For most of us, success is not a coincidence. It is a byproduct of continuous learning, improvement, and growth. Yet, even the most consistent lifelong learners will reach a point of stagnation in their growth and development. This milestone could be the culmination of any variety of individual experiences; lack of inspiration, complacency in consistency, reallocation of life responsibilities, changes to business structures, and so on. Regardless of the path taken to arrive at this milestone, once there, the path ahead can appear hazy at best.

When learning becomes stagnant, the effects begin to show relatively quickly, and continue to increase in magnitude over time. Perhaps one of the most intimidating moments for a leader to experience, is the one in which they freeze trying to answer a question from someone that they lead. Most (good) leaders in that scenario know to respond with something to the effect of, “That’s a wonderful question. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. I don’t have a definitive answer at the moment, but I will be sure to get back with you by the end of the day.”. And, that’s a perfectly acceptable answer. However, even for a good leader during a period of continuous growth stagnation, one of the most prevalent negative effects is a dwindling sense of confidence. The more instances of not having the answers for their team that our leader experiences, the more their confidence will start to dwindle. To be an effective leader - the person that everyone comes to for the answer - continuous learning and growth is imperative. In the absence of growth through learning, you can find your way back another way:

Growth through Vulnerability

I know, I know...SCARY! There's not much in this world that is scarier than being vulnerable with others (or hell, even ourselves). Opening ourselves up to another human, baring our soul and experiences, sharing our thoughts and opinions - practicing vulnerability is the art of breaking down your walls and sharing the layers of your core self. Yup, still scary, I know. But, there's an unspoken advantage to practicing vulnerability; the more we open ourselves up to others, the more others will open up to us. This is the primary catalyst to building trust with another. By providing a safe space to share vulnerability, you are welcoming new perspectives, experiences, opinions, feelings, and views. By practicing vulnerability, you are practicing growth.

In the example above where our leader freezes in the face of an unknown answer, they would still be practicing a level of vulnerability by providing the response most leaders would respond with; by admitting they do not know the answer, they are showing a flaw in their leadership. For our leader, however, they freeze in that moment not because they are concerned with admitting they do not have the answer, but because their lack of confidence has them convinced that they will not be able to find the answer either. The dynamic between leadership and their teams is similar to that of a parent and their child, in the sense that the team members view their leadership with a sense of infallibility. So, when our leader is faced with the fear of appearing flawed in the eyes of their team, they freeze. 

A common misconception of leadership is that we are expected to be an expert of all. In reality, we are expected to be proficient enough in the entirety of the scope of our role, to be able to lead a team of experts. For our leader, this means that they don’t have to let the fear of not having the answer be a negative influence on the perspective of their team. In fact, to the contrary, this scenario offers a wealth of positive growth opportunities. First and foremost, as mentioned above, practicing vulnerability is the primary catalyst to building trust with another. By admitting and embracing our flaws, we humanize ourselves to our team members, thereby exuding accessibility and empathy. 

Trust dynamics aside, this scenario provides a perfect example of the true potential of the role dynamics between leaders and their teams. Leading a team does not mean always having the answer. In fact, a confident leader will nurture the expertise of their team by involving them in the problem solving process. Our leader could display true vulnerability by responding to their team member with something along the lines of, “That’s a wonderful question. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. I don’t have a definitive answer at the moment, but I trust the expertise of this team, and would love to set up a time to problem-solve this challenge together.”. By admitting that they do not have the answer and practicing vulnerability, our leader reiterates their trust in the expertise of their team, and empowers their team to be a part of the process.

The art of practicing vulnerability is one of the most challenging components of leadership to master. Yet, when viewed from the big picture, it is one of the most effective components through the scope of the leader’s role. In those moments of doubt, imposter syndrome, and dwindling confidence, just remember that we are all human. By showing your human side, you are opening yourself up to healthier and more organic engagements. By practicing vulnerability, you are practicing growth.

When you’re ready to take the next step, we’re here for you.