Icons, Heroes, and Leaders

i·con (ī’kŏn’) n. An important and enduring symbol; one who is the object of great attention and devotion; an idol. www.answers.com

I’m beginning to tire of the word icon. It’s not that I dislike the word itself. It’s just that we’ve begun describing everyone from entertainers to product spokespeople on television as icons. In the wake of the recent deaths of several celebrities, it seems that every famous person is suddenly an icon.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve appointed a pop music icon, a sex-symbol icon, a professional football icon, a household cleaning goods icon, and even a talk show sidekick icon. Meanwhile, I fear we might begin to afford some well-known people a lofty status that they don’t necessarily deserve.

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Unfortunately, we bestow the icon tag to celebrity CEOs as casually as we grant it to famous athletes, singers, and actors. But as the recent barrage of scandals involving illustrious business leaders reveals, prominence is no guarantee of greatness. In fact, many of our so-called leadership icons are now in jail. Maybe we should refer to them as criminal icons.

I asked my friend Matt Langdon if my anxiety with the word icon is irrational.

As the founder of The Hero Workshop, Matt is similarly protective of the word hero. Dedicated to promoting heroic behavior in young people, Matt works to make certain we’re giving kids the proper role models. He worries when someone recognized for achievements in a particular field automatically earns the hero label. So I knew he could provide a proper perspective on my preoccupation with the overuse of icon.

“Icons, like heroes, are more than their achievements,” says Matt. “I believe character is at the core of the true definitions of both words. A hero understands the nature of responsibility, has a respect for the importance of others, helps others, does amazing things, and accepts life’s quest. Icons should exhibit those same enduring qualities.”

I distinguish it this way,” Matt Langdon told me. “Heroes and icons are timeless, whereas celebrities have an expiry date.”

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not trying to diminish the significant contributions that many famous people make to our culture. But I think we need to choose our icons—as we should our heroes—with greater care. Celebrities have fleeting fame. Icons and heroes have enduring character. Let’s not confuse the difference.

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George Brymer is the creator of The Leading from the Heart Workshop®
He delivers Leadership Workshops that help leaders at all levels evolve
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