Lead with Empathy and Vulnerability: Emotion is the foundation of leadership and the foundation of successful teams. Team building experts advocate building a culture of emotional intelligence within every team, and this includes building a culture of authenticity and vulnerability where team members feel welcome to share their vulnerabilities and their needs. You can show your team members that you care about them and the impact of their presence on your business can be profound. When people feel good about joining your organization and contributing to the growth of the business, they will be more engaged and will be more attentive to their actions in the workplace.
Take Risks: As leaders, you must take risks to bring change and creativity into your organization. When you take risks, you increase the probability that something new and valuable will emerge from your explorations. When you are willing to take risks, you become a credible leader who is willing to take responsibility for the consequences of your decisions. As a result, your team members will trust and respect you and will want to work with you. They will gain a sense of emotional security when working with you because they know you will be there to help them if they make mistakes.
Lead with authenticity: The ability to lead with authenticity is the foundation of a psychologically safe team. Authenticity relates to the way you relate to other people. When you are authentic in how you communicate and behave, others are more likely to trust you. When you are vulnerable, your team members are more likely to act in an emotional way because they understand that when you are vulnerable, you are open to taking risks and accepting responsibility for the consequences of your decisions.
Authenticity also relates to your attitudes and mindset about issues. In your career, it is important to be both resilient in your attitude and mindset. Being open and vulnerable in your approach to life transitions is another way to lead with authenticity and vulnerability. A family therapist may put their clients into therapy with a perspective that these challenges will be overcome. This gives the client an extra incentive to ask for the assistance they need to get through their life transitions with a clear mind and a clear spirit rather than with a pessimistic attitude and a stoic resolve.
Leaders who exhibit these behaviors are able to lead with authenticity and vulnerability in the uncertain times. Because they are so open and vulnerable, they can respond to difficult situations with a clear mind and a clear spirit because their state of mind is in a place where they feel grounded and supported. Being an authentic leader requires having an inner presence of trust, resilience and awareness. It involves knowing how to be vulnerable in the face of uncertainty while at the same time being firm and confident in your stance and choices.
Leaders who exhibit these traits have an ability to connect and understand with their audiences. They also have an awareness of the power of emotional intelligence, social skills and strategic thinking styles. All of these aspects help them make the decisions that will not only make them feel safe but also enable them to lead with authenticity and vulnerability when faced with uncertainty. These leaders tend to lead with psychological safety and emotional intelligence.
The ability to use these skills effectively can also be learned. A growth mindset is one that learns from experience, takes risk, and takes the initiative. Leaders who have this type of growth mindset are able to adjust and deal with the unknown and the unknowns in uncertain times with an understanding and a mindset that is balanced and grounded. It's easy to say you're a leader with a growth mindset, but those who aren't leaders with a growth mindset are often afraid to be vulnerable because they don't know what the possible outcomes could be.
It's clear that leaders with these traits are capable of leading with authenticity and vulnerability. As their followers gain a sense of security and safety, leaders with these traits feel safe and confident in their leadership roles. They take risks because they feel safe, and because they recognize the potential for incredible growth. The result is authentic, responsible leadership - great teams, low risk projects and high performance.
