Office Superhero (How to Become an Indispensable Employee at Your Company)

Author: (American) Axlrod, A. (Author), Qu Tao, Yang Kangbo (Translator)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-11-01
Features: In a critical moment, the superhero appears. Not long ago, the U.S. military changed its recruitment slogan. For many years, eligible citizens aged 17 to 34 heard the message "Be the best you can be." Now, the slogan has become "Welcome to the military family." This change is good because the previous slogan was easily misunderstood. Without a doubt, the military's public relations team wanted to promote the idea that the military could provide people with opportunities to realize their full potential. However, there was an implied meaning in this statement that was completely opposite to the public relations team's intention: you can only be the best you can be, but you cannot break through your limits. For some people, joining the military is a step toward a grand life, but for others, it is simply doing what they can do. At least, the previous slogan could be understood in this way in literal terms. But why? Why does a slogan intended to encourage service and self-actualization create such ironic ambiguity? In reality, the slogan itself is not the problem—the problem lies in our understanding. We do not live in the slogans of the military but in constant self-expectations. More accurately, we live in a world where expectations are gradually declining. Most people have become accustomed to seeing limitations rather than potential, accustomed to having almost no expectations for themselves and others. For example, your computer breaks down. After several failed restarts, you call the manufacturer's technical support line. Perhaps you do not expect to receive actual help. Because you have already anticipated that the phone will ring endlessly without anyone answering. Even if someone answers, the operator is likely to be a computer novice with little knowledge. If the operator quickly and efficiently resolves your problem, between satisfaction and surprise, your reaction may lean more toward the latter. The situation in the office is similar. In recent years, our expectations for making a living have declined. The workplace of our parents was truly an office, but most of us work in small cubicles. Additionally, they could expect to find a job in a company, work hard, and rise through the ranks, retiring as senior executives after 25 or 30 years with ample pension benefits. Today's young people, however, are accustomed to waiting for job changes, moving from one job to another at regular intervals, whether voluntarily or not. In the past, unemployment was often considered an almost unimaginable disaster, but now almost everyone has experienced unemployment. In the past, companies were longer-lived than employees, but now companies seem to collapse overnight. No wonder many people feel that we live in an era with fewer hopes and opportunities. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find a job (especially a good one), and even if you find one, it is even harder to keep it, let alone get promoted. The only comfort is that we are not the first generation to face this crisis. Indeed, our parents' working environment was much better, but their parents and grandparents faced even worse conditions—The Great Depression, an era when hope and opportunity were crushed together. In September 1929, the Dow Jones index surged to 386 points; by July 1932, it had plummeted to 40.56 points, and 890 stocks had been wiped out. That year, approximately 5,000 banks collapsed, and a quarter of Americans found themselves unemployed. To make matters worse, the entire world had to endure not only an economic disaster but also the risk of political turmoil. In Italy, Mussolini established fascist authoritarian rule; in Germany, Adolf Hitler rose to power rapidly; and in Japan, the emperor handed over the government to a group of war-mad men led by Hideki Tojo. Humanity had not yet fully recovered from the wounds of World War I when it slid into another abyss. Against this backdrop of constant trouble, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, two young men from Cleveland, Ohio, began creating the story of Superman. Like everyone else, they struggled to make a living. But unlike others, they had dreams and the ability to turn those dreams into reality—the ability to create Superman comics. In Chapter 2, we will detail the process of Superman's creation, but for now, we only need to know that this enduring character in American popular culture was born in an era without hope or opportunity. In June 1938, the shadow of the Great Depression had not yet fully lifted, the threat of World War II was growing, and the world was in chaos. Superman's appearance as a savior perfectly appealed to the tastes of most people at the time. A few years later, Superman's popularity even surpassed Mickey Mouse and George Washington, the founding father. Let's think about what makes Superman so appealing. First, he is incredibly strong, able to bend steel with his bare hands and even change river courses. Second, he can fly. In Greek mythology, Roman mythology, and the myths of other civilizations, there are always heroes with superpowers who can fly. But Superman is not just that—he has the power to stir up a cultural storm, not through muscle or aerodynamics, but through his personality. It must be admitted that in an era when most people felt weak or even desperate, Superman's immense strength brought spiritual pleasure. But more importantly, the society at the time was filled with corruption and abuse of power. Big companies were profit-driven and heartless, and the three fascist leaders kept people in constant fear of war. In such an era, people admired Superman's strength, but even more so, they admired his character. Unlike those in power who harm others for their own gain, Superman uses his superpowers to help others. He claims to simply enjoy helping people, but in fact, he has saved many lives. Superman's popularity is not because of his lofty ideals to save society. If Superman were just an idealist, people would quickly forget him. It is precisely because of his character that we enjoy learning about the reasons and methods behind his acts of heroism, exploring the principles of his battles, and watching him fight the villains. Superman is not only virtuous and talented but also brave and intelligent. Although he can easily leap over skyscrapers, he is always cautious. Siegel, Shuster, and later writers and artists liked to set Superman in difficult situations where he had to choose between right and wrong. For example, a good deed in one place might become a bad one in another, or helping one person might come at the cost of harming another. So, we are always on the edge of our seats, waiting to see if Superman can find a win-win solution, one that helps those in need without harming anyone. Additionally, despite his strength, he does not like a "winners take all" ending but prefers a win-win ending that makes everyone happy. Simply stacking dazzling superpowers together is not what we know as Superman. Psychologists, sociologists, historians, and professors specializing in popular culture have all written extensively about Superman's immense and widespread influence. Building on this, this book aims to add some simple yet practical insights, viewing Superman as a super employee, and analyzing the inspiration he offers us through 21 chapters. To avoid confusion, let me first clarify the concept of a "super employee." A "super employee" has nothing to do with a loyal follower or a faithful assistant. Exactly, a super employee refers to an office superhero, an employee who becomes indispensable to the company in the workplace. An office superhero is an extremely important helper, even a savior at work, dedicated to solving problems. No matter who, where, or what kind of trouble they encounter, they will always turn to the office superhero for help. What benefits does an office superhero get? The answer is everything. An indispensable employee in a company will always reap great rewards. Of course, an office superhero is not all-powerful. Superman may have also tried to lead the United States out of the Great Depression or prevent the outbreak of World War II, but he failed. Do not forget that even on a strange planet filled with supermen, challenges and competition are everywhere. So, even if you become an office superhero, it does not guarantee that everything will go smoothly in your first company. However, if you can achieve this, you will definitely gain a permanent pass in your career, allowing you to succeed in your current or future positions. The secret lies in this: the ability to be a key player in a company does not disappear when you leave it. We mentioned strength and flight as two of Superman's most impressive abilities, and the third is disguise. Superman's ordinary identity is a well-dressed, hardworking journalist. People also often say that adversity is just another face of opportunity. Siegel and Shuster seized this opportunity under the dual pressures of the economic crisis and World War II to successfully create the character of Superman. Office superheroes should never fear difficulties. On the contrary, they should strive to overcome challenges, conquer adversity, and discover the opportunities hidden within it. "Be the best you can be"? This ambiguous military slogan should be rewritten for the office superhero as: "The higher your aspirations, the higher you can fly." We hope readers can soar with Superman.