Vulnerability at work: learn how being imperfect helps you lead.

If you think a good leader should be flawless, know that this view is no longer the most appropriate in the market, which has come to value... vulnerability at work.

This is because this sense of perfection often makes employees feel self-conscious, or even highlights vanity, to the detriment of team spirit.

Therefore, today we will see how showing vulnerability helps build trust and collaboration within the team. Furthermore, we will learn about the necessary boundaries to avoid losses and sabotage. Check it out below!

What is vulnerability in the workplace?

If we were having this conversation 10 years ago, the term "vulnerability at work" would probably be met with disdain; after all, vulnerability is synonymous with weakness, right? Not always!

Many gurus believe that vulnerability is responsible for missed opportunities and even sabotage by "clever" colleagues.

But, if we look at it from another perspective, from the point of view of team integration, dealing with someone who is too grandiose can bring some difficulties.

This is because people feel insecure about presenting their ideas to a leader who seems perfect and self-sufficient, as they believe their contributions will not be useful.

That's why, Vulnerability at work is important to show team members that even highly skilled people have weaknesses and need support and contributions.

This certainly creates an integrated team, as well as providing conditions for all employees to develop their skills.

Read also: Workplace engagement: how to keep a team engaged – The Administrator.

What are the limits of vulnerability at work?

In the previous topic we explained that vulnerability at work is not related to leaving oneself exposed to sabotage by others, or even showing oneself to be weak and incapable.

In this case, there's a huge gap between being perfect and being totally inadequate, and this vulnerability is only meant to show that you have difficulties, just like everyone else, and that doesn't diminish your professional relevance.

But understand that this has nothing to do with being an absent or negligent leader, or allowing your ideas and decisions to be invalidated by the greed of others.

We must remember that the work environment is highly competitive, so it's important to feel pain without bleeding in a shark tank.

What we mean is: people can't see you as someone without feelings or inaccessible, just as they can't believe that any gust of wind will knock you down or that your opinions shouldn't be taken seriously.

Therefore, maintain control and strive to let go of perfection, without abandoning an image of confidence and professionalism.

How does vulnerability at work help you lead?

Well, at this point you understand that there is an important limit to vulnerability at work, in order to avoid others seeing you as someone easy to overcome.

In this case, this vulnerability serves only to humanize their professional image, and thereby bring them closer to their colleagues.

That being said, we will now see how this "flexibility" contributes to good leadership, in case you still believe that an unquestionable image is more valuable.

1. Team approach 

Many leaders arrive on their first day of work and realize that people look at them with apprehension and the infamous "unfriendly face".

Generally, this happens because companies tend to present the new leader's resume to employees in advance, which creates that feeling of "wow, how can I talk to this person?".

A good resume usually conveys an impression of authority, and authority is often confused with arrogance by many people.

Therefore, by showing vulnerability at work, you remove that image of inaccessible authority and show the team that everyone can approach and trust your leadership.

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2. Openness to dialogue and sincerity

There's nothing worse than realizing that a colleague had a better idea for a project, or even identified a mistake, but didn't point it out for fear of discussing it with their leader.

Generally, this happens when the leader seems perfect, which creates insecurity among employees, who believe their contributions are unnecessary or unlikely to be considered.

By demonstrating vulnerability at work, you remove that "cloak of perfection," which gives employees the autonomy to question processes and provide their contributions.

In this way, with dialogue and honesty, it becomes easy to resolve any pending issue before it becomes a problem.

3. Sense of appreciation for employees

If you've ever felt valued after correcting a mistake on the team, or even for contributing an idea that everyone liked, you certainly understand that recognition is an effective fuel in the corporate world.

Therefore, by demonstrating vulnerability at work, you create space for colleagues to see that you possess unique skills and competencies.

Remember that everyone looks up to the leader, and that this role model can create feelings of inferiority when accompanied by arrogance and vanity.

Therefore, try to make room for humility and let your colleagues see that you also need help. This will certainly allow them to feel valued.

How does toxic competitiveness relate to vulnerability?

When it comes to the professional environment, we know that even our flaws and shortcomings must be presented carefully.

This is because a simple, misspoken phrase can become gossip in the mouths of malicious people, thereby damaging relationships with colleagues and the author's image.

Therefore, vulnerability at work must be carefully considered in order to demonstrate humility and humanity. However, it should never devalue you or put you in embarrassing situations.

For example, instead of saying "I don't know how to do that," try saying "You can help me with this task, because you do it very well." Notice that you didn't say you don't know how to do it, you simply acknowledged the other person's value.

Remember that there are people ready to judge anything as outdated or weak, so show yourself to be open, but never weak.

Finally, now that you understand how important it is to be imperfect, focus on the right approaches to gain the trust and collaboration of your team.

You might be interested in this: Authentic Leadership: what it is, its importance, and how to apply it – The Administrator.

Roberta

I am a member of the O Administrador team and I produce content about career, personal finance, financial education, productivity, and professional development. My goal is to share clear and practical information to help readers with their day-to-day decisions.

October 4, 2024