I'll bet you didn't know that tomorrow is National Superhero Day! Now, under normal circumstances this would not have caught my attention, but the last year or so has brought to everyone's attention millions of previously unrecognized “superheroes” (in masks, if not capes), more commonly known as “essential workers.”
From teachers and restaurant workers to health care professionals and those in the transportation industry, and so many more, take 60 seconds to honor the superheroes in your lives with a heart-felt “thank you”!
Actually, we all share a specific superpower, though most of us never learn to master it.
Simply put, it's the power of speech.
Wait, you don't think of speech as a superpower? It even says so in the Bible. (How's that for evidence from a “higher authority”?) For example, check out Proverbs 18:21: “Life and death are in the power of the tongue.” What greater power is there than that?
The way you speak to people can change their lives in an instant. The choice of words and tone of voice can build someone up or tear them down in an instant. It can strengthen friendships, families, teams and communities if used one way, or destroy them just as easily when used carelessly or in a moment of anger when emotions override objectivity.
How well you learn to use that superpower, and whether or not you use it with the right intentions in the moment, makes all the difference.
But how you use your voice can also strengthen or undermine your OWN power and influence in other ways too.
In this short video I made a couple of years ago, I demonstrate some vocal pitfalls to avoid to ensure you don't accidentally give away your power.
https://youtu.be/i8bregyBAZ8 >>img
(As a side note, you'll also immediately notice a difference in my video setup and production quality back then compared to now. It's a perfect illustration of the need for everything I teach in my Virtual Influence course — also because it shows how much *I'VE* learned since then! It's amazing how much power I unknowingly gave away with that old setup.)
Moreover, in this week’s podcast, my guest is Jesse Doubek, CEO of Doubek Digital Media, LLC. A dynamic leader with an “anything is possible” attitude, Jesse also shared an experience when he also unknowingly gave away his power… ironically, by taking it away from everyone else on the team.
He humorously shared having the revelation when a colleague compared him to the late basketball star Kobe Bryant — not because they were both some of the most talented players in their respective industries, but but because both had earned the reputation as a “ball hog” among teammates!
To his credit, he took the feedback to heart and learned how to be a better leader by empowering everyone else, and his success to date shows the fruits of that shift.
Tune in HERE for this and other great insights and advice on how to wield your superpower as a leader.
Here's to your success,
Laura
P.S. – You can also catch our podcast episodes on YouTube. Here's the link to my conversation with Jesse. Please like, subscribe and share it with someone you know who might need to hear it.
