Using the Marvel Cinematic Universe to Become a Better Leader

We can’t all be superheroes, but we can all be leaders, engage in leadership, and influence those around us. Many of us are trying to learn leadership skills in school, work, or personal life. In this exemplary webinar, you will innovatively develop and conquer individual leadership capabilities through pop culture.

The authors of the book, Leaders Assemble: Leadership in the MCU use the Marvel Cinematic Universe and its superheroes to help executives, students, and workers develop their leadership skills. You will learn the following:

  • The basics of leadership theory through engaging examples  
  • Developing one’s own leadership skills through pop culture examples 
  • Leadership examples from the Marvel Cinematic Universe
  • Techniques such as book clubs, training assignments, and reflective activities for leadership development infused with pop culture elements

About the authors: Dr. Sy Islam is the co-author of “Leaders Assemble! Leadership Lessons from the Marvel Cinematic Universe”. He is also a co-founder and Vice President of Consulting with Talent Metrics. Through Talent Metrics, he has consulted with fortune 100 companies like IBM and teams like the Florida Panthers. Dr. Islam has also served in leadership roles with ATD NYC and ATD Long Island. 

Dr. Gordon Schmidt, who has a doctorate in Organizational Psychology, is the co-author of “Leaders Assemble! Leadership Lessons from the Marvel Cinematic Universe”. He also wrote a book on teaching leadership through Marvel superhero films and co-edited a book on social media use in employee selection. He is currently writing a book teaching leadership concepts through Avatar: The Last Airbender.


The views expressed by presenters are their own and their appearance in a program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Illinois State University Alumni Association.