How to Find Your Superpower

“I know what your superpower is!” my manager excitedly shared. During my second year as a principal, I was reflecting on my performance in the role. After reviewing my areas of growth, I started to wonder about where I brought the most value to others. That’s when my manager, Leah Peters, enthusiastically chipped in. She made me realize that my superpower was my ability to make connections between people, organizations, and ideas. She shared that it was my superpower that helped me land all the community partnerships I had with my school that year. That experience pushed me to reflect on superpowers and come up with this guide on how to find your superpower. 

What is a Superpower?

Comic books, TV shows, and movies have popularized the idea of superpowers as superhuman abilities that you get when exposed to radioactivity, meeting a wizard, or discovering you have alien parents! 

Reality is very different. 

Your superpower isn’t some innate or bestowed supernatural ability. It can be something that has always come easily to you or something you’ve worked hard to hone.

Everyone has a special talent or skill that makes them unique and valuable to the workplace. This is your superpower. Your superpower helps you make unique contributions to the community around you. It’s what leaves a lasting impact on others. 

Superpower Examples

Here are some examples of superpowers that you or those around you might be wielding:

• Listener – You’re always fully present in the conversation, are genuinely curious, and are able to reflect back on what you’ve heard. 
• Connector – You think about others first, regularly get out and meet new people, are willing to be a resource, and want to be of service to others. 
• Synthesizer – You take different information inputs, distill them, and then articulate them in understandable ways to others. 
• Presenter – You command attention, inspire action, and are self-aware to know about the way you are coming across to your audience. 
• Learner – You are genuinely curious, willing to put in the time to gain knowledge, and share what you’ve learned. 

Find and Know Your Superpower

A superpower is extremely beneficial when you know it and wield it correctly. But what if you don’t know what your superpower is?

If you don’t know your superpower, you are at an extreme disadvantage in the workplace. 

Here’s what’s at risk when you can’t identify your superpower:

• You can’t wield it when you need it. You are at the whim of random bursts of energy, where you are just waiting for inspiration to strike.  
• You might wield it incorrectly. Instead of calling upon your superpower at the appropriate time, you randomly use it even when it might not benefit you the most. 
• You might feel disinvested at work. When you’re not using your superpower, it can feel like you’re out of place or unworthy of your role in an organization. 

4 Tips to Help You Find Your Superpower

Finding your superpower doesn’t have to be a laborious or time-consuming task. Here are a few tips you can use to help you find your superpower:

1. Start with self-awareness! Answer these reflection questions to help you think through things from a different perspective:

1. What do you do that impresses other people?  
2. What comes easily to you? 
3. What would be missing if you were to leave your organization?
4. What do you love doing?
5. What’s your go-to strategy, approach, or move?

2. Ask people who know you well. The responses will be more reliable if you ask people who really know you. Don’t just ask acquaintances or coworkers you barely interact with. Ask them what they think makes you special and what makes them want to work with you again and again.

3. Think about your favorite moments as a leader and how people reacted to those moments. What were the common threads? For example, if every time you shared a personal story during staff meetings, people seemed engaged and interested in what you had to say, then maybe storytelling is your superpower!

4. What’s something that makes your heart beat faster? What gets your adrenaline pumping? These are signs that this activity might be your superpower. Think about all the times that happened with different groups of people. Is it something you can do again and again without getting bored? Is it something you have a passion for?

Leverage Your Superpower

After you have identified your superpower, you need to put it to good use! Just as Superman saves the day with his super strength and speed, so can you with your superpower.

You may not be able to fly or see through walls like Superman, but you can use your superpower to change the world around you. You can use it to make a difference in other people’s lives and make them feel better about themselves.

Here are some practical examples of how to leverage your superpower for good:

• If you’re a super listener, be sure to spend time listening to others. Your ability to listen well will help them feel heard and understood. Place yourself in situations where you can speak less and listen more. 
• If you’re a super resourceful person, look for ways that you can share your resources with others. This could mean sharing a book or lending out an item you have that someone else needs.
• If you’re an awesome communicator, use that skill to help spread positivity throughout the world! You could write a letter or email to someone in your life who needs cheering up or just be their shoulder to lean on during hard times.

Help Others Find Their Superpowers

If you lead others, one of your responsibilities is to discover the hidden talent within your people and foster an environment where that talent can grow and thrive. By helping others uncover their superpowers, you are helping them feel seen and validated, while also inspiring them to bring their best to work.

When people feel inspired and supported by their manager, they’re more likely to perform their best work. That’s why it’s so important for managers to understand what motivates each person on their team. 

Take Action And Find Your Superpower

Discovering your superpower is essential for personal and professional growth. It allows you to leverage your unique talents and skills in a way that makes a meaningful impact on those around you. Knowing your superpower empowers you to take ownership of your career and personal life, and to make a positive difference in your community. Identifying your superpower is the first step to harnessing it, and using it to reach new heights in your life. Start the journey of uncovering your superpower today.

Time to Commit

1. What has gotten in the way of uncovering your superpower?
2. Which tip mentioned above are you willing to try out?
3. How could finding your superpower impact your life?