Looking for a Superhero?
If Clark Kent told you he was Superman, would you believe him?
In a world that is rapidly evolving with technological advancements, shifting markets, and increasing ethical considerations, a new type of ‘Multifaceted Superhero’ is the need of the hour — teams built with diverse skills and experiences, ethical foresight, and adaptive mindsets to navigate the future. People with superpowers often won’t tell you that they have them, but they know their value.
It’s difficult to find a needle in a haystack, and often needs someone able and excited to work through the mess. The willingness to go beyond easy, lean into discomfort and persevere through failure is what leads to successful outcomes.
Here are some super-powers to keep in mind while building impressive teams:
- Diversity of thought: Diverse teams are better equipped to challenge assumptions, foresee diverse customer needs, and create inclusive solutions. With widespread use of AI tools, it’s more important than ever to challenge data insights and avoid echo chambers or biases; diversity of thought is crucial for innovation. Find people with skills, profiles and experiences that expand your own mindset.
- Ethics & responsible AI use: As businesses contemplate onboarding AI tools either in customer interactions or internal processes, it is of utter importance to factor in ethical use. Question your data privacy, copyright regulations and the potential biases in AI algorithms. You will be able to build long-term trust and credibility in the market if you have a team focused on ethical application of AI.
- Start-up mindset: Working in a start-up makes you learn to optimize — time, resources and assets. It also requires that single players operate on multiple levels at a firm, combining skills, people and data to operationalize ideas. Find people with diverse toolkits to tap into. AI has made this saying ever more important - “A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.”
- Creativity & Innovation: This is non-negotiable for problem solving. In a world where AI can handle many analytical tasks, human creativity becomes the source of competitive advantage. It’s people who consume great content that can make great content — so find fans of your products, so they can speak to your customers.
Let's talk real-life, in the late ’00s marketing strategy saw a shift from outbound marketing to inbound marketing, a change that was championed by Hubspot. But did you know Hubspot didn't start out focused on inbound? It was through listening to their customers — Small business owners, marketers, and entrepreneurs — who were struggling to reach their audiences in an increasingly digital and ad-blocked world; that led to Hubspot to pivot by teaching clients to build quality content that pulls customers naturally. Today Hubspot is a leader in Inbound marketing, building a community around its philosophy and attracting thousands of marketing and sales professionals worldwide to their annual INBOUND conference. HubSpot’s growth has been fueled by its innovative approach to marketing and its ability to listen to and act on the needs of its customers, even when those needs pointed towards a departure from established methods.
Today marketing teams are wondering what the next era of advertising will bring with it. We already know search is changing, SEO/SEM spends and similarly which social media platforms work best for your audience, are being monitored. But through this time of change, it's important for leaders and teams to not be just technologically nimble but also ethically grounded, creatively inspired, and strategically savvy.
I challenge you to become the multifaceted superhero needed for the future!
Assess your own business strategies and aim to deliver lasting meaning to the world, be that through sustainable solutions, ethical practices, or customer-focused innovations.
P.S. I did also consider if anyone would believe Kara Kent (Supergirl) if she told them about her superpowers.
“A hero lies in you.” - Mariah Carey
