The Hidden Powers of Legendary Leaders
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Your career follows a predictable pattern:
Technical skills get you noticed. Behavioral skills get you promoted. But there's a third level that nobody talks about – power skills.
These aren't your typical ‘soft skills’ rebranded. They're the invisible forces that separate legendary leaders from the rest.
Think about it: While everyone else is focusing on visible leadership traits – communication styles and decision-making frameworks – the most influential leaders are operating on a different frequency entirely.
After two decades of watching leaders rise and fall, I've discovered that true leadership lies in what you don't see.
Here's your guide to mastering these hidden powers:
I.
Productive Discomfort
What it is: The ability to stay calm and focused when everything feels wrong.
Why it matters: Great leaders don't just tolerate uncertainty - they use it as fuel for growth.
Try this: Create clear ‘kill criteria’ before kicking off a new project or charting a new direction. Knowing the factors for ‘quitting’ in advance will keep you calm when there are wobbles in execution. Pro tip: collaboratively establish this ‘kill criteria’ with your team.
II.
Strategic Silence
What it is: Knowing when NOT to speak is more powerful than knowing what to say
Why it matters: Your silence creates space for others to step up and shine
Try this: In your next team meeting, count to 7 (silently) after asking a question. Don't fill the silence. Watch how others step into that space with ideas you might never have heard otherwise.
III.
Managed Transparency
What it is: The art of being honest without being harmful
Why it matters: True leadership is knowing how to be truthful while protecting your team's confidence and momentum
Try this: Before sharing challenging information, use this filter: Is it True? Is it Kind? And is it Beneficial? Share only when you get three "yes" answers.
IV.
Collaborative Control
What it is: Leading without leaving fingerprints on decisions
Why it matters: Your job isn't to be the smartest in the room - it's to orchestrate collective wisdom
Try this: Start your next project by being clear about WHAT is important and WHY. Then ask your team to provide a ‘strategy brief’ which allows them to establish the HOW. Provide concrete and clear feedback about their plan, but never micromanage the HOW.
V.
Graceful Recovery
What it is: How you handle failures matters more than how you create success
Why it matters: Your legacy is built in the moments when things fall apart and you model resilience
Try this: Create a "Failure Friday" ritual. Spend 10 minutes reflecting on the week's setbacks and write down ONE thing you learned and ONE thing you'll do differently. Share this practice with your team.
There are two types of leaders: those who master these power skills and those who wonder why they plateaued.
Your technical skills might get you noticed, and your behavioral skills might get you promoted, but these power skills? They'll define your legacy.
Which of these powers will you start developing today?
Your coach,
Chris
P.S. Sharing is caring. Please consider forwarding this to a colleague or friend, if you found it useful. Your kindness could improve someone else’s world of work!
