There is being a singular leader of a team and then there is being on a team of leaders; a proverbial group of superheroes. It has the potential for great progress or severe toxicity.
Putting a bunch of Type-A Overachievers in the same environment is either going to go really really right or really REALLY wrong. There’s very little latitude on that. But you can only control what you can control and that is often just you and yours.
So be like Thor and Steve.
The Avengers had a savior complex. And though they each brought different skill sets to the team we were all very aware of the potential for ego to get in the way of the greater good. They wrote a whole movie about that actually.
But where Tony and Steve had to come to literal blows ( which made for some great character development, several million dollars in ticket sales and the ever important cultural question of “Are you Team Cap or Team Iron Man?”) Thor and Steve had a much less contentious relationship. And I have to give Thor a decent amount of credit for this.
One of my favorite scenes in “Avengers: End Game” is the moment after Steve summons Mjolnir.
Thor with absolute joy says “I knew it.”
This is the same Thor that has spent the entire movie grappling with his own identity, pulling himself out of the deepest depression and going on a long dark-night-of-the-soul journey back to where his true worthiness really lied.
He could have taken this as another blow it his ego and status on the team. He could have been jealous. He could have very easily held two emotions at once; I do not fault anyone who can be happy for themselves but sad for themselves at the same time.
But this version of Thor, this best-possible-version was secure in himself, his capabilities and identity enough to acknowledge his friends own unique worthiness.
And subtly revealed he had believed in him the whole time. What a guy.
In the heat of battle it’s very easy to see that when one player wins they all do. It’s much harder to remember that in the day-to-day life of corporate America. But the fact of the matter is someone else’s worthiness (of a promotion, new project, etc) has NOTHING to do with your own. They can exist separately and equally. The Super Soldier and The God of Thunder each had a place with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
And you and work work bestie each have a unique role to play at your job. Take a cue from Thor:
Why steal somebodies thunder when you can make your own?