In keeping with our Mental Health Month, we are going to be talking about The Power Of Vulnerability.
Brene Brown did the most amazing TED Talk. In fact, it was the number one most viewed TED Talk in history. It is so powerful. What I want to zoom in on is vulnerability.
I had a conversation with a prospective client recently and she shared in the conversation that she had had her burnout the previous year and that it was a dark time for her. At first, I felt it was out of left field. When she was done, I took a breath and I thanked her for her transparency and for trusting me enough to be vulnerable.
Don’t you find that with this pandemic, we are all starting to share a little more emotionally about what is going on?
Finally, we are dropping that armor. We’ve got things happening with our parents. We’ve got things happening with our children. We’ve got so many things happening.
This doesn’t mean that our colleagues need to be our therapists.
However, being able to speak about it more openly and see that it is not a weakness but rather a strength. There is POWER in vulnerability.
Once you share something, you realize you are not alone. As you stand in your truth, you then give another the chance to do the same.
My invitation to you as a leader is:
Over the next 7 days, take a look at whether or not you are allowing yourself to do some healthy self-disclosure with your team.
This can be as part of a team meeting or as healthy one-to-one supervision. It should be something that you think will be helpful to the person in front of you. The self-disclosure is relevant and intentional.
As a leader, it can be easy to fall into the trap of believing that you have to have your armor on so you can be strong and tough. I cannot tell you the number of leaders that I am working with right now who are powerhouses and they are now breaking through some of these very unhealthy limiting beliefs. They are choosing to give themselves permission to get vulnerable. They realize that meaningful connections occur when we are authentic.
Over these next seven days, make a point to every day really allow yourself to shine through and be vulnerable to :
- A mistake you’ve made
- Talking about being overwhelmed
- That you are having some sleep issues
- That you are just not yourself
Doing this allows your team to feel more connected to you, which is what we all need. If you are real with them, it gives them permission to be real with themselves.
Have yourself a beautiful day!
And remember, YOU ARE A POWERHOUSE.
BE more kind to yourself.
BE more compassionate.
Be more forgiving.
Be more loving.
Cate
Resilient Leadership Speaker, Author, Coach & Retreat Facilitator
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