It’s valuable to both yourself and others when you’re vulnerable. This includes being open and authentic in all areas of your life: social media, business and your professional life, relationships and your private life, and your other endeavors like certain groups and organizations you’re involved in.
Now, I’m definitely not saying to do this in the wrong time and place. The appropriate approach and nuance will vary situation and situation, and person to person. As I talked about in my award-winning book Reach Your Mountaintop, there are times when I share my deepest secrets while speaking to a big audience, and there are other times when I wouldn’t feel comfortable doing that with the few people in front of me.
Use your social skills and best judgment, and choose the right moments and places when you’re going to open up. But don’t be afraid to do it. I’ve seen too many executives who are afraid of being themselves, and it limits their level of connection with their colleagues. What seems scary at first is actually a powerful technique to build trust while inspiring others.
Being Vulnerable Helps Others in Real and Practical Ways
When I say being vulnerable adds value to others, I don’t mean this in a cheesy or even a motivational way. I mean it as a reality and a statement of fact. Being open about your challenges with the purpose of helping others is what will help others get through their difficult moments.
You do this by talking about your failures, mistakes, and embarrassments. If it’s in your private life, this will be about you, and if it’s in your business life, it will be about both you and your organization as a whole.
I’m not saying to do this for the sake of doing it. I’m suggesting you do it because it will help you achieve better results and reach your goals. Take off that mask, show your true self, and embody a culture of transparency.
Always Making Yourself Look Good Is Fake
Always making yourself look good is actually fake. I realize this contradicts what some of the “experts” say when they tell you to make yourself look as good as possible on social media and in other settings. But when you don’t share your “behind the scenes”, you lose that added layer of potential connection with your followers, supports, and peers.
Of course, please do as you choose and what you feel is best. I’m not saying you have to do this – I’m simply offering a different approach to life that will allow for deeper, more authentic connections and relationships. This, in turn, leads to a fuller and more joyful life.
What I’m saying here is that it’s not best to always talk about your wins. Mix in some of your mistakes and challenges. In the right time and place, bring up your frustrations in a way that can enlist the help of others while solving the challenge. You’re not in this alone. Others will help when you inspire them in the right way. From a higher level of consciousness, this kind of authentic leadership leads to more collaboration instead of competition. It moves you from “me” to “we”.
In Addition to Helping Others, Being Open Helps Yourself
Some people encouraged me to be less open in the workplace. They said being completely open doesn’t always serve you.
I completely get why they’re saying this. In fact, I did get some backstabbing from people who used what I shared with them in inauthentic and hurtful ways. There are some bad people out there for sure.
But one of the beautiful parts about being yourself is that in addition to helping others, it helps you as well. It sets you free from fear, allowing you to step into truth and integrity. It allows you to be a consistent and fair person and leader, and not need to wear different masks.
While evil and corrupt people will, at times, take advantage of your openness, there are many times when being vulnerable is the most powerful thing you can do. The pros of this approach can outweigh the cons.
If you’re in a situation where being open doesn’t suit you in your workplace due to a toxic culture, you can be open and vulnerable in other areas of your life. You can also find another environment to work in.
I’ve tried to be less myself and it didn’t work for me. I can’t not do it. Don’t let bad people stop you from being fully yourself. Some people will like you. Some won’t. It is what it is. When you’re authentic, it leads to enlightening moments of heightened connection with the right people, increased understanding, and results.
Give It a Shot and See What Happens
With some organizations, authentic leadership is not the default approach. Not everyone will resonate with what I’m saying here. But there’s enormous value in taking off the mask and acting out of truth, integrity, and realness.
I’m all for reading people, standing up for yourself, and pushing back against dysfunction. Vulnerability in your life is not about letting other people walk over you. It’s about staying true to your values so that you can foster a safer and more fulfilling atmosphere, for both yourself and others.
Will you join me in being an authentic leader? Why not give it a shot and see what happens? See you at the Mountaintop!
Jeff Davis is an award-winning author, most recently publishing the Amazon bestseller The Power of Authentic Leadership: Activating the 13 Keys to Achieving Prosperity Through Authenticity.
Leave a Reply