Unlocking Leadership: It's More Than Just a Title!

Last month I wrote about Vulnerability and how it comes from a position of strength. Applying that same perspective, let’s look more closely at being a Vulnerable Leader and the effect it can have on those you Lead.

I’ll start by saying this: I have worked for people who were confident, strong, vulnerable leaders – I, and many others that felt same, would follow them anywhere.? I have also worked for the micromanaging, sniveling, wannabe leader who whines when no one follows him/her.? Disclaimer: I have reported to less than 12 people in my 25+ year career and one of them was my sister when we worked at an Ice Cream parlor in my teens. Of these 12, 5 (less than 50% and I think that’s high) were people I admired and respected because they possessed the remarkable ability to show vulnerability with grace and authenticity.

Ok, enough about me.

To understand how vulnerability as a Leader comes from a position of strength is to first understand what Leadership is. Leaders model behavior they seek in others and build a culture that perpetuates that way of being. Some are Leaders by choice – they may be chosen, or apply for, and achieve, the position. Others are by chance - they become someone people want to follow regardless of hierarchy. Ironically, one has the title and the other does not, yet the one without title is usually the more effective. Not all designated Leaders are people others have a desire to follow. How can you become the person that soars beyond the title?

Shirzad Chamine, Stanford University Lecturer and Founder of Positive Intelligence? defines Leaders as “people who inspire others into effective action to achieve shared goals.” The foundation of this definition is that leadership rests on four basic pillars: triple purpose, earned trust, healthy conflict, and shared responsibility. Let’s explore how Vulnerability plays a key role in each of these pillars.

1.?Triple Purpose is the ability to grow and learn in meaningful ways by focusing on positive impact to (1)self, (2)each other, and (3)others. True leaders understand that to bring profitable and positive impact to the bottom line, the first step is to positively impact yourself, others on your Team and others in your organization and communities. Have you ever known or worked for the person who drills the need for harder work, more hours and uses fear to gain the upper hand yet also speaks to being “one team” or all in this together? If you have, then you know that this negatively impacted outcomes and usually leads to divisiveness, backstabbing, and attrition.

?2.?Earned Trust is simply the ability to earn trust in any relationship. Trust isn’t innate. Think about the horrible manager example above who says one thing and does another or creates their own expectations without letting you and others in on what they are, then blames others when things don’t work as they hoped. Being authentic, transparent and sharing what’s expected or better yet, making agreements about what’s expected, is what earns others’ trust. It allows others to be fearless, share their thoughts and ideas without fear of repercussion. Empathy is a cornerstone of trust; to be influential, you must genuinely care for the others you are influencing, otherwise it’s just a farce.

?3.?Healthy Conflict is the difference between accomplishing goals together and creating animosity that leads to negativity and backstabbing. When a leader can resolve conflict using empathy, showing vulnerability by being transparent, and supporting all ideas as possibilities, exchanges become open, dialogue influential and everyone feels supported and heard. This drives conflict resolution and creates earned trust and positive impact. Conflict among human beings is inevitable. Without earned trust, one person might run over another to be the voice that leads.

4.?Mutual Accountability happens when individuals share in accountability. Not everyone does what they say they are going to do, but a true leader will facilitate an agreement between all parties or team members and create an environment of honesty, understanding and awareness that deepens trust and leads to positive outcomes.

In summary, being a vulnerable leader is a position of strength, one that embraces authenticity, trust, open dialogue, and mutual responsibility. It is a path that leads not only to personal and team growth, but also to a culture that thrives on shared goals and shared success.

Here's the Shift: Each of these pillars holds an opportunity to expand your current way of thinking about who you are as a person, and how you want to use the best parts of that to be an effective Leader. Through Positive Intelligence? you can learn what is holding you back from achieving your full potential as a Leader and why you may be lacking in one or more of these four pillars. As a PQ? Coach, I can facilitate exploration of those challenges and help you remove the blind spots.

If you would like to learn more about Positive Intelligence? and how it can improve your ability to remove the obstacles that hinder your ability to be a Leader that others want to follow, connect with me!