Suits or Systems: Leadership Lessons from Iron Man
I’ve been re-watching the Marvel Infinity Saga with my 14-year-old daughter lately. She wasn’t born when the early ones came out, and for most of her childhood, she couldn’t have cared less about superheroes. But now? She’s hooked.
Granted, I suspect her sudden interest may have more to do with the chiseled jawlines, massive biceps, and perfectly styled hair than with the intricacies of the Marvel universe, but I’ll take it—any excuse to geek out with my kid.
As we’ve been working our way through the whole arc, I find myself viewing the characters through a different lens than I did when I sat in a more support-oriented professional role.
One character keeps standing out in every phase: Tony Stark. Iron Man. He’s brilliant, charismatic, and resourceful. He builds dazzling tools, solves impossible problems, and saves the day more than once.
But the more I watch him now, the more I see the flaw in his leadership style: everything revolves around him.
Tony Stark doesn’t build systems; he builds suits. And even when he builds for others, it’s usually in a way that keeps him in the center of the universe. His tech extends his reach. His decisions define the outcomes. And when someone steps out of line? He pulls their access, shuts it down, or goes rogue.
It’s exciting storytelling, but it’s a terrible way to lead.
Heroic Leadership Isn’t Sustainable
In real life, hero-based leadership burns people out, both the leader and the team. It creates bottlenecks where everything depends on one person being available, energized, and engaged. When that person is gone (or just overwhelmed), the whole system stutters.
True leadership isn’t about building a world that depends on you. It’s about designing systems that don’t.
It’s tempting to be the Stark of your organization: to be the smartest person in the room, to have the answers, to come in with the solution. We have a cultural fascination with the “heroic leader,” the visionary who swoops in with a big idea, the charismatic speaker who rallies the team, or the genius who solves problems no one else can.
But every time we step in to "save the day," we may actually be weakening the structure we're trying to lead.
And if we’re honest, while we admire those kinds of leaders from a distance, they’re rarely the kind of people we want to work for. The leaders we truly respect tend to be quieter. They build steadily, listen closely, and design frameworks that help others shine. They don’t chase attention; they create alignment.
Systems Make Success Repeatable
The best teams, companies, and educational programs aren’t powered by heroes. They’re powered by systems; clear, documented, repeatable processes that outlast individuals and personalities.
That’s something we emphasize constantly in the world of accreditation. For example, IACET’s standards aren’t about whether you have a brilliant instructor or one great course. They’re about whether you have a system that ensures every learning experience meets a defined standard of quality, no matter who’s teaching, designing, or managing the program.
The organizations that succeed in accreditation are the ones that think like system builders. They don’t say, “We’ve got it all in Janet’s head.” They say, “Here’s the documented process. Here’s the checklist. Here’s how we train new team members. Here’s how we review and improve.”
It may not be flashy... but it’s scalable.
It may not be thrilling…but it’s resilient.
It may not be glamorous...but it’s sustainable.
It’s leadership that lasts, even when the leader takes a vacation.
From Suits to Structures
One of the most important shifts leaders can make is from a “suit” mentality to a “structure” mentality.
A suit is a tool that helps you do more. That’s what Stark builds. He’s constantly tinkering with new ways to enhance himself. Even his distributed tech, like the Iron Legion or Spider-Man’s suit, remains connected to him, often under his control or revoked at his will.
A structure, on the other hand, is something that empowers others, independently of one individual. It’s a framework, a process, or a system. It’s designed so that someone else can step in, understand what needs to happen, and contribute meaningfully without relying on another’s brilliance or presence.
If you’ve ever worked somewhere that fell apart when one person left, you’ve seen what happens when systems aren’t in place. And if you’ve ever worked on a team where new people can join and quickly become effective, you’ve seen the power of structure.
Modeling This Mindset in Accreditation
We try to model this mindset ourselves, too.
In our own standards development process, for instance, we don’t rely on one person to write or vet everything. We have a Council for Standards Development with roles, workflows, and policies that ensure broad input, objective review, and version control. It’s not fast, but it’s thorough, fair, and repeatable.
In our accreditation reviews, peer reviewers don’t just rely on instinct or charisma. They use rubrics, tools, and shared documentation. That ensures every provider gets a consistent experience, and that our decisions are anchored in the standard, not individual opinions.
We don’t always get it perfect, but the goal is clear: build systems, not suits.
The Legacy You Leave
At the end of the Infinity Saga, Stark does get something right. He realizes that heroics can only go so far and that legacy is about more than just building tech. It’s about the people you empower and the world you shape after you’re gone.
That’s the question every leader should be asking: What happens when I’m not in the room?
If things fall apart, you’ve built a suit. If they keep running, improving, and growing, you’ve built a system.
Let’s choose the latter.
About the Author
Randy is a seasoned executive leader currently serving as the President and CEO of IACET, a non-profit accrediting body in the continuing education and training sector. With a focus on strategic vision and operational excellence, he effectively leads the organization to achieve its mission and goals.
With over two decades of experience in various leadership roles, Randy has a proven track record of driving organizational success. His expertise lies in aligning technological solutions with strategic objectives, ensuring operational efficiency and sustainable growth.