Creating Heroes

One of the fundamental components of the human condition is our capacity to overcome adversity. Another, equally important, is our ability to be inspired. Together they form the very core of everything good and righteous about us as a species — so foundational that it appears in literature and myth as old as civilization itself. Yet 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 suppressing it out of ignorance. What is heroism, why does it matter, where does it come from, and how do we promote it?

Heroism seems antiquated, and the word likely conjures outdated images. Like all things powerful, it is old because it is a critical part of who we are. Heroism is the process by which we break through the bonds of adversity — the naturally developed system for leading our fellow man to better circumstances. It doesn't exist solely on the battlefield or in the dusty pages of history. It's found in small things: a child stepping between a bully and a victim, or a bystander carrying an injured person away from danger.

In the technology and business worlds, heroism is what drives an admin to stay late recovering a server so users never notice downtime. It's the force pushing a manager to step forward in defense of a team when a project goes south. All around us, small acts of heroism happen every day, and those acts create the force for success wherever they're found.

The second part of heroism is the ability to be inspired. Inspiration drives us to be better people; it initiates innovation and scientific advancement; it is the condition necessary for art. Heroism matters because it is the main process by which we gain inspiration — and inspiration is what makes us strive to grow. A hero makes a great story, but it's inspiration that calls the masses to follow through the breach to something lasting. Where heroism exists only in the moment, inspiration is the perpetuating energy that endures long after the act of courage.

Everything in the universe has its opposite. Just as there is oppression and adversity, there is heroism and inspiration; one cannot exist without the other. Humans were not meant to exist in an oppressive environment, but we were meant to thrive in an adversarial one. When oppression begins to weigh on a population, the guaranteed result is the rise of a hero — whether leading a people toward a promised land or refusing to change seats on a bus. The result is a break in the oppressive force that lets the hero lead a charge through.

Heroism emerges from oppression as its natural conclusion. It need not be dire; any adversity creates an opportunity for someone to struggle against it. The heavier the oppression, the longer and more violent the eventual rise, and the more powerful the moment of heroism. But difficult situations only create opportunity — it still requires that someone step forward and lead the charge.

This brings us to promoting heroism. First we must look at what we're doing wrong, and second we must understand that adversity is a requirement. Because we each carry the components of heroism within us, we often seek to relieve those around us of all potential pain. There is nobility in that, but it is also damaging. By removing the struggle, we remove the victory, and cheat others of their right to grow.

I'm not advocating that we throw our children to the wolves. But we should not treat adversity as a bad thing. Instead of giving our successors the answers, we should teach them how to find 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 that makes their struggle easier than to take the struggle away.

As an Army Sergeant, I was placed into a new mission working on systems no one understood. Over a year I struggled through learning how each part operated and how to fix it. As my service neared its end, I was given several Soldiers to train as my replacements. I spent the next year showing them each thing I'd learned, with detailed step-by-step instructions. In the end, they could do everything I could do. Almost.

Two years after I finished my service, I returned to find a dying mission. Those Soldiers had been fully capable the day I left — but they lacked the tools to grow beyond the answers I'd given them. They never developed the skills to teach themselves. The world is not static; mission needs changed, and they could not change with them. I failed because I hadn't recognized their need to struggle through learning on their own. Had I given them tools to find the answers instead, they would have adapted, and the project would have stayed productive.

So the challenge of promoting heroism is empowering likely candidates for success. Promote training and problem-solving. Focus more on why things are done than how. With extra training and greater focus on the "why," people are ready to adapt and find better answers — which 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 — and those heroes inspire everyone around them. Isn't their success really what the business exists for?