Captain’s List — Captain America #114
Corsair’s Profiles in Leadership Series
The captains of fiction and history have much to teach us. They are leaders who often serve in times of great challenge and turmoil. Articles in this series focus on an individual captain and utilizes their quotes, their writings, and their actions to inspire core leadership elements in all of us.
Captain America
Steve Rogers was introduced as Captain America in 1941. It was a very Timely arrival, roughly a year before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. America was in need of a patriotic hero and Captain America fit the bill. This comic characters first run was not long lived. The comic would end after only a decade.
The Captain was later acquired and rereleased by Marvel Comics. Since then, he has been a popular comic book hero and a strong leader. With his reintroduction in the early 60’s, Rogers also became the leader of The Avengers. Both the Captain and The Avengers are now box office sensations for Disney, who acquired Marvel just a few years ago.
Steve Rogers is a man of action. His character is not really known for compelling quotes. His catch phrase — “Avengers Assemble” — doesn’t exactly inspire much either. As a leader and hero, he has many great attributes to draw on.
Carry A Broad Shield
It may seem like an odd thing for a modern superhero to carry, but Captain America’s shield is more than just iconic. Typically Captain America is a throw back, but a throw back to 1941. His shield carries him a little farther than that.
Cap’s shield is a symbol of an age long past, one that dates back centuries — not just to the second World War. It is an icon of chivalry and an important tool for one who looks to protect the innocent. The Captain is a knight, not just a patriot. He is a man of deep principals and deeper commitments.
Most leaders would do well to carry a big shield, metaphorically speaking. Strong commitments, strong principals, and a sense of chivalry are powerful attributes for anyone who would take responsibility for the well-being of others. This is true of business leaders as much as superheroes. Embrace those tools that will help you to protect others. A strong shield can be powerful asset.
Idealism
The Captain has been considered a symbol of patriotism from the beginning. But over his many decades of fighting evil doers from Hitler and the Red Skull to his recent box office battle vs Ultron and even Iron Man, the definition of patriotism has evolved. What has been consistent is Cap’s idealism.
Idealism in a leader can be a incredibly compelling. When it is consistent without being fanatic, it is a motivator for teams and followers. Idealistic leaders inspire. They motivate their people to strive to higher ideals themselves. But they can sometimes be taken too far…
Captain America delivers a profile in leadership that you might expect from a superhero. It is a bold, compelling, and timeless. Leaders would do well to study those attributes which make Steve Rogers so appealing to his audience. This comic book Captain has much to teach us.
For more Lessons from Superheroes, consider:
Corsair’s Profiles in Leadership, Captain’s List is an article format created by Corsair’s Publishing in conjunction with our parent company Corsair’s Ventures. This series seeks to focus the reader on core components of leadership by utilizing the larger-than-life and often fictitious stories of the great captains of history.
