About five years ago, Google completed a huge two-year study on the productivity and success of teams. They learned something all good team leaders have probably always intuited. The most productive, efficient, and successful teams all had one thing in common: psychological security. My fellow Thinkers50 Awardee and Silicon Guild member, Amy Edmondson’s work on psychological security has transformed how organizations prioritize this.
In the workplace, psychological security boils down to team members knowing:
their contributions are valued,
they have a sense of belonging,
and that they won’t be punished for mistakes.
The Superpowers Connection
If we know that a sense of value and belonging are important factors in nurturing psychological security, then how can we as team leaders and teammates foster them?
Something that I see over and over again that affects a team member’s perceived sense of value or belonging has to do with the internal comparison trap that goes on in their heads. And if we are being honest with ourselves, it might be something that we struggle with. The comparison trap shows up in those spikes of envy when others have something we do not, or it might at times be in a feeling of not being good enough. In the workplace, those spikes and feelings often center around recognition, praise, or acknowledgement of a contribution.
This is where superpowers come in. Our superpowers are our greatest differentiators. They’re different, innate, and core to our being, so they’re not easily copied or reproduced by others. Leaders should take this seriously and take the time to identify, name, and cultivate these gifts in their team members.
When team members know what gifts they have--and that their team leaders see them--they won’t be quite so quick to fall into the comparison trap. This is one avenue to fostering a sense of psychological security and belonging.
The Takeaway
First, really take the time to know your team members personally. This will help you understand their motivation and fears, build a deeper connection, and help you discover a broader set of unique skills and gifts they’re able to bring to the team. Then, make it a habit of telling them and helping them see their superpowers and differentiation contributions.
It may be obvious to you, but as I’ve shared in the launch issue, our superpowers are among our biggest blindspots and hence, they may not know it. When you start doing this and setting an example for how to do this, notice the difference in your team. Your team becomes one of greater psychological security, belonging - it become invaluable.
Annmarie Kelley Harbaugh's Wild Precious Life: Discover Your Superpowers with Sanyin Siang
Ann Marie and I have a friendship that span more than 2 decades. We met as students at Duke and instantly, I was in awe of her wit, humor, and fierce sense of justice. To this day, I have neither lost my awe, nor has she lost that same magic.
She is a gifted educator, a fellow mom of three, a military spouse - her husband, retired Navy pilot Ken Harbaugh (another classmate) is former president of Team Rubicon and the nonprofit The Mission Continues. The author of a MUST read parenting guide Here Be Dragons, Annmarie is a renowned writer and expert on living your best life.
In this episode of Wild, Precious Life, Annmarie and I had a chance to sit down and talk about the discovery of superpowers: those that we find within ourselves, and those we find in others. We also shared some of our life-changing failures.
When we view life as an opportunity to “hold the door open” for others, life becomes a shared experience that curates endless inspiration and strength. Annemarie and I reflect on what truly matters in our lives and why – what empowers us to shine onwards, and what recharges us at the end of the day. And most importantly, we all need to make the time to bake ciambella cake!
What’s Next?
Thank you for reading this issue of Leadership Playbook: Unleashing Your Superpowers! The next free subscription issue - out May 18 will be on Reframing Feedback. For paid subscribers, the May 11th special issue will feature an interview with Stephane Charbonnier, Chief HR Officer of L’Oreal USA.
Got a leadership, career, or superpowers question? Let me know via comments or email and I hope to answer them in a future issue.
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