Services - The Hero's Journey
The Hero’s Journey can be best understood as a framework embedded in great stories, mythology and film. This framework represents a series of steps and challenges that the Hero undertakes in order to survive and achieve certain ‘heroic objectives’ - i.e. discovering the Holy Grail. In successfully navigating his/her way through numerous and dangerous challenges the Hero, earns power, discovers qualities about themself and eventually returns home to enrich the lives of others with the gifts they bring, their lessons, and most importantly, with the notion of who they have become.
In the corporate world, the teachings within the Hero’s Journey can be used in many ways. It can be used:
-
as an inspiring metaphor for exploring an organisation's aspiration to change and grow in new directions;
-
as an instructive guide to help teams as they answer a ‘Call to Adventure’ where they have to bind together more strongly and collaboratively in order to take on new challenges; and
-
in terms of an individual the Hero’s Journey provides a powerful and poignant lens, to understand and view how growth is achieved through successfully confronting challenges, both within the psyche and externally in the world around us.
The Journey is divided into three key stages:
-
Call to Adventure - in the context of the corporate world, this may refer to a new Vision, a desire for Culture change or a significant stretch target, as a few examples. This initial stage signals an intention to go beyond the current comfort zone and begin a Quest for new challenges and greater levels of achievement.
-
Road of Trials - individuals and teams are beset by challenges both externally and internally as they strive to achieve their objectives.
-
The Return - This final step marks the reintegration of what the individuals and teams have learnt on their Journey and the utilisation of the ‘gifts’ they have gained. These ‘gifts’ often come in the guise of greater self-awareness and confidence, enhanced levels of collaboration and creativity and a deeper appreciation of themselves and their colleagues.
The Hero’s Journey can be used simply as an inspiring metaphor for change or far more extensively as an overarching theme and road map for teams and organisations undergoing significant levels of transformation.
Testimonials
Creating a Business Vision and "The Hero's Journey".
"I invited Peter to design and facilitate Discovery EMEA's annual senior management offsite, with a view to:
-
agreeing a new business vision,
-
inducting a new team and
-
celebrating success.
Peter's suggestion of 'The Hero's Journey' as a framework for discussion was fantastic and his facilitation was instrumental in helping us achieve results. Everyone left feeling inspired, motivated and clear on a new direction."
Arthur Bastings, Managing Director, Discovery Networks EMEA