In one of my previous posts, I argued that the most important trait of leadership is trust. For trust to exist, you first must make a connection. For a connection to be made people need to see and know the real you. Therefore, you need to be authentic and allow yourself to be vulnerable.
I believe that among other skills, highly effective leaders share the following characteristics:
- Courage – the courage to be imperfect
- Compassion – to be kind to themselves (first) and to others
- Connection – as a result of authenticity
- Vulnerability – what makes them vulnerable makes them effective
Too many leaders try to conceal their flaws and present a polished façade. Or they try to behave like they think “great” leaders do. When you try to be someone else, it erodes trust and effectiveness and causes people to question your true identity.
To be effective, according to Brene Brown, you need to be able to let go of who you should be and embrace who you are. This can enhance your relationships, foster trust, bring out the best in your people, and create better business outcomes.
To learn more about the power of vulnerability I warmly recommend the great TED talk by Brene Brown.
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