The 10 transformative leadership ‘superpowers’

8 Oct

I would encourage everyone who reads this blog to research the extraordinary personal story of Desmond Doss who, as a medic and conscientious objector, served in the United States Army during the Second World War. The circumstances of Doss’ service are so remarkable that they have been the subject of books, a documentary and an Academy Award winning motion picture ‘Hacksaw Ridge’. Whether due to the extreme demands of battle or his own deeply held convictions, during his active service, Doss demonstrated exemplary leadership ‘superpowers’.

The wonderful thing about ‘superpowers’ is that like those exhibited by Desmond Doss, they enable ordinary people to do extraordinary things. For a leader, the awareness and deployment of ‘superpowers’ means the difference between average, good and great. You could say that ‘superpowers’ are the defining brand of transformative leadership.

Let’s not get caught up in the imagery associated with the term ‘superpower’. It is important not to lose sight of the fact that what makes a power ‘super’ is not what it looks like, but how effectively it can be deployed. Therefore, with thoughtful application the simple and unassuming can have a transformative effect and seismic impact.

Now that the context has been set, listed below are my pick of ten transformative leadership ‘superpowers’.

1. The superpower of humanity

Truly great leaders lead with the ‘superpower’ of humanity and often don’t realise they are doing it. At a fundamental level, humanity is exemplified by a passion for fairness, justice and mercy. The humane leader is not a respecter of persons, neither is their judgement fettered by favouritism or biases. Rather, the characteristics of humanity are expressed through care and concern for others, irrespective of who they are or where they come from. When leadership is shaped by humanity, people will follow their leader even when they disagree with them. They will be inspired to go further and faster and encourage others to do likewise. In terms of demonstrating leadership there are few more pivotal ‘superpowers’ than humanity.

2. The superpower of silence

Silence is an incredible leadership ‘superpower’, especially when it is deployed strategically and tactically. In leadership, silence is not the act of withholding an opinion or zoning out of a conversation, but rather it is about tuning in, reading the room, carefully gathering knowledge and deciding what to do next. Used most effectively, the ‘superpower’ of silence can quickly highlight gaps, deficiencies and areas for improvement. This in turn empowers a leader to be better able to identify opportunities and manage risks. Often misunderstood and incorrectly perceived as a sign of insecurity and weakness, silence is in fact a powerful demonstration of confidence and strength.

3. The superpower of empowerment

Whilst delegation is the power to lead through others, simply assigning someone a task to perform, is not delegation. For the act of delegation to be performed, it must be completed by empowerment. But here’s the rub, acting under someone else’s authority, no matter how much authority they may have, is not empowerment. Indeed, it may serve to disempower others, especially given the penchant of some to believe that delegating authority equates to indemnity from accountability. True empowerment happens when people are given the permission to act and the right to fail. Therefore, a leader who empowers, creates a virtuous cycle whereby those who are empowered are able to do likewise for others.

4. The superpower of endorsement

More than simply a method of encouragement, the ‘superpower’ of endorsement is the ability to inspire. When a leader endorses, they affirm, energise and release others into dynamic potential and productivity. An endorsement is not just an acknowledgement, it is a means through which to enable and equip others with the tools to harvest learning from every experience. As such, by using the endorsement ‘superpower’, leaders can help to strengthen resilience, toughen resolve and develop the character of those that follow them. Evidence of this ‘superpower’ at work is when a leader is able to motivate others to perform at their very best even when they feel at their very worst.

5. The superpower of uncommon wisdom

A leader who possesses good judgement has the power to evaluate evidence and make decisions. To do so they rely on excellent spatial awareness and situational reading. However, good judgement is not the same as uncommon wisdom. The ‘superpower’ of uncommon wisdom defies logic and convention. Leaders who exemplify this ‘superpower’, operate with the same set of facts as everyone else, but interpret the information before them, in an entirely different way. When the uncommon wisdom ‘superpower’ is in operation, a leader is able to function effectively, whether they are dealing with complexity or ambiguity.

6. The superpower of servanthood

There is a quote about leadership which goes: ‘if service is beneath you, then leadership is beyond you’. It is a truism of leadership that the greatest leader is the most committed servant. As a ‘superpower’, servanthood speaks to character, particularly that of humility. Those who demonstrate the ‘superpower’ of servanthood share credit with others, even when they do not deserve it. They take responsibility for mistakes even when it is not their fault. Servanthood is the ‘superpower’ of a confident, mature and emotionally intelligent leader. Those who demonstrate this capability, do not do so to elevate themselves, they do so to elevate others.

7. The superpower of audacity

One of the defining ‘superpowers’ of leadership is the willingness and ability to run to danger. Think about it for a moment; when others are running away from risk and the harm associated with it, the greatest leaders run towards it. Why do they do that? Well, it all comes down to the fact that they are driven by their values, not by their fears. As such, the courage to do what they believe to be right, overrides the fear of what might possibly go wrong. A leader that runs to danger at a time of crisis, demonstrates credibility, builds confidence, wins trust and has the power to galvanise and inspire others to overcome the insurmountable.

8. The superpower of elasticity

The ability to go further and for longer, in times of crisis or in response to failure, is one of the primary characteristics of leadership elasticity. However, a lesser appreciated aspect of the elasticity ‘superpower’, is the ability to produce an appropriate range of solutions, no matter how complex a problem becomes. Think of the economic concept of ‘elasticity of supply’, which measures how the availability of goods or services in circulation are affected by changes in price. With the ‘superpower’ of leadership ‘elasticity’, the more complex and pervasive a problem becomes, the more extensive the reach and scope of leadership capability to solve that problem.

9. The superpower of bridge-building

The wonderful thing about the construction of a bridge is that it doesn’t just help us to overcome obstacles, it also broadens our horizons and connects us to new opportunities. Similarly, the leadership ‘superpower’ of ‘bridge-building’ is a metaphor for the way in which social competencies such as forgiveness and friendship can be used for mutual understanding and reconciliation. Leadership ‘bridge-builders’ are not grudge-bearers, they are singularly concerned for the greater good, not their personal gain. Think about the extraordinary actions of Nelson Mandela who re-defined the leadership paradigm through his capacity to forgive and build-bridges with those who once hated him.

10. The superpower of accessibility

The ‘superpower’ of accessibility speaks to the relatability and approachability of leadership. Accessibility is often incorrectly confused with attraction but the two, whilst similar, are not the same. As a case in point, celebrities are often seen as attractive, but few are accessible, to say nothing of approachable. Indeed, people can often be attracted to and inspired by that which they can never aspire to. By contrast, the ‘superpower’ of accessibility is concerned with creating an environment and climate, where people don’t just feel able to recognise themselves in others, but also believe that it is possible to be like them.

So, let’s circle back to the beginning. A great ‘superpower’ is not defined by what you have, but by how it is used and who it affects. To that extent, great leaders are not known by their ‘superpowers’, but rather what they achieve with them. To deploy leadership ‘superpowers’, you do not need a fancy costume or cape, nor do you need a great office with high authority. None of those things will make any difference. Ultimately, all that is required is to know where you can have the most meaningful impact as well as the determination and passion to believe that you can.

Paul Aladenika