Believe it or not… recognizing, appreciating, and effectively utilizing the superpowers of those on my Team was my weakest skill when I was first promoted to a leadership position! Like many new leaders, my best skill-set was being great at my craft… and you’re promoted and that’s no longer your job! Your job becomes doing the people that are doing your old job… plus your new administrative tasks. To DO your People, serve your organization, and best impact your clients/customers… we must get great at recognizing and rewarding the 5 Superpowers that will help enhance not only your Leadership & Work/Life Harmony… but also that of those you’re leading! So, what are they?
The Thinker Superpower!
There are Leaders and Employees that have an unbelievable ability to come up with amazing new ideas or impactful ideas that make existing things better! Unfortunately, in some organizations, ideas only matter when they come from those with a lofty title or if they’re in the right professional clique. The truth is, many Front-Line Employees have great ideas, but due to their position, poor delivery, lack of confidence, or inability to elaborate and answer further questions regarding financials or cross-department actions, the idea never gets wings.
I read a book years ago titled, The Dream Manager. It helped feed my professional confidence and ensured I was on the right track in starting my own business to impact Leaders and organizations. The book described a company that hired a person to think all day… Yes, I said think all day! As the CEO took a visitor on a tour of the complex, the visitor walked by an office and saw a man sitting at a desk with his feet up and seemingly doing nothing. He asked the CEO, why the man was allowed to do that and if he worked for his company, he’d be fired. The CEO calmly explained the man was the company’s best Thinker… and was a true asset to the company!
The example I shared may seem a bit extreme and I don’t expect you to hire someone to sit around and think all day. However, your employees who easily think of new ideas, products, ways to help, and move things forward for leaders, employees, and clients simultaneously are GOLD for any organization as they help to create, modify, and enhance as their natural Superpower! It would seem to make sense those with this Superpower would be invited into important meetings to at least provide and share their thoughts on new endeavors.
I’ve found things don’t usually have to be improved by a lot to be great or greater than your competition; 1% may do the trick… and when everything you create and do is better by 1%… it adds up quickly; making you, your Team, your product, and company elite… Be Mindful!
Who possesses “The Thinker Superpower” on your Team? How can you encourage them to use it, share their thoughts with you, and best impact the organization? Making them aware they possess this gift and giving them a designated time and way to utilize it may make all the difference for your Leadership & Work/Life Harmony and theirs!
The Script Superpower!
There are Team Members that benefit greatly from having a script for what to do, how to do it, and when to it! It may not sound like a Superpower, but it is! When you need something done a CERTAIN way or YOUR way this is the Leader or Employee you want to hand it off to. My youngest son, Mason, possesses this superpower… If I create a list for him to complete; it will be completed in the order I give it and how I taught him… no deviation!
I struggled mightily with scripts as an employee. I remember transitioning from the Mental Health field to Sales; where I went from thinking and creating to best connect… to being provided a script to read to people, calling them on the phone, greeting them at the door, or texting them. Using the scripts made my insides revolt and my skin crawl. Yes, there are Pro’s and Concerns to everything… “The Script Superpower” Team Member will do the task given… however, when it’s necessary to deviate they may struggle to close the deal on their own, think quickly on their feet, and use their acquired knowledge to think for themselves. Therefore, “The Script” is an incredible superpower to unleash on a task that doesn’t change much, must be done, and impacts the organization!
Note: It’s also good to know, your “Thinker Superpower Team Member” may DESIPSE this task and you will not get the best out of him or her. You may even think they’re not a good employee as they tend to look bored, drag themselves around, and may possibly become a grouch. Now you know the different superpowers… isn’t easier to understand why they’d look that way as they bore-out day after day under your leadership! Leaders are curious about the interests and superpowers of their people. When their interest actually match their superpower… the organization and clients/customers both win!
The Muse Superpower!
Do you have a friend you go to when everything is going wrong and you’re not looking to be “bobbleheaded” and told how right you are; but rather to be shot straight in a respectful way you’ll accept and listen to? I’m lucky to say I do… and if you don’t, please give one of your best friends permission today; it will prove to be a huge life-impactor! The Team Member that exhibits this gift has the Muse Superpower.
My first job out of college was in a Residential Mental Health Treatment Facility… that’s a mouthful to say and the experiences were beyond what anyone could ever imagine! It was there I met my twin. The funny thing was, he was White, I’m Black… He was from the country, I was a city-guy… I could go on, but you get the point! With all of our differences, our thoughts and professional instincts were in sync, and he possessed “The Muse Superpower”.
