Hello, dear friend,
During this summer holiday I watched Superman: Man of Steel.
I can guess what you might think. It’s unusual that I take my inspiration, NOT from books, but from movies like this. I have to admit that it happens on rare occasions. And yes, it can be hard to get past the violent effects and the ever-present threat of the end of the world. But I was fascinated by the main character, Clark, before he officially became Superman, and especially by his relationship with his adoptive parents.
Clark was a one-of-a-kind child. He had extraordinary physical powers for his age and an innate willingness to confront danger in the name of justice or to save a life. His parents understood that this power was both a gift and a challenge. Though clearly of unknown origin, Clark was just like any other child in one way: he wanted to belong.
His father knew that one day Clark’s abilities would no longer be a secret. But until then, he strongly insisted that Clark refrain from using them in public. This happened even to the heartbreaking extent of Clark standing by as his father died, choosing not to intervene in order to respect his wishes.
I’m curious how you see this, but for me, it was clear: his parents wanted Clark to befriend his powers first, to understand his nature before revealing it to the world. They knew that moment would come with danger and responsibility, and they wanted their son to be prepared.
They empowered him by reminding him that his great power came with a great choice: the decision of what kind of man he wanted to become.
I often study and reflect on the set of skills a good leader should develop. Many of them, as I shared in my last newsletter, are peacetime leadership skills, and countless books teach us how to build them. But there are also traits that emerge from personality, experience, or even hidden pain, qualities that don’t follow any prescribed formula.
We don’t need to be threatened by an end-of-the-world kind of crisis to be tested. The professional world, and life in general, often throws us into unexpected situations where what we’ve learned from books and frameworks no longer applies (see wartime leadership). In those moments, it’s not technique but self-awareness that becomes our anchor. Knowing ourselves deeply, including the parts we tend to hide, allows us to respond with clarity and authenticity when everything else feels uncertain.
A few years ago, one of my coaching clients reached a turning point in his career. She was leaving entrepreneurship to pursue her passion for acting. Sensitive by nature, she had long tried to conceal that part of herself, viewing it as a weakness in the competitive business world. But to succeed as an actor, she had to uncover and express what she had kept hidden. What once seemed like a liability in business became a superpower on stage. Today, she leads programs that encourage others to show up fully, with their most secret vulnerabilities.
Another friend, a successful partner at a consulting firm, gave up a promising corporate career to return to her hometown and launch an NGO focused on women’s rights. Despite her professional achievements, she couldn’t escape the shadows of an unhappy upbringing. Privileged compared to other women in her family, she still carried scars that success couldn’t heal. Her nightmares became fuel for transformation, not only for herself, but for countless other women. She is now a respected leader in her community, and her mission sparked a local movement for women’s rights.
Superman’s story may be fiction, but seeing people like this in real life makes me wonder:
What part of our nature do we keep hidden from the world?
What if our real superpower, the one we suppress to fit in, succeed, or prove ourselves, is the very thing that could make us the leaders we were meant to be?
More and more, I admire and draw inspiration from those who have the courage to express their full personality and values in everything they do.
They may not wear capes, but they create real impact.