Bold leadership is about vulnerability.
Unfortunately, the 'Two Minute Noodles' Management literature has over time, propagated and pushed the Superman Model of leadership ... all stories are about great display of qualities and characteristics that leaders bring on table. And why not ? What else should leadership otherwise be identified with ?
The over emphasized albeit unintended consequences of this defecient nourishment has concluded in most leaders building a smoke screen around leadership vulnerabilities. The rabit makes the deer believe it is a tiger !!!
If you show your weakness why should they want to come to you, the antagonist argues ???
Leadership vulnerability is about willingness of a leader to be open, true transparent and authentic about sharing his weaknesses, limitations, emotions and thoughts as they are and not as pretentiously put up on display. It involves action behaviors like :
*Being in touch with the emotional state of the team
* Admitting his mistakes and displaying his shortcomings
* Embracing uncertainty and saying - I don't have an answer.
* Asking for help to meet the agreed team purpose.
* Being open to others' perspectives and other perspectives too.
* Allowing others to see you fully - as you are.
The unfortunate problem is that the leader succeeds in building this facade and false imagery around himself in his team but it gets critically revealed and exposed around times of adversity when in action it sadly becomes the most sought after from the leader !!!
You may openly confess your weakness but in a way it honestly displays your boldness & strength in seeking out for help. If your team member is stronger than you in something, it does not make you small. It makes you be seen as being bold and purpose driven who can pull all full-stops off to muster-in all or any resource that can fulfill the purpose.
You can't , dear leader, hide your vulnerabilities. You only can fool yourself behind the facade of strength you pretentiously displayed. They giggle and laugh at your shadow. They gossip, make jokes around it . Only if such a leader realises it .
A vulnerable leaders intentionally open themselves up to the potential of emotional harm while taking action, when possible, to create a positive outcome or fulfill one's agreed collective purpose.
While vulnerability cripples some leaders, others thrive on it as they are able to tap into it and demonstrate its use in a show as Superman !
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