Diversity and Inclusion
Vulnerability in leadership has been in vogue for ages and scholars agree it is a key ingredient in psychological safety. But how can we set about being authentic and “human” in a practical way?
🎯 Vulnerability begins with showing you have no need to believe in or project a vision that you are perfect.
Sending this message can be more actionable than you think.
Of course, vulnerability is not just wearing your heart on your sleeve.
The second part to vulnerability is inviting others in and allowing them to help you be better. A great way to do this is through regular feedback.
Unfortunately, feedback is stigmatized in most teams. Who wants to the bearer of bad news… or be the subject of it!?
🎯 To create a shift in mindset around feedback, develop and share a common language, process, and habit around giving, receiving and making use of feedback.
Here’s what should go in your basic feedback guidelines.
Your actions for this week
✅ When you’re next speaking in a group, mention a negative emotion you had in response to something work or life-related. It doesn’t have to be very “heavy”, just say what you felt, how you moved past it and your reflection on the experience.
✅ Share basic guidelines for how to give feedback in your team. Cover the four ingredients above and give relevant examples of what putting them into practice will look like. If you already have a feedback framework in place, review it and discuss examples of how you could better use it.
. . .
The bottom line:
Building vulnerability isn’t so fluffy after all. First, be human and send the message you are imperfect – and okay with it. Then, you can grow a culture of feedback by creating and enacting shared basic guidelines.
Build vulnerability, it’s easier than you think
Have anything else to add? We’re always keen to hear your feedback! Drop your comments, suggestions, or whatever else you’d like to talk about here.
Fiona Young (she/her)
Having previously led Learning and Development for 3,000 people at Europe’s leading venture builder, Blenheim Chalcot, Fiona knows a thing or two about how to build high performance culture. As Content Director at Hive Learning, Fiona pioneered the organisation's leading guided content programmes which are designed to turn learning into action. Most recently, Fiona led the inception, development and delivery of Inclusion Works by Hive Learning - the world’s first diversity and inclusion programme focused on turning unconscious bias into conscious action - created from over 1,000 leading sources.
