$schemamarkup = get_post_meta(get_the_ID(), 'Schema', true); if(!empty($Schema)) { echo $ Schema ; } Unleash Your Inner Softie: How to Get Better at Being Vulnerable and Build Trust
being vulnerable

Unleash Your Inner Softie: How to Get Better at Being Vulnerable and Build Trust

by | Mar 23, 2023 | Asking For a Friend Featured, By Karin Hurt |

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Vulnerability is the New Black: How to Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve (Without Getting Stains on Your Shirt) at Work

“Hey Karin, I’ve read the research on being vulnerable, I’ve listened to Brenè Brown and all that stuff…I’ve watched some of your “Asking for a Friend” videos on authenticity. I believe it CONCEPTUALLY, but it’s NOT MY JAM. What should I do?” #AskingForaFriend (from Dijon France).

This came up in one of our leadership programs last week. One of our participants raised his hand and said almost exactly this. He disclosed his concerns about being vulnerable with his colleagues. He explained he is a very private person. And, he explained how he didn’t want to share about himself with his team or on social media platforms.

As he was sharing his concerns, he was building significant trust and connection with his team. And guess what? He was being VULNERABLE about not wanting to be VULNERABLE.

being vulnerable

 

When we talk about being vulnerable, there aren’t parameters about what parts of our lives we have to share.

If deep personal disclosure is not your jam, there are still plenty of ways to show up real and build trust.

You can be vulnerable by sharing your thoughts, hopes, and fears about work without having to expose anything about your personal life or beliefs.

I talk a lot about being interested AND interesting when it comes to building your leadership brand. When you’re being interesting and sharing something that is unique to you, you don’t have to talk about what doesn’t feel comfortable. There are lots of ways to show up interesting, while you stay interested in others.

Practical Prompts for Being Vulnerable at Work

  • Be honest about your comfort level. Let your team know that sharing your behind-the-scenes life feels uncomfortable and you don’t really like it.
  • Engage your team about their hopes and fears related to the work you’re doing. And share your own hopes and fear about your work and organization.
  • Talk about obstacles you’ve overcome in your career or things that didn’t come naturally to you that you had to work hard at.

As you share honestly with your team, you’re taking steps toward being vulnerable. True, someone might not agree with you. Yes, it’s possible they’ll see your weaknesses. But as you share openly about your work experience and goals, your colleagues will recognize you as human. And that is a HUGE step toward building trust and connection with the people you work with.

What would YOU add? What advice do you have for someone who wants trust and connection, but being vulnerable is not their jam?

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Check out these related articles:

How to Increase Trust in Your Remote Team (with video)

How to Improve Your Executive Presence to Have More Influence and Impact

 

Workplace conflict

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Karin Hurt

Karin Hurt helps human-centered leaders find clarity in uncertainty, drive innovation, and achieve breakthrough results.  She’s the founder and CEO of Let’s Grow Leaders, an international leadership development and training firm known for practical tools and leadership development programs that stick. She’s the award-winning author of four books including Courageous Cultures: How to Build Teams of Micro-Innovators, Problem Solvers, and Customer Advocates and Powerful Phrases for Dealing with Workplace Conflict, and a hosts the popular Asking For a Friend Vlog on LinkedIn. A former Verizon Wireless executive, Karin was named to Inc. Magazine’s list of great leadership speakers. Karin and her husband and business partner, David Dye, are committed to their philanthropic initiative, Winning Wells – building clean water wells for the people of Cambodia.

Be More Daring

BUILD CONFIDENCE, TRUST AND CONNECTION WITH CONSISTENT ACTS OF MANAGERIAL COURAGE

Get the free Courageous Cultures E-Book to learn how

7 Practical Ways to be a Bit More Daring

Be More Daring

BUILD CONFIDENCE, TRUST AND CONNECTION WITH CONSISTENT ACTS OF MANAGERIAL COURAGE

Get the FREE Courageous Cultures E-Book to learn how

7 Practical Ways to be a Bit More Daring

Leadership Training Programs