The Power of Vulnerability
Is it okay for a leader to show his / her vulnerability?
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I often wondered, in a world where leaders are mostly valued for the strengths they bring to the table, is the concept of vulnerability valid or is it unreasonable to expect from a leader? Is embracing vulnerability a sign of strength or is it a sign of weakness?
Being in the corporate world for many years and having deep interest in leadership traits and behavior, I studied closely some leaders who showed vulnerability.
Many a times showing vulnerability is taken as a sign of weakness. However, over time the same leaders were acknowledged as a person who has the courage to be have believed in oneself, and being honest about the fact that imperfections and shortcomings are part of being human. It’s about showing up and being seen as one who is not ‘faking‘ or ‘ trying to be someone else’ in order to manage perceptions.
Being vulnerable means a departure from the traditional style of leadership. So how does this trait help in leadership? Here are the top three as I see it.
2. Bring in authenticity:? This is one value that a leader needs to demonstrate to earn respect / commitment from his/her team. Leaders who are authentic are open to accept their mistakes, acknowledge their shortcomings. They see, this, as a way to develop themselves as a better leader.
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3. Involve wider teams in decision making: Such leaders know what they do not know, and hence demonstrates that collective wisdom is better than single minded decision making. They seek for answers in others and thus been able to merge those insights in decision making . They believe in collaboration and empowerment which helps any team to perform better.
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What do these leaders do differently?
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Thus, to many, vulnerability is a strength, not a weakness. To give an example from the pandemic days, my study says, leaders who were open to their teams knowing well it is a time of crisis and they are vulnerable as they may not have the experience to manage such a situation themselves got success through wider support and could sail though such difficult times together as a team.
To conclude, vulnerability is not about seeking sympathy from others. It's about being real, who you are. After all, we all are human and being vulnerable & acknowledging it is a sign of strength – is not it?
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Look forward to your comments, would like to hear your view / experience.
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A CFO , an Independent Director, a Mentor and an Advisor !
5 个月Extremely beautiful article...It is so simple...It says, you are what you are!
Shift Engineer Cosmoplast industry LLC-HARWAL GROUP
5 个月Nice sir
Managing partner
5 个月Thank you for the insight.
AVP-Marketing, Brand & Digital Marketing, Influencer Marketing ( Aliaxis India)
9 个月Hey partha, you have touched a very sensitive chord of any human, be it a corporate or non-corporate!! Usually everyone hides their 'vulnerable' side as it depicts weakness!! It''s ok for a leader to be vulnerable but to an extent, otherwise it may affect the decisions and outcomes. Vulnerability is a function of a situation and one's own mindset to that situation 'Pragmatic Vulnerability' is what I think would be the Winning ?? formula for a leader.
Chief Business Officer - International Business at Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited. Managing businesses and teams across Africa, Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe and Middle East. Passionate about all things media
9 个月Insightful! I think being vulnerable also makes you ‘real’ and that is a quality that is missing in current times . People find it easier to connect to a real person rather than a super hero . I also find that subordinates often like to bring complimentary skills to the table and vulnerability facilitates this in an interesting manner !