Uncovering & Leveraging Your Leadership Superpower

Each leader is gifted at something. It’s the way our brains work. Some of us are visionaries and innovators, while others are persistent problem solvers or organizational gurus. Each of us has a leadership superpower.

However, what that superpower is, isn’t clear to everyone. When you discover and use it, though, your success will be magnified. Executive coaching is an ideal method for leaders to uncover their talents and find ideal ways to leverage that superpower to improve in other areas of leadership.

From the Outside In

You didn’t get where you are by accident. You’ve likely done a fair amount of introspecting to make the right decisions and learn from the wrong ones. Sometimes it takes a look from an impartial third party to pinpoint your leadership superpower.

Executive coaching provides a toolbox for leaders to maximize successes and minimize shortcomings. But before that, it helps you put a finger on why you struggle in certain circumstances. Only then can you resolve challenges that may normally be convoluted by your weaknesses. Knowing your leadership superpower creates opportunities.

Christopher Reeves was heartbroken when he couldn’t heal Lois Lane’s injuries at the end of Superman. But he was fast – fast enough, in fact, to turn back time so he could prevent her injuries from happening in the first place.

Leaders are faced with struggles all the time where they don’t have the immediate answers. But knowing how to generate a resolution by playing off of your leadership superpower magnifies your leadership effectiveness. Executive coaching helps draw out those strengths that can be used when and how they’re most needed.

Looking Back

Where have your successes been in the past? The star quarterback who, after retirement, becomes a commentator or broadcaster might come across as awkward or one-dimensional on camera. The skills of that retired quarterback may translate better to being a spokesperson for a nonprofit they care about or working with athletes to overcome performance anxiety.

Same with the rock star salesperson. When that person is promoted to sales manager who sits at a desk setting plans and goals for others, will they be successful or happy? Managing people is not the same skill as selling. Success in one area doesn’t naturally mean success in the other.

Looking back at success patterns can be pivotal to replicating success. Personality assessments are tools executive coaches might use to reveal task preferences, ideal work environments, or preferred team structures. They can uncover traits that make one person a great leader of people and another an innovative visionary. Using the results can help find areas for growth and what partners to surround yourself with.

Looking Forward

Of course there are going to be surprises for you, your business, your industry. Life is unpredictable. But you know there are also certain recurring situations or client needs that have been a struggle in the past. If you can get to the meat of why that was a challenge for you before, you can generate more productively next time.

Identifying leadership superpowers in yourself and your team helps you select the best people to benefit the situation. We all just lived through the major uncertainty and upheaval of COVID. What if you had built out your leadership team with people who excel in areas where you don’t? Suddenly your ability to ride the wave is much more likely.

Developing and recognizing leadership superpowers can help with future proofing and safeguarding your business to ensure the right leadership balance no matter what your company faces in the future.

Liddell Consulting works with leaders and leadership teams that are experiencing unresolved dynamic issues. Because our leadership experts have an objective and experienced perspective, we are uniquely positioned to help. Contact us today to see how the increased insights gained through executive coaching can improve your team’s performance.