“I am only sharing this with you because you have earned my trust”
Leaders tragically weaponize vulnerability to accelerate trust and ultimately compliance from their team. I have experienced and heard first hand accounts of leaders unexpectedly and quite awkwardly sharing intimate details about their family or an experience that had no contextual relevance to the current conversation. These moments are downright strange and uncomfortable. Leaders that resort to these tactics to appear human and make a desperate attempt to connect are misinformed when it comes to vulnerability and leadership.
Vulnerability is not a tactic to gain trust. Vulnerability according to Brene Brown, Vulnerability can be defined as uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure” Vulnerability is not a weapon to gain instant trust and credibility, but rather a skill that is used by leaders who recognize leadership is replete with emotional risks and all types of exposure.
In one of her finest works Daring Grealty, Brene Brown shares that “Vulnerability is the birthplace of human connection” it’s the catalyst which secures belonging. Unfortunately, connection in the 21st century is mysteriously absent. The digital age has generated accessibility and human interaction everywhere, but despite universal accessibility, human connection continues to plummet.