In my new book, Leading With Vulnerability, I interviewed over 100 CEOs around the world and surveyed nearly 14,000 employees in partnership with DDI. The goal of the book was to explore the difference between being vulnerable in your personal life versus being vulnerable at work and how current or aspiring leaders specifically should approach vulnerability in the RIGHT WAY. But what does that mean and how do you do that?
A vulnerable leader is a leader who intentionally opens themselves up to the potential of emotional harm while taking action to create a positive outcome when possible.
I discovered that vulnerability at work takes on different shapes and sizes, specifically 5 of them! I consider all 5 of these vulnerable leaders to be superheroes and like any superhero they all have their strengths and weakness. I put together a free PDF which breaks down all 5 of them including their strengths and weakness.
Read through each one of them and let me know which you are most comfortable with being.
Meet Balanced Beast
Balanced Beast has a balanced level of personal and professional vulnerability with everyone.
They tend to not be as vulnerable as Captain Heart but instead are somewhere in between Work Warrior and Professor Personal. Unlike Super Situational who adjusts depending on the circumstance or the person, Balanced Beast is consistent across the board. I’m definitely more comfortable being a Balanced Beast in a work environment. My vulnerability is consistent in terms of things I share and am comfortable talking about and it’s the same with everyone I work with.
This type of vulnerable leader will be just as open about a similar topic with a peer as they would be with a junior employee at the company.
Those who work with Balanced Beast feel like they have a good sense of who that leader is both personally and professionally. This type of leader is viewed as being even keeled and thrives in chaotic environments or during times of crisis. They are amazing emotional regulators and people who work for Balanced Beast can feel more stable and secure.
The challenges with Balanced Beast vary depending on what the balance looks like. If this type of leader is comfortable with a balance that is more open and transparent about personal and professional vulnerability then they will face the same headwinds as Captain Heart, however, if Balanced Beast is more comfortable with a conservative balance where they don’t share as much personally or professionally, then they will struggle with the same things as Wonder Worker.
Abilities:
- Good at emotional regulation.
- Clear thinking.
- Great at conserving energy.
Weaknesses:
- May not create strong relationships in certain situations. For example if a peer feels that as a result of their relationship you should be more vulnerable with them than with others.
- Can sometimes seem less authentic or even more robotic.
The CEO of a large construction company told me the following.
“I am consistent with everyone regardless of who they are or what their seniority level is. I can talk about some of my personal challenges or things I need help with at work with a new employee or one of our top executives. I take my job very seriously but not myself as a person. That to me is a part of leading with vulnerability and having this consistent balance is a crucial part of my leadership style.”
The 5 superheroes are: Captain Heart, Professor Personal, Super Situational, Wonder Worker, and Balanced Beast. Download the PDF to learn about all of the 5 Vulnerable Leader Superheroes and which one you are most comfortable with. Knowing this will allow you to improve team dynamics and help you figure out what projects you should work on, how you should work, and what kind a leader you have the potential to become. Get the PDF here.
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