I was once doing a two-day intensive, teaching Better Ideaz™, our version of brainstorming
that is a combination of structured spontaneity + proprietary Tools + real-time graphic recording, to a global advertising agency that included attendees from around the world. When I passed out the Super Powers Self-Evaluation, it turned out that 14 of the 18 participants had the same superpower: they were all people-centered. So the whole group had fun and got along really well, but the ideas they generated were not particularly varied.
I’m not talking here about the personal superpower that expresses one’s inner nature. We all have one, and it’s often difficult to determine your own because the characteristic comes so easily that it may not seem all that interesting or useful. Even though I’ve been talking about personal superpowers for years, I couldn’t name mine until a chance conversation at a retreat in Mexico. A woman I hardly knew said my superpower was cheerleader. She nailed it! Not the pom-pom girl in a short skirt, but the enthusiastic supporter and booster of other people as they stretch and grow.
I’m talking about superpowers at work. Every team needs a variety of powers, and the best teams have every one of the following represented. Here’s the list of work-related superpowers:
COMMON SENSE: practical and sensible, feet planted firmly in the real world, able to provide a dose of reality when needed, invaluable check on blue sky ideas, good throughout the process.
INTUITION: learns/knows at a gut level, strong confidence in trusting themselves, provides the counterbalance to overthinking with the brain, and needs a strong voice to express themselves.
BOLDNESS: challenges [and often challenging, too], pushes the envelope on what’s possible, sees beyond what can be done today, peers into the future of the unseen, always courageous.
OPTIMISM: stays positive, glass is half-full, supports and boosts others when the energy flags, sees the best in the ideas even when they may appear silly at first, never flagging joy and delight.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP: seizes the opportunity at hand, wants to move quickly into bringing ideas into reality, wants to own and lead the idea forward, the great captain of the skunk works.
PEOPLE CENTERED: gets along with others, empathizes with the needs and wants of the end-user, great advocate for higher-level benefits, and soothes any tension or conflict in the group.
SWISS ARMY KNIFE: broad and versatile, jack-of-all-trades who combines all the attributes in one person, hands-on, great at creating all the pieces it takes to bring an idea into reality.
PROBLEM-SOLVING: ingenious solutions to the issue at hand, cuts to the chase, sees a way through all the roadblocks, like a handyman, naturally discovers the best way forward
THRIFT: value from limited resources, looks at the costs involved in design and implementation, wants to ensure the fiscal viability of the project, and watches the bottom line.
DETAIL LOVING: keeps the pieces on track, may have trouble with far-out brainstorming but great close-in, vital for implementation, finds important steps others may overlook.
Identifying your team's superpowers is not just about maximizing productivity—it's about fostering a well-balanced team where everyone feels valued, heard, and engaged. When everyone plays to their strengths, brainstorming sessions become epic think tanks of ideas that drive your business forward. But you don't have to do this alone. Driven to Succeed, LLC is here to help you uncover the unique strengths within your team and guide you toward a more effective brainstorming approach. Contact us now to schedule a meeting and make your next brainstorming session nothing short of epic.
***
Driven to Succeed is an award-winning global market research and consulting firm that compliments data (the “what”) with empathetic research and conversations (the “why”) to uncover actionable insights so mid-market companies and Fortune 500 brands can innovate and grow. Our team has walked a mile in your shoes with over 100 years of experience in Market Research, Marketing, and P&L Management for global iconic brands and startup companies across diverse B2B and B2C industries. Learn more at https://www.DriventoSucceedLLC.com.