8. Principle

Silent heroes before loud superheroes

Because in the intelligent swarm, mindfulness and social skills are existentially important

The swarm as a principle is based on mutual and thus interacting mindfulness. If mutual attentiveness is given, harmony arises. This harmony is fundamentally fragile because there are so many participants. Noisy participants who feel like superheroes and misuse the swarm for heroic self-promotion or engage in competence hijacking can disturb the harmony and thus disrupt the swarm from swarming.

A problem that occurs in almost every company. A problem that needs to be overcome so that the intelligent swarm can swarm undisturbed and powerfully to new challenges.

Loud superheroes are employees who are often highly competent professionally but act in a socially incompetent manner. Loud superheroes loudly display their professional competence like a victory flag. Loud superheroes never miss an opportunity to acquire areas of expertise outside their core competence and thus expand their own role and responsibilities.

Loud superheroes silence silent heroes and deprive them of space to develop.

Loud superheroes act aggressively and act like conquerors. They occupy fields of competence in order to make themselves indispensable and irreplaceable. And when they have succeeded in doing so, it is indeed difficult to replace them.

Silent heroes suffer under loud superheroes. In response to their suffering, they focus on their competence, become even quieter, and may develop a mode of constant anxiety and, as a result, even professional insecurity. The silent heroes are the diamonds of any company. Making them shine should be a key corporate concern. Not least in order to strengthen the corporate swarm as a whole through a good and harmonious working atmosphere.

Therefore, it is necessary to deprive the loud superheroes of the space to develop their volume.

The space of unfolding is organized via the 7th principle of the AL Manifesto “Roles and responsibilities clearly defined”. The more clearly and thus unambiguously roles and responsibilities are defined and also implemented accordingly, the more protected is the space of unfolding for the silent heroes. ** Silent heroes are always outnumbered in a company. Loud superheroes want to be celebrated like ancient kings. If their throne is taken from them in return, they don’t turn into silent heroes, but they function like them. Or they quit. In the sense of the intelligent swarm also good.**