When Stan Lee told his publisher about an idea for a comic character with spider-like qualities and powers, his publisher said:

 

• People don’t like spiders
• You can’t have a teenage superhero
• You can’t have a superhero who has problems – superheroes can’t have problems

 

And so Spiderman was born.

What a great story. A story about imagination, confidence and tenacity.

But I got something else from that story – superheroes can’t have problems. I disagree.

The strongest leaders I see in my organisation are those who are able to show some vulnerability:

• They show their emotions when they’re happy or sad
• They express their self-doubt
• They admit their mistakes

To me, that makes them strong. Superhero or not, revealing that little chink in their armour makes them the sort of people I want to follow.