How vulnerable are you as a leader? Before you get defensive, consider this: what if I told you that vulnerability in leadership is a strength? This is not the vulnerability when someone is taken advantage of, but vulnerability in leadership is something that establishes trust. Daniel Coyle, in his book The Culture Code (2018), says, “vulnerability doesn't come after trust—it precedes it.” That's a big statement. Let’s go a little deeper.
Mr. Coyle, in his book, introduces “a professor of organizational behavior at Harvard” named Dr. Jeff Polzer. Coyle quotes Polzer, and I quote, “It’s about sending a really clear signal that you have weaknesses, that you could use help. And if that behavior becomes a model for others, then you can set the insecurities aside and get to work, start to trust each other and help each other.” As I have said before, everything starts and stops with leadership. If we want our teams to function well, we have to be willing to be vulnerable first.
No one knows everything or knows how to do everything. I will add to the quote mentioned by Coyle at the beginning of this blog and say that vulnerability not only precedes trust, but it also empowers others. If people think I got it and do not need any help, then they will most likely let me take care of it. But, if I display vulnerability and let others know I don't have the answer or I don't know how to do it, it empowers those on my team to assist. Hopefully, as we model this as leaders, our team members will begin to do the same.
