Hero

Introduction

In the earliest stories, there is no distinction between leader and hero because, for ancient cultures, leadership was usually a function of heroism in war. Vestiges of this identification still remain with us, especially in politics and often in business. Heroes in battle become kings, and even if their sons inherit the kingship rather than win it in battle, these new kings are expected to fight to defend their territory or to conquer new ones. It is essential to understand the hero myth that underlies many of the popular conceptions of leadership, not only to recognize when the myth is being used (whether consciously or not) but also to understand where it may fall short as a guide for leadership in the 21st century.

Hero

The classic, popular commentary on the myth of the hero is Joseph Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces (1949/2004). Campbell called the hero myth a mono-myth (a term taken from the novelist James Joyce) because he argued its motifs can be found in all cultures. Many academic critics dispute this claim, preferring, instead, to emphasize the differences between cultural myths. Whatever the merits of the academic argument, Campbell's ideas have had a powerful influence in popular culture, especially in business leadership books and in movies, such as Star Wars and others, which feature the adventures of a number of heroes. At its most basic, the mono-myth has four parts or movements: the call to adventure; the crossing of the threshold into the world of adventure, which is also a kingdom of trials; a supreme ordeal (which takes many forms); and a return to the community with a prize or a transformational gift. Each of these aspects offers insight into how leadership works and what leaders are expected to do duty.

In the myth of the hero, there is always a call to adventure. Some need becomes apparent or “calls out” some wrong to be righted, some act to be performed, and some discovery to be made. Leaders have a vision that urges them to action however; reluctant they may be to accept that call.

The hero steps into a world of adventure. Sometimes a guide or helper appears, especially at the beginning of the adventure. The wizard Merlin, for example, helps the future King Arthur not only before his birth (by arranging for the union of his mother and father) but also through proclaiming that only the man who can draw a sword from a stone will become king—and that young man proves to be Arthur. In George Lucas's original Star Wars, a globally popular movie based on the hero's journey, Obi-Wan not only teaches the young Luke Skywalker during his lifetime but also, after his death, becomes a guiding voice for Luke in a crucial battle. In the Odyssey, the goddess Athena aids Odysseus by warning him of dangers and, occasionally, by disguising his physical appearance.

The Supreme Ordeal

The hero usually encounters many adventures, but one is almost always the supreme test. In the Iliad, for example, the culminating ...