By Kelly Peppers, CEO, Colossal Media

What a crazy start to the year.

Right now we could use some superheroes to save the day. While SuperMan or Wonder Woman may not swoop in anytime soon, we can each tap into our superpowers to do our part to help thrive in 2021. My Executive Coach introduced me to the concept of superpowers. Discovering and talking about mine was empowering. She shared that our superpowers are our unique strengths that are revealed when we are being our most authentic self.

We all have superpowers. Once we see them, and use them, we can make magic happen. If you are in a management position, help your team find their superpowers too. When you do, they will be proud, purposeful and productive.

Here are some superpowers that helped my team and me get through last year:

Resilience. I grew up around mental illness and addiction within my immediate family. Phone calls informing me that my loved one is in jail, the psych ward, or a car crash have taken a massive toll on my nervous system. Through personal necessity and a vision of a peaceful life, I’ve grown resilient. Outside of an incurable illness, everything bad will pass, every problem has at least one solution and even on the darkest days, there are still moments of light. If you stay resilient you will survive and through your strength you can support those around you.

At Colossal we faced some epic challenges in 2020. We kept our heads high, minds focused and worked through it with a resilience that I have never seen in the workplace before. We painted through all obstacles. To support our clients, we made a historic move to decrease turn around dramatically and reduce hand paint production fees which led to 21 campaigns that otherwise wouldn’t have happened. The usual collateral was shredded and new decks were created to reflect the current outdoor landscape, our partners’ immediate needs, data and insights. Every single challenge was made into an opportunity. I’m particularly proud of this and how our team persevered during these difficult times.

Clarity. When things get extra complicated, and especially when emotions are heightened, someone in the room needs to pull together a plan with calm conviction. What’s the vision and steps to get there? Communicate them clearly and effectively. During our most challenging year at Colossal, we focused on what we could control, we were mindful of what we could achieve in the moment and planned for the future with clear written objectives. Through this commitment, we acquired our biggest wall in Colossal’s history, hit our adjusted financial goals, inked strategic partnership deals, took big steps to revitalize our culture and had inspiring conversations with our people.

Positivity and humor. Don’t forget to laugh! I love adding levity to a way too serious meeting, seeing smiles emerge on somber faces and creating positivity and a safe space that fuels hard work. If you are relaxed, upbeat and approachable, you receive honest feedback, conversations are more productive and your business evolves. And, when tension is high, humor can help. This is particularly crucial right now when we are working under a plethora of stressful conditions and being bombarded with non-stop negative news.

In an article published by the Washington Post, The coronavirus pandemic is pushing America into a mental health crisis, it was reported that nearly half of Americans report the coronavirus crisis is harming their mental health and online therapy company Talkspace reported a 65 percent jump in clients since mid-February. Those statistics are terrifying. Do what you can to bring joy to those around you.

So what are your superpowers? Please, flex them passionately in 2021.

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