Vulnerability - sounds like truth, feels like courage

In the wake of the implications of the pandemic, I have found myself more contemplative. I have assumed that everyone is. Those who know me well would say that’s no surprise. I tend to have quite an active mind and am comfortable exploring thoughts and feelings and being expressive. It’s part of who I am and fits well with the work I do as a #careercoach, #businessconsultant, and in supporting businesses with their #recruitment and the development of teams and individuals.

Some of the things people say in describing me are that I am experienced and professional, an effective communicator, creative, lateral thinker, and natural problem-solver, and that they find me solution-oriented. I have been told I create trust and people feel I care, and they see I want to support and serve others. Be assured that my development opportunities list is equally as long!

I have found myself exploring what seems to be everything these days. Including my feelings, fears, the way forward, my kid’s future, when will I sit down and have a meal with my mum, my service offering and whether it is relevant to the market, those less fortunate than I, what the future holds and what does that mean, what can and can’t I control, and subsequently what can I acknowledge and let go.

I have been working through many things and it is not always an intentional process. It’s not that I have constant and uncontrolled self-chatter, rather, I am rationalising and making sense, I am learning to cope and I am looking for my way forward. I am affirming my purpose and looking at how I can help, support, and contribute. I am questioning and looking for self-learning and opportunity.

Yes I have my concerns and worry, however, I am more curious with significant anticipation that there will be opportunity and betterment for us all. Hopefully in areas such as how we support and care for others, our actions around sustainability and the environment, how government and businesses operate, work-life balance, equality, our willingness to be real, and our connectedness to and with others.

Professional contacts and my work, combined with family and friends, adult kids at home (studying and working), volunteer coaching of community sports, and a range of social activities; all provide the opportunity for me to connect and communicate with a wide range of people. I value the grounding I get from such a richness in #diversity.

It seems that many businesses (including mine), are assessing and want to make sure we are relevant to the needs of the market. Something we have learned to do in business. Yet for now, the context we're operating in is making that harder to clearly define. An observation I have is an increased willingness and comfortableness in people, including our business and community leaders, to be more vulnerable. I know through leadership training that there is a fair amount of research into the psyche of a nation and culture formation. New Zealand has been self-critical of our tendency to see #vulnerability negatively and as a weakness. Contemporary leadership research explores the positive impact and potential of vulnerability.

To feel is to be vulnerable. Vulnerability comes from a place of honesty and emotion. To be vulnerable we need to open up. Opening up creates trust and a sense of connectedness. Connectedness makes communication more natural and effortless. Communication brings people together and creates understanding. Understanding unveils compassion and gives way to opportunity. A wonderful flow of positivity and potential can come from being vulnerable!

I encourage everyone to explore and contemplate their thoughts and feelings as we create our own, and contribute to our collective ways forward. Share your thoughts, be vulnerable, and share your whole self. See this as leadership, and as giving and creating opportunity and potential. 

In witnessing others vulnerability, my advice is to be deeply respectful, be present and to listen intently, acknowledge and encourage, seek only to understand, and value the courage. Do not judge, do not look to conclude, try to close, or to immediately find solutions. Tune into your own feelings, reflect, and look for the learning and #opportunitycreation.