Which version of you is real?

We often talk about “acting” in different situations, but I prefer to think of it as “shining” a 🔦- highlighting different aspects of us in different circumstances. We can be authentic, true to our values, and adapt ourselves, all at the same time. For example: shifting tone in a conversation, adjusting energy, or balancing confidence with humility. Sometimes we need to be direct and decisive, other times warm and empathetic. We can be curious and listen, take a back seat, or step forward and lead. It's still us - even if we are "acting".

Experiencing Olafur Eliasson’s interactive art at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki recently highlighted this for me – literally!  Light shining from different angles revealing multiple variations of the same thing - all of them were the real. All of them were me!

In every situation we have a choice - which parts of us need to shine🔦 !

#6 Sensing – A coaching superpower for leading teams

Hi, we’re Helen Zink and Dr Cathryn Lloyd. We work closely with leaders and teams, and we know that leaders face an array of challenges. We’re sharing a series of 10 coaching superpowers for leaders to experiment with. 

We’ve broken them down into two categories:

Nos 1 - 5 Mindset superpowers: How you think and show up.

Nos 6 - 10 Behavioural superpowers: What you do, your actions.

These superpowers often blend together.

We’ve shared the first 5 mindset superpowers - self awareness, curiosity, character, flexibility and candour. We now shift into the behavioural superpowers. And our first one for this series is - 

⭐ Superpower 6: sensing

Sensing means actively picking up on signals, patterns, and dynamics in the environment.  It is the ability to perceive and respond to shifts in context, organisational culture, or wider system.  Sensing helps leaders identify emerging challenges, recognise patterns and interdependencies, anticipate change, and enable proactive rather than reactive decision-making.

In some ways sensing is similar to superpower one - self-awareness. Self-awareness is the mindset of paying attention to yourself; whereas sensing is about actively paying attention to the environment around you and the interconnecting systems you operate in.

A few ways to build the ability to sense:

💡 Body Language: watch non-verbal cues.

💡 Listen for what is not said: what may be hidden in the silence, the unexpressed and shifts in energy.

💡 Group dynamics: notice engagement, withdrawal and interaction. 

💡 Recognise patterns: notice early signals and connections between events, decisions, and outcomes, even when they’re not immediately obvious.

📌 Practical tip - the silent observer

In your next team meeting, ask for a volunteer to take the role of observer. Instead of speaking, they watch for:

Who speaks the most/least.

Who seems engaged, hesitant, or withdrawn.

Any energy shifts.

Any conversation patterns.

Any misalignment of body language and words.

Debrief together and uncover insight on how you work together as a team.  You might agree to change a few things going forward.

Small exercises like this help you and your team become more aware of your environment. Stay tuned as we share more coaching superpowers. 

We’d love to hear how you are experimenting and applying these ideas.

Image: Cathryn Lloyd

#1-#5 Snapshot of five mindset coaching superpowers for leading teams

Hi, we’re Helen Zink and Dr Cathryn Lloyd. We work closely with leaders and teams, and we know leaders face an array of challenges. Over the past few weeks we’ve been sharing  coaching superpowers for leaders to experiment with.

Below is a summary of five mindset superpowers: How you think and show up as a leader.

Stay tuned over the next few weeks for more superpowers focused on behaviour: What you do, your actions.

⭐ Superpower 1: self-awareness

The foundation that powers all other superpowers. It’s about understanding who you are, what drives you, and recognising your triggers. It’s the ability to pause and respond thoughtfully, rather than reacting without awareness and the potential impact.

⭐ Superpower 2: curiosity

Stimulates growth, innovation, exploration, learning, and collaborative problem-solving. It creates a culture where every voice is heard and valued, encourages collaboration and deeper human connection.

⭐ Superpower 3: character

The foundation of trust, integrity, and consistency. Leaders with strong character and a clear moral compass inspire confidence, and help to create a culture of psychological safety, and positive impact. 

⭐ Superpower 4: flexibility

Needed to stay effective and resilient in a rapidly changing and unpredictable environment. Being curious (see superpower 2), adaptable and thinking “what is possible”.

⭐ Superpower 5: candour

Authentic and vulnerable leadership is essential for establishing trust, accountability, and a culture of learning within teams. It creates psychological safety, strengthens alignment, and underpins innovation.

Our top 3 insights: 

💡 Self-awareness is the cornerstone of leadership - it influences all other superpowers by enabling thoughtful responses, emotional intelligence, and a deeper understanding of impact.

💡 Curiosity and flexibility drive growth - a curious and adaptable mindset encourages learning, collaboration, and resilience in an ever-changing world.

💡 Character and candour build trust - integrity, authenticity, and open communication create psychological safety, alignment, and a positive team culture.

🩷 We’d love to hear how you are experimenting and applying these ideas.

Image: Cathryn Lloyd