Be a Superhero. Be a Leader.

Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to learn from the Cultural Intelligence Center by attending their Cultural Competency Training. The most profound experience for me was an activity where we had to start by describing a significant challenge our world face today and then consider what would happen if we left that challenge as is (not do anything about it). Lastly, we had to consider what would happen if that challenge overcame the world. Once we'd done that, we built a "superhero," equipping that superhero with special powers to overcome that challenge.

Be a Superhero. Be a Leader.

Our group had decided to make our superhero a powerful fairy (stay with me here). Our fairy has a bag of fairy dust that contains vulnerability, openness, understanding, appreciation, recognition, empathy, humility, and so on (it has everything because our fairy is a superhero).

In a world where we are diverse, be it race, culture, gender, age, education, or knowledge level, etc., what if we focus on being open and understanding from where others are coming? What if we considered the experiences that shape who others are? What would the world look like? Under stress, we tend to default to familiarity, to that comfort zone that makes us feel safe. But this isn't where change happens. To enact change, either in others or ourselves, avoid creating stressful experiences. Be considerate in your words and communication style. Be open, be a good listener, try to understand, be appreciative, and know that each person is valuable. Let that overcome the world instead.

Leading Others: 5 Disciplines to Multiply the Genius Around You and Avoid Becoming a Diminisher!

Liz Wiseman, the author of the insightful book Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter, says that there are two types of leaders. The first type drains intelligence, energy, and capability from the people around them. They always need to be the smartest person in the room. Then there is the second type of leader: the multiplier. Multipliers lead by using their intelligence to amplify the capabilities of the people around them. When these leaders walk into a room, light bulbs go off over people’s heads, ideas flow, and problems get solved.

Multiplier vs. Diminisher

When we become a leader, we are motivated and hoped to be a multiplier. However, we can unintentionally become a diminisher if we’re not intentional about our drivers. When I heard Wiseman speaking at a conference ten years ago, I had an “aha” moment when I realized that I was an accidental diminisher. I was leading an employee who was capable and smart, but I tried to protect and save her from challenging situations. When I rescued her, she didn’t get the opportunity to solve problems herself and learn from her experiences. Although I didn’t realize it at the time, my job as a leader was to be a coach and a supporter. Since that realization, I learned to invest in her growth instead of jumping to rescue her from situations, and she began to thrive, and today she's a great leader in her profession.

It takes intentionality to be an effective leader. Sometimes, that intentionality is about knowing our blind spots and making sure we don't become that accidental diminisher. Use the below checklist, illustrating the five disciplines of a multiplier to do a self-check.

Are you a multiplier or a diminisher? Join the Leader Momentum movement to learn more about how servant leadership is the ultimate way to multiply! Learn more at www.leader-momentum.com.

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