediately
recognizable, Captain America is surprisingly modest. You
never see him doing a victory dance or spiking the ball at the
end of a winning play. Rather, he seeks to be anonymous,
CBI BANKER UPDATE | JUNE 2014
19