A Vulnerable Leader is a Growing Leader

The other day I was at my daughter’s dance recital. As I sat there, all I could think about was how brave all these young girls were. In my mind, I was witnessing purity of soul through a vibrant display of dance.

I sat there and began wondering, when do we lose this, when do we stop dancing and start taking life too serious. Sometimes I just want to get out there and dance and be free. And if I did, would people judge my actions? More important, should I even care what they think.

The answer is no. Basing ourselves on what other people expect is exactly what holds us all back. Instead of enjoyment, we settle for appeasement. Fearful of being viewed as different. Really, though, is being different all that bad. What if being different is the silver bullet in life.

The beauty in vulnerability

The only way to see what your truly capable of is putting yourself out there. You know those moments of fear and uncertainty, it’s here where true growth and freedom are found. I’ve found that taking action in ways you know you should, rather than how you think you should impose better results.

And the only way to experience these moments is seeing vulnerability as an opportunity to learn. To abolish the fear of judgment. Expression of true self can only be found when we decide to act based on intuition. Here we find passion and an ability to influence.

Shed your skin

We can all relate to the following story. Envision you’re assigned a project. The human in charge of you has trust in your ability to see it come to fruition. And what an honor it is. Your efforts are finally recognized. You’re moving up the proverbial ladder of life.

But then your excitement turns to anxiety, stress, uncertainty. The expectation to be perfect feels like your walking around with a backpack full of weight. Rather than a pleasant experience of contribution fueled by learning, it becomes overwhelming and difficult.

When we view projects in life this way, we move from being leaders looking to unite others towards a higher meaning to managers looking to do whatever to satisfy others. And the decisions we make our not our own.

The ones that suffer most are those we are in charge of. Becoming infatuated with others opinions negatively influences our leadership ability.

To quote Warren G. Bennis, “managers do things right, leaders do the right things.” And how could we begin challenging ways of thinking to create organizational success?

Develop a comfort with vulnerability

This idea welcomes a freedom to try new things, challenge old assumptions, and curbs the fear of failing. Collectively these foster a work environment of constant growth and passion. Those we lead will value our self-confidence and efficacy. This project becomes more than a task to complete. It becomes a purpose. Allowing a place for vulnerability creates ownership among the individuals and teams in organizations.

Vulnerability=Empowerment

And how can ownership come from vulnerability? Simple, by being vulnerable, we are able to empower others to complete tasks without worry. Empowerment is an employee-centered psychological approach to leadership. It is a process that looks to lessen the feeling of powerlessness.

It allows employees the space to do their jobs. And their actions become personal. Rather than a mere cog in the wheel, empowerment makes those we lead feel like they’re a part of the solution.

The three indicators of empowerment

1)     Perceived control: Employees feel confident and in control of their environment

2)     Perceived Competence: Belief in one’s ability to mobilize motivation, cognitive resources, and courses of action to meet situational demands

3)     Goal Internalization: Employees feel part of something bigger than themselves. They see success as a collective effort. It is here where system thinking and viewing the organization as a whole in manifested.

We now have a team of driven individuals willing to put forth maximum effort. Success in the project becomes part of who they are. Individuals start raising their own standards because of the example your setting.

Leaders are a source of energy that drives others. The gasoline in a car does not tell each individual component in the motor how to do its job. No. It provides the crucial element for combustion that propels progress.

Most noteworthy, vulnerability is not weakness. Quite the opposite. It shows that you’re aware of reality and what needs to get done. You are a decision maker. A trailblazer, not a pathfinder. Humble and modest, capable of learning from others and allowing ideas to come from all levels. And lastly, you take ownership. Whatever happens is on you. After all, there are no bad teams, just bad leaders.

Embrace the process, prepare for the process, and trust in the process.