Role models. Do they work?

[metamorph]

A lot of PD gurus recommend using role models as tools/guide to help you get where you want to go. But does it really work?

Personally, when I was in high-school, I had buddies that were better in certain fields, and hanging out with them I got better in those fields until I was better than them. This was not competition at all, it seem to be a by-product of our friendship.
But as I am getting older I find fewer and fewer people work for me as role models. For example the bosses I used to work for were mostly internationally acclaimed authorities in their field. Yet, as I got to know them better, I realised they really all put their pants on one leg at a time, too.

Using celebrity role models (Obama?, Steve Jobs?, Albert Schweizer, Gandhi) is even more difficult, because I do not really know their actual mindset. I only know their accomplishments. Or worse you find out about their dark sides, and then they suddenly lose all their appeal.


What is your experience?