The Power of Vulnerability
Dusk is setting earlier in the day and there’s a crispness in the air. It is fall and school has been in full swing for a month. In the same vein of learning, I am launching my blog. Welcome.
When I launched my coaching and consulting firm, the plan was simple: write biweekly articles and share them on LinkedIn. But somewhere along the way, vulnerability crept in, and I hesitated
You see, I’m not comfortable with social media. I’m not into Facebook or any social media platform. But I realized that by staying silent, I was doing a disservice—not just to myself, but to the world at large.
I’ve been on an extraordinary journey of transformational growth for over 40 years, and many of the challenges my clients face are challenges I’ve encountered too, both professionally and personally.
The Authentic Self
The traits that make me great – whether as a leader, coach, mother, or friend – are universal. We can’t compartmentalize our “work self” and “home self”, even though many think that’s what you’re supposed to do. People sense inauthenticity, and it makes it harder to build trust.
People follow leaders they trust. They trust leaders they know. They know leaders when leaders allow their authentic selves to shine through. You let yourself be seen at your best and not-so-very best, but more importantly, they see how you respond, and that’s what matters most.
The Courage to Be Imperfect
We often hear about the importance of communication in leadership. But what’s often not said is the importance of transparency and vulnerability. When you expose your own imperfections, you give others permission to do the same. We build trust when we are vulnerable because we are showing that we too are human.
I’ll admit, I’m a bit of a perfectionist. The idea of posting imperfect thoughts for the world to judge is daunting. But perfectionism has its costs. It’s time-consuming, not to mention energy draining. So, I’m challenging myself to be authentically imperfect.
Vulnerability may leave you feeling like you want the ground to swallow you whole, but it won’t kill you. In fact, you might just get more comfortable with feeling this way, and know that you are stronger for it.
Your Turn
When was the last time you felt vulnerable? What did it feel like? What did you do as a result? How did it impact your relationships?