The Visual8

Some quotes suspend time. To interrupt the mind chatter. To allow the soul to tune into a profound truth.

This quote from Caterina is such a memorable line.

“I really think that people who come from outside of the industry have a superpower that people who have lived within the industry their whole lives…. And if you look at all of the companies that I’ve been involved with, and the investments that I’ve made, they are companies that emphasize creativity, communication, connection, collaboration, and community. And a lot of that comes from this background in humanities that I have.”
–Caterina Fake (courtesy of the Tim Ferriss Show, 2019)

The best technologists in my professional life studied history, evolutionary biology, or music. Not computer science. They excel at seeing patterns and the people-prints in a process. Their logic is not deterministic. It is probabilistic. Which drives engineers mad. And High Tech is full of the engineering mindset.

Yet, this post is not criticism of the industry which has fed my children or fed my curiosity. It’s about the upside of making a difference because you are the outsider.

We admire Alex de Tocqueville’s account of the United States because he was not from the USA. He recorded penetrating insights because of the outside-in perspective.

Which brings us to your superpower.

It is rare in this day and age to have a single career pattern. A place where you commit to a single job function with a life-time relationship to one company.

You are likely to have arrived at your current position without any forethought. You followed an interest, became good at it, then the whims of circumstance have you doing something else.

Which is why you should develop your superpower.

We can admire Nathan Myhrvold for completing his doctorate in applied mathematics after tackling mathematical economics, geophysics and space physics previously. Which makes him perfectly suited to be recognized for his eye-popping photography or mouth-watering cuisine. This mathematic and scientific mindset helped him earn a James Beard Award in 2012.

Let’s consider Rihanna‘s venture into cosmetics. As a popular performing artist she earned an audience, no doubt. However, that is not enough to punch through a decades-long momentum by established cosmetic brands. Jump into Shawn Kanungo‘s book The Bold Ones if you want careful analysis of Rihanna’s triumph.

Jonna Mendez served our country as Chief of Disguise in the CIA. If you have seen the movie Argo, then you have met the Mendez family. Her husband Tony was central to the actual operation to free American diplomats from Iran. Together, they co-authored the book that proceeded the movie.

Jonna earned the respect of top leaders in the US government for her work to gather intelligence despite the watchful eyes of the KGB in Moscow. During a lecture to Media and Entertainment professionals in 2024, she shared that what she learned from professional magicians made the difference in completing the mission. Who better knows the art of misdirection?

Don’t think these examples are impossible to follow.

Yes, these are exceptional people doing exceptional work. But they are each from humble beginnings who walked into the future with their imagination. They took what felt natural to them and applied to where they were.

This is about using your strength in an unconventional way because the situation calls for it.

Developing your superpower is a choice.

Children gives us a window into our future. When we observe them at play or in school, we see their gifts present themselves. We imagine them as all-stars, senior leaders, or world changing characters of the future. And yet we struggle to see this potential in ourselves.

What is easy for us is invisible to us. We extrapolate that what is easy for us is easy for everyone else. Not true.

Which leads us to a simple recipe to put our strengths to work.

1. Describe what makes you different in your profession

There are two methods to accomplish this. If you studied one discipline but work a in different industry, then this might be your superpower. Just as Caterina Fake suggested in her quote: her studies in the humanities propelled her success in creating platforms for collaboration like Flikr and Hunch.

If this is true, then describe three behaviors which define that identity. Compare that to the practices where you work. What stands out in that comparison? Where do you see yourself?

Alternatively, find a strengths assessment practice. Clifton Strengths (formerly Strengths Finder) and Via Institute of Character are two great choices. Don’t resist the results. You might find humility, kindness, or hope on top of your strengths list.

This may feel awkward because your profession is a highly technical, deeply analytical, or conflict-driven in nature. This may not fit your inner mental picture of the role.

Yet those soft strengths might be how your contributions become more durable.

2. Experiment with your superpower.

Many Olympians rehearse their performance in their mind before the competition begins. It quickens their excellence because their is no “getting situated” at the start of the race. They are already competing before the clap of a starter gun.

Take that key project you are working on now. Write out the set of steps needed to accomplish that task. Focus on your contributions to those steps.

How might leaning into your strengths reshape the approach? Where do they complement other’s strengths even if they are the conventional ones?

Then do it.

Make time at the end of the week to reflect on what is working and what is not. Intensify what is working. Change what is not.

It is called an experiment because the outcome is not guaranteed. It called an experiment because it unlocks permission from your boss.

3. Showcase your superpower.

With some success behind you, it is time to highlight those strengths for others.

This is not about self-aggrandizing. This is is much more subtle than that. It’s about letting others know where your superpower can help them.

Use the power of stories to bring it to life. Show how your unique approach changed the outcome without calling attention to yourself.

Let expressions like “I found that…” or “what surprised me is that…” proceed your insights. These are the words of humility, not hubris.

As you get comfortable, your world will change. You will see opportunities where you can make the most difference. And others will look for those strengths, too.

Most importantly, this is a shift in mindset.

As we encourage the leaders, believers and dreamers of the next generation, so, too, we need to encourage ourselves.

Once more, listen carefully to counsel that Caterina offers:

“And in many ways, I’ve always encouraged entrepreneurs, and investors, and people who are interested in entering technology to come at it from a different field, and really emphasize those parts of themselves that are different from the mainstream expectation of who you’re supposed to be, and what you’re supposed to know, and where you’re supposed to go to school. Coming from a different direction is almost always an advantage.”
— Caterina Fake (same source as above)