The Power of Vulnerability Part 1: Confidence vs. Humility

Exceptional leaders possess two qualities that at first glance appear mutually exclusive: confidence and humility.

Confidence is crucial. For others to passionately follow you on your path, you must be confident in your vision. If you don’t believe it yourself, no one else will. You are convincing them to contribute their work, time, and attention to the realization of that vision.

Humility is also crucial. It enables you to grow and see additional perspectives. To challenge your assumptions, to open up to honest feedback and understand what the data tells you. To seek help in areas where others are stronger. It makes you capable of listening, knowing it will benefit the company and the bottom line. Without humility, there is no personal growth, there is no inspiring others, there is no growth as a leader, founder, CEO. Without humility, you would stagnate. You would waste a huge opportunity.

Both confidence and humility require you to be vulnerable.

To be confident, to take a risk and share your vision, you open up yourself and your beliefs to criticism, to be proven wrong, to the possibility of failure. After all, if you don’t state your ideas publicly, you can’t be judged by them, be embarrassed or disappointed. Accepting that vulnerability is a necessary action taken by every visionary founder and leader.?

To be humble, running your company not as a know-it-all, but as someone who is imperfect, who can’t do it all by themself, who is dependent on others - their work, contribution, expertise, passion and beliefs - makes you vulnerable in so many ways. Vulnerable to disappointing people, to not conforming to their image of you as a leader.?

More than anything, confidence and humility make you vulnerable to yourself, to your fears and insecurities. But the success of your business depends on you getting past those fears. Our next article will provide you with tips for overcoming those insecurities.

Being vulnerable is not just a nice-to-have, it is vital for your team’s effectiveness and for the benefit of your partners, stakeholders, investors, and customers. Vulnerability is a prerequisite for confidence in your vision, and for the humility to incorporate diverse perspectives and fully leverage talent. Vulnerability is absolutely crucial for every leader who wants to reach their full potential.

What are your experiences with being vulnerable as a leader?