This one really hit home.
Being vulnerable is about being honest with feelings, open with our doubts and fears, open with concerns about an idea, an employee's performance or our own, and being able to admit mistakes. It's about saying "I was wrong," and really meaning it.
Being vulnerable means we have to forget about control. We really don't have any control anyway, but we can have power if we just realize that we have no control and must depend on others. We don't, after all, succeed at anything alone.
To be authentic, we have to reveal our true selves; our emotions about our work, the work place and each other. We have to be vulnerable.
Recently, we had a record month. Broke all kinds of records, both good and bad. I had to admit a terrible screw up and took full responsibility for the mess. I honestly felt that I should have known about the bad stuff. I truly was afraid of losing my job! I absolutely was vulnerable.
When the mistakes were fixed and procedures in place to prevent them from reoccurring, and I wasn't fired, I actually felt like I gained respect for doing the right thing and genuinely feeling bad about the mess.
Honestly is ALWAYS the best policy. Sometimes being honest puts you in a vulnerable position. This particular time it absolutely was the right thing to do. And, it was a good thing for the people I work with to see how I handled the situation.
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