Most of us have grown up with the understanding that showing vulnerability at work will negatively affect our careers— and particularly so for those in leadership roles. ‘Never show weakness’ has been one of the most dominant management mantras of our professional era.
Yet a new wave of research shows us that we’ve been going about things all wrong. In fact, vulnerability is the new ‘must-have’ leadership skill- one that ultimately leads to greater trust, productivity and innovation within teams.
So what is vulnerability in leadership?
According to Dr Brene Brown, an acclaimed researcher and author of the groundbreaking book Daring Greatly, showing vulnerability at work is not weakness, rather it’s an act of courage that can lead to great triumphs for leaders and their teams.
Brown argues that vulnerability in leadership (and in life) is about accepting uncertainty, risk and emotional exposure in order to move forward in a positive manner. Through her research of over 13,000 individual experiences, she explains that she could not find a single example where an act of courage was not underpinned by vulnerability.
The conclusion? Showing vulnerability and showing courage are inextricably linked. You simply cannot show courage without accepting some risk, uncertainty and emotional exposure.
Why is showing vulnerability important in business?
Take a minute to imagine where business would be if no-one ever took a risk or showed professional courage.
There would be no new products, new staff, or new ideas. Everything would stagnate. On a personal level, no-one would ever trust, show loyalty, or make real friendships- which are, often forgotten aspects of the team dynamic.
In a workplace where the leadership shows an iron mask rather than their vulnerable side, you often find disengagement and a high staff turnover. Team members often become overly individualistic and fear making mistakes, thereby stifling innovation.
Great leaders, on the other hand, understand that vulnerability is how we bond with each other, and that authentic vulnerability is key to forging human connections.
It is when our defences are lowered and we trust those around us that the magic happens at work: the creativity, the innovation, the teamwork and feeling of shared purpose.
Great leaders also accept their own vulnerabilities, and are willing to share them (within reason) in order to create that feeling of authentic communication and trust between them and their team members.
In short, vulnerability in leadership is about dispensing with the cool, off-hand professionalism of yesteryear where leaders occupy a distant, almost inhuman position, and instead having the courage to be yourself.
How can we show our vulnerability at work?
No, you don’t need to sob about your recent breakup in the Monday morning meeting. In fact, over-sharing personal details or sharing them with the wrong people will almost certainly have the opposite effect than you’re looking for.
Rather, showing vulnerability in the workplace might be as simple as asking for help when you need it, admitting a mistake when you make it, and telling everyone that while something might not work that you’re willing to give it a shot.
What showing vulnerability might look like at work?
- Showing vulnerability is about standing up and being counted. Its saying ‘I have an idea, let’s try it’, or opening yourself up to possible criticism with a ‘What do you think of this?’
- It’s admitting you don’t know something. ‘I don’t understand this. You’re great at this stuff- can you show me how to do it?
- It’s reaching out to that person that seems a bit down and asking if there’s something they’d like to talk about. To ‘lean in’ when an employee is visibly struggling requires an element of vulnerability on your part- it is an emotional risk, but one that can form a real bond of trust.
- It’s about sharing knowledge and ideas rather than jealously guarding them. It’s offering someone a chance with something even though you fear that they’ll outshine you.
- It’s opening up a little about your personal life, even if it’s just a story about your dog’s crazy antics or a childhood holiday. You might even admit you’re struggling a bit with something personal- but be sure to choose the right audience. By sharing information about your life with colleagues, you’re sending the message that there can be a close, human connection between people in the workplace.
- It’s taking people into your confidence. It’s admitting to a valued team member that you’re worried about the progress of a project, or whether you’ll hit targets. Taking people into your confidence builds two-way trust.
- It’s about admitting when you’ve done something wrong.
- It’s about accepting other people’s mistakes in a calm and accepting manner that doesn’t damage their trust in you.
Overall, showing vulnerability at work is about exposing your human side, with the understanding that when you do it, you send a signal of bravery, openness and courage for everyone else to do it too. Great things can only happen when you take calculated risks, and to take a risk you must expose yourself. There is no other way. To succeed, you must be vulnerable. Otherwise, you and your team will only stagnate.
Until next time,
Julia
