The Leadership Legacy of Tony Stark
There is one character in the universe of superheroes that inspires technology leaders more than any other. His technical prowess is unparalleled, and he commands more confidence than any technology geek could ever hope to muster. I am, of course, referring to the one and only Tony Stark, also known as Iron Man.
Tony Stark, the individual contributor
In the original Iron Man films (1–3), Tony Stark established his technical abilities, drive for innovation, tenacity, and arrogance. Sure, he had his sidekicks, but in general, Tony succeeded and failed alone, often with great consequence.
Tony wasn’t much of a leader at this point, but I think this is still a very important step along the journey. I often talk with students and early-career professionals that want to pursue leadership. My advice is always the same: I encourage them to develop a skill in an area of expertise, become known for it, then use that as a platform to serve and influence others.
While it can be done, I think it’s hard to lead purely as a generic leader without context. Tony did a fabulous job of establishing himself as a valuable technologist and bold innovator. Once he had the platform, he could build upon it with what he needed next.
Tony Stark, the Avenger
While the original Iron Man films were good, things got interesting in the Avengers series of films. This is where various superheroes joined forces to battle a magnitude of evil that required teamwork to repel.
Tony’s individualism made teamwork a challenge, and often led to strife and all out Civil War among the Avengers. Tony supplied the Avengers with the technical resources, financial resources, and boldness to achieve greatness.
Tony had plenty of challenges with his teammates, but in the end, their unity of purpose and commitment to each other made them a team. Tony learned, often the hard way, how to work with others and lead others to achieve something that he couldn’t accomplish alone.
Most technologists go through a similar, but less dramatic version of this. Individual technology work can be fun, but it’s much more satisfying to be a part of team that can accomplish huge goals. Like Tony, we need to learn to use our talents as a platform to serve the purpose of the team and resist the urge to go rogue.
Tony Stark and Peter Parker
As a technology leader, Tony Stark became the most interesting in the context of his mentor relationship with Peter Parker, also known as Spider-Man.
Tony and Peter both possess incredible ability and drive, but in most ways, they are polar opposites:
- Tony is old. Peter is young.
- Tony’s identity as Iron Man is public. Peter’s identity as Spider-Man is secret.
- Tony is charming. Peter is painfully awkward.
- Tony is arrogant. Peter is humble.
- Tony has all of the answers. Peter questions himself constantly.
- Tony is a cynical skeptic. Peter is a wide-eyed optimist.
- Tony knows his faults, but rarely admits them. Peter apologizes constantly.
Tony sees the potential in Peter, so he pours his ample resources and attention to developing him into a world-class superhero worthy of the title, Avenger. Unfortunately, it never quite works out that way.
Additionally, it’s clear that Tony sees Peter as a much better version of himself. He pursues Peter’s development as if it was his own source of redemption. While Tony is flawed, Peter is pure. Tony believes that Peter, with maturity and development, can meet or exceed Tony’s strengths without all of his character flaws.
*Spoiler Alert: the rest of the article contains spoilers from Avengers: End Game and Spider-Man: Far From Home
Avengers: End Game is the final chapter for Tony Stark. It’s a moving epic that reveals a raw and vulnerable Tony Stark that we’ve never quite seen before. Tony made a series of difficult sacrifices for his team and the world and eventually made the ultimate sacrifice. Fans get to see that it’s never too late to do the right thing. Tony believed that he didn’t have anything left to give, and the world should move on without him, however he mustered the courage to give it all one last time.
In Spider-Man: Far From Home, Peter Parker found himself in a post-Iron Man world. The world was ready for him to take the mantle of leadership, but he was filled with self-doubt. Even posthumously, Tony Stark was there as his mentor. He provided him E.D.I.T.H., which stands for Even Dead, I’m The Hero.
Though a series of misjudgments, Peter mishandled Tony’s trust, but finally came through in a way that fully exemplified the best of Iron Man and Spider-Man as the new ultimate superhero.
The leadership lesson
Leaders, there is a lot to learn here, but I’ll boil it down to two points:
- Your legacy is the leaders you develop. On a long enough timescale, what you personally accomplished won’t matter. Your true legacy is the people you pour into that carry on after you. Multiply your leadership. In the end, it’s all that matters.
- It’s never too late to do the right thing. You are probably haunted by your past mistakes. Perhaps you think your best work is behind you and it’s time for someone else to lead. Don’t stop. Don’t let your past define your future. Muster the courage to give it all.
These are my leadership lessons from Tony Stark. He was a complex and flawed character, just like everyone of us. He had tremendous abilities, just like you. He had an eye for talent and a drive for legacy, just like a real leader. He made the sacrifice. Regardless of the path you’ve taken, your destiny as a leader is to finish well and pass it on.
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