A movie like The Avengers doesn't gross hundreds of millions of dollars without some fool thinking he can find a lesson in it, which can be exploited by a blog post. (Hey, wait a minute...)
The stars of this article:
BB == Bruce Banner (the Hulk)
CB == Clint Barton (Hawkeye)
NR == Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow)
SR == Steve Rogers (Captain America)
TS == Tony Stark (Iron Man)
This team (which also includes Thor) grew from six individuals to a well-oiled machine of a team. They may not know how they did it, but director Joss Whedon knows, and I know too. Here it is:
(1) Warn others when there's risk. (starring the Hulk)
BB (about Loki): His mind's like a bag of cats. You can smell crazy on him.
Bruce Banner saw no reason for his new friends to risk themselves in the presence of Loki, so he gave them a friendly warning. He actually gave warnings throughout the movie, most of them about "the other guy." (right)
(2) Demonstrate your competence. (starring Captain America)
SR: Sergeant! I want you to station your men in all these buildings, and I need a perimeter all the way down to 39th.
Police Sergeant: Why should I take orders from you?
SR: [kills a bunch of enemies]
Police Sergeant: [on radio] I want men posted in all these buildings! And I want a perimeter all the way down to 39th!
A guy comes out dressed as a flag and orders the cops around. It's only natural to look at that a bit askance. But Cap can be pretty convincing.
(3) Have conviction. (starring SHIELD Agent Phil Coulson)
[The Son of Coul, armed with a BFG, is mortally wounded by Loki]
Phil: You're gonna lose.
Loki: Am I?
Phil: It's in your nature.
Loki: Your heroes are scattered, your floating fortress falls from the sky. Where is my disadvantage?
Phil: Your lack conviction.
Loki: I don't think I...
[suddenly shoots Loki through the wall with the Phase 2 weapon which blasts out fire]
Phil: So that's what it does.
The Son of Coul dies shortly afterwards, thus inspiring the whole team. But I don't believe he's gone. Actor Clark Gregg has a contract with Marvel for several more movies. I think he's got some more inspiring to do.
(4) Do what needs to be done. (starring Black Widow)
[Widow subdues Hawkeye so that he can shake off Loki's mind control]
NR: Clint, You're gonna be alright.
CB: You know that? Is that what you know? I got...I gotta go in though. I gotta flush him out.
NR: We don't have that long, it's gonna take time.
CB: I don't understand. Have you ever had someone take your brain and play? Pull you out and send something else in? Do you know what it's like to be unmade?
NR: You know that I do.
CB: Why am I back? How did you get him out?
NR: Cognitive recalibration - I hit you really hard in the head.
CB: Thanks.
And sometimes, that's what it takes - something upside the head.
(5) Know who you are. (starring Iron Man)
SR: Big man in a suit of armor. Take that away and what are you?
TS: Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist?
In some cases, it may be a lot to remember. But in others, something about you is just what everyone needs.
(6) Know who everyone else is. (starring Captain America)
[they watch as several "Leviathan" ships come through portal]
NR: Guys.
TS: Call it, Captain.
SR: Alright, listen up. Until we can close that portal up there, we're gonna use containment. Barton, I want you on that roof, eyes on everything. Call out patterns and strays. Stark, you got the perimeter. Anything gets more than three blocks out, you turn it back or your turn it to ash.
CB [to Iron Man]: Wanna give me a lift?
TS: Right. Better clench up, Legolas. [Stark lifts Barton up to the roof]
SR: Thor, you've gotta try and bottleneck that portal, slow them down. You've got the lightning, light the bastards up.
SR [to Black Widow]: You and me, we stay here on the ground, keep the fighting here.
SR: And Hulk? [Hulk turns] Smash! [Hulk smiles knowingly]
You can become the trusted leader of an organization based on trust when you demonstrate you now what everyone does best. Smash!
(7) Share the fruits of your hidden knowledge. (starring the Hulk)
SR: Doc... I think now is the perfect time for you to get angry.
BB: That's my secret Cap, I'm always angry. [becomes the Hulk]
They'd been trying for the entire movie to figure out how to "control" the Hulk's rage. It was a sign of Banner's respect for the others that he let them in on the secret.
(8) Share the fruits of your discoveries. (starring Iron Man)
TS: You ever try Shawarma? There's a shawarma joint about two blocks from here. I don't what it is, but I want to try it.
I'm going to try it myself, sometime very soon. Thanks to The Avengers for the photos, and thanks to MovieQuotesandMore.com for the cache of quotes!
Do you need someone to help you or your organization unlock secrets and build trust? I'm standing by to help.
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