ROBERT J.R. GRAHAM: Wonder Woman

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Monday, 15 September 2014

The Anti-Hero

by: Vince P.Platania,Jr.

Great, iconic heroes we’re not short on. They are commonplace and well known. Spider-Man, Captain America, Superman and the like are tried and true, and true blue, and all that good stuff. And that’s fine and well, we need that. But somewhere along the way someone decided we also needed a darker type of hero. An ‘anti-hero’ if you will.

Who the first superhero was is a an issue that will forever be debated, but I think it’s fair to say that the first somewhat anti-hero had to be DC Comics’ Batman. While he’s not quite as much of an anti-hero as, say, marvel comics the punisher, he’s certainly no bright and happy-go-lucky ball of sunshine either. He does have morals and limits, unlike many anti-heroes, but he still leans more to the darker side of the spectrum than his contemporaries of the truth and justice ilk.

The previously mentioned marvel comics the punisher is probably a more appropriate example of an anti-hero. He does what he does for justice, but he also does it for revenge. And, unlike Batman, he has no limits. He willingly kills and tortures those he deems worthy of his brand of justice and feels no remorse over it. He is one step away from becoming that which he despises, but yet he plays for the side of the angels and has fans all the same.

So what defines an anti-hero then? Is it just having a darker tone to their character, or a darker outlook on life? Perhaps, but in general they are also loners who don’t care about the public or personal perceptions of their behavior or character. They do what they want when they want as long as it meets their goals and feels right. They take no crap from anyone and stand up to everyone, and this has gained them a faithful audience of rebels who are tired of living their lives for other people. They provide a voice and actions their fans can’t take in the real world.

In recent times, though, almost everyone is becoming an anti-hero. Wonder Woman now kills when she sees fit, Iron Man imprisons his own peers and creates a clone of Thor who kills a hero, and the list goes on. The dark sides of Superman, Spider-Man and Captain America have been seen, and Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four has been revealed as a selfish prick at times.

There are heroes, and there are anti-heroes, but the line is so blurred these days that one would be hard pressed to tell the difference.

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Saturday, 6 September 2014

The Two Truths Of Team Building

by: John Davis

There are a few “truths” every manager, supervisor or team leader should realize before beginning any team building initiative. Ignore these principles and you’ll be building your castle on sand. Recognize them at every step throughout the team’s work and you’ll have a group that will function smoothly and effectively.

“So what are these truths?” you may ask. Well, their simplicity may astound you, but their effect is significant. I’ve listed the Two Truths of Team Building in the order of their importance below, and I’ve also suggested ways for you to implement them for the benefit of your organization.

Truth #1 – Know Your Team on an Individual Basis

If I had to choose one of these truths to build on initially then this would be the one. People are far too anonymous these days. Even within families and in the workplace where we see each other every day, we don’t tend to connect on a real level with very many people. In fact, if you ask anyone they’ll probably tell you that their friends of their childhood years are far more memorable and meaningful to them than their present associates.

Now I’m not suggesting that you befriend everyone in your workplace in a deep, personal way. But a few extra moments of “lingering” after the necessary work-related communications have happened can open up a whole world of opportunities to learn about those within your workplace in a natural, non-threatening way.

Truth #2 – Let Your Team Get to Know You

Most managers, supervisors and team leaders have an unreasonable sense of how they should hold themselves within the workplace. In our efforts to serve as a role model and a standard bearer we tend create a distance from the very same people who need to feel like they can come to us with their ideas and concerns. But who feels at ease in the shadow of Superman or Wonder Woman ? Not very many people, that’s for sure. Team building efforts will never come together as effectively as possible if the leader is seen as unapproachable or “too perfect”.

So how should we combat this? I wouldn’t suggest for a minute that you do things that would lower your status in their eyes. But you can give them insights into who you are by being more of who you are at work. We all have lives outside of the office. Why not bring more of that to work? Do you have a favorite sports team? What kind of music do you like to listen to? Where have you been with your family recently?

Bring those things into your work environment so that your team can see who you are without having to come right out and ask you. Remember, it’s hard to get close enough to an icon to find out who he or she is. You’ve got to make those features about yourself accessible so that they can pick up on them without being too forward in finding out for themselves.

When you practice these two truths on a consistent basis along the road of team building you will find your team coming together more easily and more effectively. The power of getting to know one another within a work group can be the lubricant that eases the team through challenges that would stop a less cohesive group dead in their tracks. Which one do you want to be?

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