He never desired promotions or the limelight; although nowadays, he leads the Crisis Management Team and is considered the Best of the Best! To everyone, he was easy to talk to like a friend, listened like a therapist, provided feedback like a dad, and wasn’t afraid to get dirty like your brother. At the time of my departure, he wasn’t in a leadership position… but he could always be found sitting in a leader’s office, being their silent partner, and right-hand! His “Muse Superpower” made him more of a significant influence and a company asset than those with higher professional titles… he was “The Guy”, The Advisor, The Sounding Board, and a team of one, the higher-ups and his peers trusted.
What Team Member of yours possesses “The Muse Superpower”? How can you recognize and reward their ability and their willingness?
The Networker Superpower!
In my 5 Types of Rockstars, I share about The Seller and The Personality. These two types of Rockstars on your team possess the ability to gather others, to rally others, to impact others… for better or for worse! This superpower to network is special as they enjoy people, people naturally enjoy them… as their presence when entering a room (with their charisma, knowledge, eye-contact, and passion) positively influences those around them.
One of my last jobs as an employee was at Bob’s Discount Furniture! It was a humbling experience and the best experience all at the same time. Humbling because I had twelve staff at the at time and my second book, 7 Ways to Love, was in Barnes & Noble Bookstore… which was attached to Bob’s, Lol! How the heck was I selling furniture? That’s a story for a different day! The best part was, I got to meet great coworkers, practice selling daily for a year, saw my Leadership Training work from top-down and bottom-up, and I was eventually forced to make a decision.
Because I possessed the “Networking Superpower” and had a business of my own … it only made sense to join local networking groups and attend meetings in my area. I could label myself “The Bob’s Guy” and make a killing focused on B2B Sales, right? But I had my business and I was just starting my plan to impact the leadership space for organizations. I had to make a choice… as I knew the person who chases two rabbits catches none!
So, I chose to be “The Leadership Guy”. I like to think it all worked out! My point is… who on your Team has this superpower and how can you enhance their superpower to network to best impact your Team, your Organization, and the community?
Perhaps they get to lead or promote social events for the team, record messages that go out regularly for your team or company-wide, they record messages for company social media, or they become the face of the company at local business networking events in your community? Whatever you choose… it’d be a shame to waste such a superpower!
The Stretch-Runner Superpower!
They’re Team Members that possess the power of Thinker, Script, Muse, and Networker… but none of them finish a job and get it across the finish line like the Team Member that possesses “The Stretch-Runner Superpower”! In horse racing, this is the horse that will not impress you out the gate; but midway through they hit another gear and finish stronger than anyone else.
Some people on your Team are fantastic at coming up with ideas but have no desire to do any of the work or ensure the project is completed. There are Team Members that like being told exactly what to do, but have no real buy-in or emotional ties to completing the project or task. There are Team Members you can bounce ideas off, like my friend I mentioned earlier. Ask him to do the nitty-gritty… that’s not what he’s good at and if he started doing that as his job… he wouldn’t have the time to sit in all of the leader’s offices making an impact… Be Mindful! Lastly, People with The Networker Superpower” tend to not like the small steps and minute details of tasks. Therefore, the Employee that is a natural Stretch-Runner and can take joy and pride in seeing great ideas come to fruition is beyond an asset… just as all the other Superpowers are!
Who on your Team possesses “The Stretch-Runner Superpower” to effectively take projects and tasks across the finish line like a champ? How can they be most effective on your Team and on certain projects… without burning them out?
You now know A Leader’s 5 Superpowers! Please know you may possess one or more superpowers, they may change with age, or with the type of work you’re currently faced with. You may also possess or lose superpowers as you evolve, enter into new phases of your work journey, or within new work-paths all together. Allow it to be fluid and stay curious about how you will allow your Superpowers and the Superpower of others to be of best impact; enhancing Leadership & Work/Life Harmony!
“Things don’t usually have to be improved by a lot to be great or greater than your competition; 1% may do the trick…and when everything you create and do is better by even 1%… it adds up quickly; making you, your Team, your product, and company ELITE… Be Mindful!” – Andre Young
Written by: Andre Young
Ready to enhance Leadership & Work/Life Harmony for your people and organization? Click www.youevolvingnow.com to start customizing a high-energy, interactive, and culture-impacting Training or Speaking Engagement with Andre Young!!!
