When you think of great leaders, who comes to mind?

Probably someone who had to overcome huge challenges to accomplish something of great worth.

In storytelling, that is the definition of a hero. And that seems to fit. Leaders and heroes are often synonymous in our minds.

But great leaders aren’t really heroes.

Presentation expert Nancy Duarte addresses this when she says that great presenters make the audience the hero.

Mentors are usually depicted as sources of wisdom. Modern examples of mentors are The Oracle in The Matrix or Mr. Miyagi in The Karate Kid. As a mentor, your task is to support the hero with guidance, insight, training and advice, instill confidence, and even provide magical gifts so he can get past his fears and begin a new journey with you.

If you alter your stance from seeing yourself as the hero to accepting the role of mentor, your viewpoint will change. You’ll feel more humility as your audience’s aide de camp. Remember, the nature of a mentor is to be selfless and willing to make personal sacrifices to help the hero obtain his reward.

Most mentors have the experience to teach others about the journey because they were once heroes themselves. They can share the knowledge they gained about special tools and powers they picked up on their own life’s journey. Mentors have traveled the hero’s road before and they can pass on the skills they acquired to the hero.

In his book Building a Storybrand Donald Miller has been applying this principle to marketing as well.

When we position our customer as the hero and ourselves as the guide, we will be recognized as a trusted resource to help them overcome their challenges.

This principle isn’t just good practice for presenters and marketers. I believe this is a leadership principle.

Great leaders see their followers as the heroes, and they see themselves as the guide.

By making this mental shift, here are a few things leaders accomplish.

1. Employees clearly understand what’s in it for them.

   • Research has shown that roughly two-thirds of workers are not highly engaged in the workplace. Leaders are struggling to communicate why their people should care about meeting goals and objectives.
   • Employees are wondering, “What’s in it for me?” (WIIFM)
   • When the leader is the guide, then–just as Miller says about brands–their people see them as a trusted resource to help them overcome their challenges. The WIIFM is clear, which helps employees be more engaged at work.

2. Leaders develop their people.

   • When leaders are caught up in being the hero, they are focused on their own progression and accomplishments.
   • When leaders see themselves as the guide, they focus on developing their people, multiplying their efforts across many fronts.
   • Talent development not only improves your organizational capability, it helps retain talent as well. Research has shown that people are more satisfied when they see growth and progress in themselves.

3. You identify who should be “on the bus.”

   • Jim Collins said it best in his book Good to Great: “Most people assume that great bus drivers (read: business leaders) immediately start the journey by announcing to the people on the bus where they’re going—by setting a new direction or by articulating a fresh corporate vision.In fact, leaders of companies that go from good to great start not with “where” but with “who.” They start by getting the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and the right people in the right seats.”
   • As a leader, when you see your people as the hero then you have to know what they are trying to accomplish, so you–as the guide–can help them. In order for your organization to be truly great, the goals of your people should align with the goals of your organization. If you find out someone’s individual goals don’t align with their job, you can move them to another seat or help them find another “bus.” This helps them accomplish their hero’s journey, while helping your organization be more successful as well.

So, I’m sorry to tell you that as a leader you are not Luke Skywalker (from he original trilogy, anyway).
You are not the Karate Kid.
You are not Harry Potter.

You are Yoda.
You are Mr. Miyagi.
You are Professor Dumbledore.

But I’m happy to tell you that if you embrace the role of the guide, you may become the person someone thinks of when they imagine a great leader.