Happy Swamy

Let me begin with some fundamental thoughts and questions as always: (Happy and thankful to be blessed with a constantly pondering mind!)

We all have heard these quotes many times:

‘Leaders are nothing without their followers!’

‘If you want to be a good leader, first be a good follower!’

But wait…what is that we follow our leaders for? 

What is that they do which makes up look up to them? 

Which qualities do they possess that makes us follow them?

And while the answers begin to trickle down in our mind, one thing for sure dawns on us – there are some qualities we immediately, almost instantly, associate with leadership and some that we don’t, even after deliberate prodding! 

Today’s post is about one such ‘not so obvious and mostly restrained’ quality!

Vulnerability – oft mistaken as a sign of weakness and used with a negative connotation but is intact quite the opposite. 

Firstly, how often have we seen leaders:

• Be candid and open about their fears and failures
• Admit their shortcomings
• Shun their self-fulfilling idiosyncrasies (know that sounds harsh!)
• Share their own journey and challenges

Even Arjuna, the great mythological archer and leader of his army, didn’t hesitate exposing his doubts and fears about his Self and his Purpose! Well, the result of which are the precious learnings of Bhagwad Gita. What a loss it would have been, had this leader not shown his vulnerability, albeit in mythology!

To understand this at a basic level, we probably need to begin by defining the relationship between a leader and a follower. 

When I googled for the meaning of ‘relationship’ this is what came right on top:

‘the way that people, groups, countries, etc. feel about or behave towards each other’

So there it was…it’s all about ‘feeling’ and ‘behaving’! 

List down all ‘feel’ phrases/words that complete this sentence:

I feel _______ by/about/towards my leader!

Listing some common ones that would emerge – trust, respect, inspired, awe, secure, motivated and so on. 

It’s a no-brainer that all or most of the words that fit in here are positive ‘emotions’. 

And which behaviours of the leader would evoke such ‘positive emotions’, amongst followers, thereby defining the relationship they have with their leaders:

• When leaders admit what they don’t know, rather than bragging about what they know or assume they know everything 
• When leaders don’t shy away from asking for help
• When leaders don’t hesitate telling the truth, however harsh it may be
• When leaders publicly admit their mistakes and apologise
• When leaders get out of their comfort zone
• When they share their fears, failures and insecurities
• When they share their own personal process, journey and challenges

Well, that’s what vulnerability is all about. 

But having said that, I can sense the dilemma in your mind…

Aren’t these ‘touchy-feely’ things? Wouldn’t these behaviours come across as weakness? 

Wouldn’t this adversely impact the charisma usually associated with successful leaders?

Factually and emotionally, it’s rather the opposite…all of these behaviours demand high degree of courage! But note though it needs to leader to ‘drop the mask’ but does not mean sharing dark secrets of one’s life. It also must not be confused with emotional quotient (EQ)…that’s just a small subset of vulnerability as a strength. 

Also important to note that anything done in extremes is anyways usually counter productive. Same holds true for this aspect as well. 

Will leave you with these thoughts and eagerly wait to hear from you about your personal experiences with vulnerability as a strength – maybe your own or of the leaders you admire. 

Till then #BeVulnerableBeStrong!!

The blog and all posts on the same strictly represent the personal views of the author and in no direct or indirect way represent the views, position, strategy and opinion of any other individual or any organisation.