Borrow a superpower for a day

At Teamworks, we define Superpowers as the talent that is uniquely you. Your Superpower is so native to who you are and how you think that it’s part of your genetic code. Like a fish navigating water, you’re in your element when channeling this innate ability. A team usually works best when there’s a balance of superpowers; examples include: Grit, Vision, Pattern Mapping, Creative Thinking, Peacemaking, Provocation plus many others.

But someone who’s a natural Peacemaker might not appreciate that Provocation is just as vital for the work, and vice versa: While the Peacemaker is focused on commonalities and getting everyone on the same page, the Provocateur can’t help playing devil’s advocate and challenging the consensus. When empathy’s not present, this could lead to tension.

An exercise to build empathy and stretch your individual comfort zone is to adopt someone else’s Superpower for the day. By forcing yourself to go against the grain, you’ll appreciate what comes naturally to you — and also respect the strengths that others bring to the table. Afterwards, debrief by sharing your experience with the person with that native superpower.

What’s your superpower? If you’re a manager who thinks your team might benefit from identifying its amazing roster of native talents with our Superpowers tool, you can sign up for a free two-week trial at Teamworks.is.