Heroism is Born in Vulnerability

In the wake of the natural disasters and recent public shootings many employees are asking... "Why aren't we talking about this?" Even though it did not take place in your office, it may remain on your employees minds and impact their focus and effectiveness to carry out the mission.

One surprise for me recently was how meaningful it was for one team, when a hard-nosed director simply said, "I'm worried about you," in a public forum after the suicide of a team member.  The director did not have the answers, there was simply comfort to the employees in showing up, being present and focusing on social and emotional security.  

You don't have to have the answers.  Share your own brokenness before focusing on how you and your team are going to move through the emergency.  This will create the channel for them to talk. Listen for what they need - not just for physical safety, listen also for processes you can put in place for their social and emotional security.  

You can cultivate being a hero for your organization by creating the habit now with your own language and vulnerability. This will allow employees to feel like you are accessible and share the pulse of your team - ideally before the organizational heart attack when your mission could grind to a halt.

Emotional "emergencies" can cause the same physical responses in your employees as a physical threat. Be ready to listen and provide the emotional support - not just after a fire - but also during traditional organizational challenges like budget cuts resulting in a "reduction in force" or loss of employee commitment to mission because of a public scandal related to your organization.

So you've spent your career cultivating an unflappable, perfect image?  (The movie UP doesn't even make you cry?) Below are some resources to help you feel more comfortable sharing your own vulnerabilities or failures, so your organization can benefit from your experience.  

1. Brené Brown:  Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change: https://blog.ted.com/vulnerability-is-the-birthplace-of-innovation-creativity-and-change-brene-brown-at-ted2012/
2. F**kUp Nights: (The Anti-TED talks) : An event series that shares stories of professional failure. Each month, they get three to four people to get up in front of a room full of strangers to share their own professional f**k-up. The stories of the business that crashes and burns, the partnership deal that goes sour, the product that has to be recalled.  https://fuckupnights.com
3. Failing Boldly: A Chicago based podcast celebrating failure  https://christiancoon.podbean.com
4. Chicago Tribune's 'My Worst Moment' series: Where actors and actresses recall their worst moments and how their careers were shaped by them. https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/tv/ct-my-worst-moment-series-20171025-storygallery.html

It is a great relief our culture is moving away from pretending our perfectly crafted social media messages are a real reflection of ourselves and back into celebrating the failures that make us uniquely strong to handle the next crisis.