One of the fundamental components of the human condition is our capacity to overcome adversity. Another equally important component of our evolved nature, is the ability to be inspired. Those two things combine at a basic level to form the very core of everything that is good and righteous about us as a species. It is such a foundational principle in our cultural evolution that it pops up in literature and myths as old as the concept of civilization. Yet in these modern times for all our understanding of the natural world, so little attention is paid to the promotion of heroism that we’re on the verge of actually suppressing it out of ignorance. What is heroism and why is it important? Where does it come from? Most importantly, how do we promote it?

Heroism seems like a antiquated concept, and the word does likely conjure fairly outdated concepts of the term when heard. Like all things powerful, it’s old because it’s a critical part of who we are. Heroism is the process by which we break through bonds of adversity, and it is the naturally developed system for leading our fellow man to better circumstances. It’s not something that solely exists on the battlefield however; nor is it simply relegated to the dusty pages of history. Heroism can be found in even the small things, such as a child interjecting themselves between a bully and the intended victim, or a bystander stopping to help carry an injured person away from danger.

More important to the technology and business worlds, heroism is what drives an admin to stay late into the night recovering a server so that his users don’t notice any down time. Heroism is the force pushing a manager to step forward in defense of his team when a project goes south, or lead them through a slump. All around us we see small acts of heroism every day, and those acts create the force for success anywhere they’re found.

The second part of heroism, is the ability of a people to be inspired. Inspiration drives us to be better people. It’s the initiator of innovation and scientific advancement. Inspiration is certainly the most important condition necessary for the creation of art. So why is heroism important? Put simply, it’s important because heroism is the main process by which we gain inspiration, and it’s inspiration that makes us strive to grow and be more than we are. A hero serves as a great story, but it’s the power of inspiration that calls the masses to follow through the breach to something better and lasting. Where heroism has a very short half-life, existing only in the moment, inspiration is the perpetuating energy that lasts long after the powerful impact of the simple act of courage.

Everything in the universe has it’s opposite. Just as there is oppression and adversity, heroism and inspiration are the opposites. One simply cannot exist without the presence of the other. Humans were not meant to exist in an oppressive environment, but we were meant to thrive in a adversarial one. When societal, economic, or some other form of oppression begins to weigh on a population, the eventual and guaranteed result is the rise of a hero. Whether it’s leading a people from enslavement towards the vision of a promised land, or refusing to change seats on a bus, the result is a break in the oppressive force that allows the hero to lead a charge through.

Thus, heroism emerges from oppression as the natural conclusion to it. That’s not to say that it must be dire, but any adversity creates an opportunity for someone to struggle against it. The heavier the oppression, the longer and more violent the eventual rise will be, and of course the more powerful the moment of heroism. Then as well, difficult situations only create opportunity. It still requires that someone step forward and lead the charge.

This finally brings us to promoting heroism, and how to accomplish it. To begin with we must first look at what we’re doing wrong, and secondly we must understand that adversity is a requirement. Because we each have the components of heroism inherent within us, we often seek to relieve those around us of all potential pain. We try to make the road easier for those who come after us and to relieve their struggles as much as possible. There is a great deal of nobility in that mindset, but it’s also damaging. By removing the struggle, we also remove the victory and cheat others of their right to grow themselves.

I’m not advocating we throw our children to the wolves in some Spartan attempt at creating a heroic society, but I do think it’s important that we not treat adversity as a bad thing. Instead of giving our successors the answers, we should teach them how to gain those answers on their own. Give them tools and empower them to find their own success. It’s far more effective in the long term to give someone a tool to make their struggle easier, than it is to take the struggle away. As a demonstration, take this short example from my personal experience:

As an Army Sergeant, I was put into a new mission working on systems no one knew anything about. Over the next year, I struggled my way through learning how each part operated and how to fix it if anything broke down. As my term of service neared completion, I was given several Soldiers to train in an attempt to replace me once I’d gone. I spent the next year showing them each thing I’d learned and giving them detailed step-by-step instructions for each process. In the end, they could do everything I could do. Almost.

Two years after I’d finished my service, I returned to the same area to find a dying mission. Those Soldiers had been fully capable the day I left, except that they did not have the tools to grow beyond the answers I’d given them. They hadn’t learned anything new, most importantly they never developed the skills to teach themselves new things on their own. The world is not a static thing, and thus systems and mission needs changed, and those well-trained Soldiers were not capable of changing with it. I failed because I hadn’t realized the need for those Soldiers to struggle through learning on their own.

I gave them all the answers. Had I given them tools to learn those answers on their own instead however, they would have easily adapted to periodic shifts in mission needs and the project would have continued being productive. That was a lesson I took to heart and have worked numerous projects since that continue to produce great results because I did.

So the challenge to promoting heroism is empowering likely candidates for success. Promote training and problem-solving in the workforce. Focus more on why things are done, rather than how in documenting processes. With the extra training and greater focus on the “why,” people are ready to adapt and find better answers, which of course translates to success and productivity. Most importantly, support your team, don’t do their job for them.

By creating a culture that promotes and supports exceptionalism, we form a breeding ground for heroes. Those heroes then inspire those around them to achieve greater success by leading the way and proving it can be done. The fact that we as managers enabled that to happen inspires loyalty and improves moral. If we can manage to curb our desire to simplify and remove all adversity from the lives of our teams, we introduce fantastic opportunity for our people to find their own success. …and in the end, isn’t it their being successful really what the business exists for?

– Jason “Red” Thomas

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