Lessons from the middleweight ring
For 15 years, I ran my own firm, often as the “middleweight” competing against heavyweight players. Success wasn’t about size — it was about strategy, focus and commitment to our clients’ goals. Our superpower was investing deeply in client outcomes rather than completing transactions. That mindset translated into winning projects and building trust, even when the competition was larger and better resourced.
In today’s post-trade and securities services landscape, the analogy is striking. Firms are navigating digital disruption, AI, tokenisation and shifting client expectations. Some are tempted to copy the biggest players; others rely solely on legacy processes. Leadership now demands knowing where to lean in, where to evolve and how to deploy your team’s unique capabilities effectively.
Applying superpowers in modern leadership
1. Know your core strengths — and preserve them
Just as Beau doubled down on her natural instincts, leaders should identify their organisation’s and their own superpowers. What do you do better than anyone else, and how do you make it count in today’s landscape?
2. Avoiding the Blockbuster trap
Overreliance on historic strengths is dangerous. Blockbuster’s superpower was scale. Toys “R” Us’s was distribution. Both failed when the arena shifted. Leadership today requires evolving your superpowers, not just relying on yesterday’s successes.
3. Adapt deliberately, don’t chase every trend
AI pilots, tokenisation and data-driven platforms are exciting-but execution often lags when teams are overextended. Evolving means modifying your approach, not abandoning what works. Focus on changes that enhance your superpowers.
4. Invest in people strategically
Talent exists but is often misplaced or underutilised. Leaders must give teams the right mandate, tools and space to innovate. Influence matters more than authority-empowering people to act is a critical lever for transformation.
5. Client outcomes as the North Star
Middleweight or heavyweight, the firms that succeed keep the client at the centre. Smaller, agile players often win because they deeply align with client goals. Leadership today is as much about creating trust and alignment as it is about digital platforms or processes.
6. Reflect continuously and stay authentic
Watching Beau reminded me that even the most skilled leaders must look in the mirror. Have I stayed true to my advice? Have I adapted without losing sight of my superpowers? Honest self-assessment ensures leadership evolution is grounded in authenticity.
Lessons from Market Evolution
The financial industry has evolved dramatically over the past 20 years. Leaders who once succeeded by mastering operational processes now need to think like platform architects, transformation strategists and cultural catalysts. The shift is not just technological — it’s about leadership style, decision-making and culture.
In custody and post-trade services, many firms struggle to execute digital strategies despite ambitious initiatives. AI, tokenisation and modern platforms are exciting — but leadership, culture and talent alignment remain the true determinants of success. Smaller, agile players often outperform because they understand and lean into their superpowers rather than chasing every trend.
Key Takeaways for Leaders
1. Identify and protect your superpowers.
2. Evolve without abandoning your core strengths.
3. Empower your people to execute and innovate.
4. Align actions with client outcomes.
5. Reflect and stay authentic.
These lessons, drawn from sports, entrepreneurship and market experience, are actionable principles that help leaders thrive in environments of constant change.
Final thought
Whether in elite athletics, mid-sized consulting or market infrastructure, leadership comes down to the same principles: know your strengths, evolve deliberately, invest in your team, focus on outcomes and never stop reflecting. The environment may change — AI, tokenisation and digital platforms may redefine operations — but superpowers, applied with clarity and intention, remain timeless.
Leaning into your superpowers isn’t about avoiding change; it’s about directing it. And when done well, it allows leaders to navigate heavyweights, win critical projects and transform organisations without losing sight of what makes them uniquely effective.