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> ...urge them to find their "superpower". Might I suggest "specialty", "focus area", or "expertise". Maybe "competitive advantage" if you're talking to busine

> ...urge them to find their "superpower". Might I suggest "specialty", "focus area", or "expertise". Maybe "competitive advantage" if you're talking to business types. I like to tell engineers that their job is to be an expert. Find some area that we need more experts in. Read, experiment, troubleshoot, tweak, document, teach, and whatever else you need to do to be the person others rely on when they need an expert in that area.

Zombieball 9y ago
For what it’s worth Amazon HR specifically chose the term “superpower”. Not sure it needs to be replaced.
- bartread 9y ago
  > For what it’s worth Amazon HR specifically chose the term “superpower”. I am a grizzled, experienced, and sometimes overworked 42 year old engineer. When HR start bandying around terms like "superpower" - like I'm, I don't know, an eight year old or something - I am not going to be impressed. (I do however agree with the overall thrust of the eight_ender's post about finding your area of speciality. Not that you shouldn't stray outside it, but everyone on my team has strengths and weaknesses. When, for example, I'm looking for advice about SQL Server, I'll unfailingly consult with my colleague Mark, because he spent years working on Red Gate's SQL Monitor so knows SQL Server very well.)
- dozzie 9y ago
  Like "coding ninja" or "rockstar" buzzwords? Those don't need to be replaced either?
- sethammons 9y ago
  I'd argue that superpower construes an innate ability, potentially something that does not need future nurturing to grow. I think this is bad. A term that suggests you can grow into a niche or area of expertise would be much more encouraging for someone I'd think.
  - Zombieball 9y ago
    But a lot of super heroes are just regular folks who gain their special abilities (super powers). Granted after being bitten by a radioactive spider (or something of that nature).

Zombieball 9y ago

For what it’s worth Amazon HR specifically chose the term “superpower”. Not sure it needs to be replaced.

bartread 9y ago
> For what it’s worth Amazon HR specifically chose the term “superpower”. I am a grizzled, experienced, and sometimes overworked 42 year old engineer. When HR start bandying around terms like "superpower" - like I'm, I don't know, an eight year old or something - I am not going to be impressed. (I do however agree with the overall thrust of the eight_ender's post about finding your area of speciality. Not that you shouldn't stray outside it, but everyone on my team has strengths and weaknesses. When, for example, I'm looking for advice about SQL Server, I'll unfailingly consult with my colleague Mark, because he spent years working on Red Gate's SQL Monitor so knows SQL Server very well.)
dozzie 9y ago
Like "coding ninja" or "rockstar" buzzwords? Those don't need to be replaced either?
sethammons 9y ago
I'd argue that superpower construes an innate ability, potentially something that does not need future nurturing to grow. I think this is bad. A term that suggests you can grow into a niche or area of expertise would be much more encouraging for someone I'd think.
- Zombieball 9y ago
  But a lot of super heroes are just regular folks who gain their special abilities (super powers). Granted after being bitten by a radioactive spider (or something of that nature).