A leader’s primary superpower isn’t their ability to persuade or inspire or mobilize others.

Mobilizing others is essential to leadership. Mobilizing others is co-creating space where other people can motivate themselves to take aligned, constructive action.

Mobilizing others is secondary to a leader’s ability to transcend internal resistance, work around interior shadow, and recognize that most other people are walking through life trying to do the same.

A leader’s superpower addresses, stretches, and enlightens them first. When people who have a compelling vision, are convincing, and know how to motivate others to take action nevertheless stumble over their own shadow, take it as a sign that they’ve skipped a step or two.

All the gifts and abilities we have yet fail to use for good in our own lives pile up like wood and newspapers in a hoarder’s garage. Self-awareness, self-auditing through reflection, and acting on what we learn are ways to clear space within us. That cleared space means room to acknowledge our gifts, claim our power, and use that power in the outer world with consciousness, kindness, and minimal interference.

It takes all of my energy to resist.
It takes none of my energy to surrender.” —Lench Archuleta

Resource

The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles (Steven Pressfield).