June 28, 2022
“The best leaders see vulnerability as a bridge to strength, not an admission of weakness.”
The ability to be vulnerable and admit where we struggle or have made a mistake has an incredible effect on connection and transformation in our relationships. To be close to someone, or have the greatest impact as a leader, we must be able to use our story and its inherent imperfections to inspire others. Vulnerability isn’t sharing every experience in your life with the world, it’s having the ability to set our ego aside and lead in each individual scenario with transparency. When people can sense our humanness, we not only free ourselves from needing to act like we have it all figured out (because nobody does!), we build trust with others to be real with us, and create a culture where people feel supported to work through the inevitable difficult situations that life presents. I have never felt a greater sense of relief in my life than when I turned over this leaf. It can feel uncomfortable, and can even cause some feelings of rejection in certain circles, but the overwhelming power of the relationships that we have when we have the ability to lead with vulnerability wins out every time.
Daily Action: Take off the mask. Think about an area where you feel stuck, identify a trusted relationship where you could share this feeling.
Daily Reframe: Mistakes and struggles only create weakness when we aren’t able to meet them with acceptance.
With Optimism,
Wendy