Leaders, It’s Ok To Be Vulnerable & Occasionally Lose Your Sh!t

I once cried in front of my team. Yep, I got completely emotional in the presence of my employees.?

Here’s what caused it, what I’ve learned from it, and how my company and team members profited from it.?

Vulnerable Leadership?

Years ago, I went to my team, and said, “We’re in trouble. We might lose the company. Also, I don’t have a plan.”?

Feeling completely weak, I totally lost my sh!t right there in the conference room. Boy was I crying.

Since money was tight and I knew that some of my team had mortgages and families, I said, “If you want to go, it's okay. But I’m asking for your help. And if you stay with me, I won’t let you down. I will not quit. I’ll fight with you to the end.”?

In the face of losing the business and our livelihoods, nobody quit.?

A year later, we figured out how to double revenue, profit, and cash. Sure, it ended well, and I’ve reappraised that tearful moment as one of the strongest moments of leadership in my career, but it was touch-and-go for a while there. And I could have failed. Thankfully, things turned around.?

Brave Faces & Silent Struggles?

Let’s be honest, our current business culture often looks unfavorably upon vulnerability. If you’re a business leader who wants to scale your business, you’re probably regularly being bombarded with messages such as:?

• You must be strong.?
• You must have a plan.?
• You must be decisive.
• You must project confidence.

I’m over all the BS machismo and unrealistic expectations that undermine our culture. That’s partly why I recently had two guests on my podcast who are all about viewing vulnerability as a strength.?

My two guests were John F Broer and Sara Best . They’re People Optimization Experts who believe that better work makes for a better world. They’re also founders of Real Good Ventures and the hosts of The Bosshole? Chronicles Podcast.?

I knew I had to have them on my show after seeing on their LinkedIn profiles that they both proudly self-identify as Bosshole Prevention Specialists.

If you’re interested in hearing about vulnerability-based trust in leadership, check out my talk with John and Sara.?

How To Reinvent Your Workplace, with John Broer & Sara Best

I’d like to thank John and Sara for being the inspiration for this article. Be sure to check out their company, Read Good Ventures , and listen to their podcast, the Bosshole Chronicles .?

Listen to episodes of Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , YouTube , or ScalingCoach.com .