Introduction

Great teams do not hold back with one another. They are unafraid to air their dirty laundry. They admit their mistakes, their weaknesses, and their concerns without fear of reprisal. Most people avoid this in order to try to keep some sense of harmony. Instead, it results in tension where people are not able to openly speak up. This ends up creating more politics and the formation of cliques.

The concept of trust amongst teams boils down to vulnerability. It “is the confidence among team members that their peers’ intentions are good, and that there is no reason to be protective or careful around the group.” This is different from reliance where you might ‘trust’ someone to always do good work based on their track record.

Vulnerability is vital here because it is the indicator that trust is high enough that people are no longer worried about protecting themselves. Most people have difficulty admitting their weaknesses and faults because of the competitive instincts we develop at work. People are constantly trying to protect their reputations and cast blame on others when a mistake is made. There are tons of clichés passed off as vital career advice that encourage you to put yourself before others – “look out for number one” and “never let them see you sweat”.

“Vulnerability here does not mean being weak or submissive. To the contrary, it implies the courage to be yourself. It means replacing “professional distance and cool” with uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure. Opportunities for vulnerability present themselves to us at work every day. Examples she gives of vulnerability include calling an employee or colleague whose child is not well, reaching out to someone who has just had a loss in their family, asking someone for help, taking responsibility for something that went wrong at work, or sitting by the bedside of a colleague or employee with a terminal illness.”

“By humbling myself with an apology and reaching out to this fellow coach and dad, I realized that I was taking a leadership step that I encourage in my clients. When angry or fearful, step back and be self-reflective. Don’t vilify your boss or co-workers or employees or competitors. Strive to put yourself in the shoes of your perceived adversary. Avoid impulsive statements and actions. Express regret or apology. Gain strength by allowing yourself to be humble and vulnerable.”

The content of this program is inspired by some of the guidelines and format from the leadership model designed by legendary gurus of leadership such as Patrick Lencioni, Alden Mills and John C. Maxwell’s leadership models and frameworks.