Today I just want to present an insight about being vulnerable that I’ve been experiencing with coaching and leadership recently. In the past, I’ve tried to hide my challenges or mistakes, my being dyslexic and all that comes with that. But in the last year or so, I’ve been being vulnerable and shared my life story. I’ve discovered that sharing about my dyslexia, my failures, my need to learn, my not knowing all the answers, my listening to other people, and being transparent about my history has helped me to lead people to discover their own strengths and breakthroughs.
I’ve been on quite a few podcasts in the last few months, done some Facebook Lives, been interviewed and also been on a bunch of webinars. Being transparent, I’ve shared that I’m dyslexic and was told that I was stupid and would never be anything by my first grade teacher. I dealt with depression and thoughts of suicide as a young 7-8-9 year old kid. But I realized there was hope and a light around this situation. I had people that believed in me and found that God cared about me. That my life mattered and that there was a plan for me. I’ve just been really vulnerable and really pushing the envelope about my life.
As most of you know, I work with business owners and I always felt like I couldn’t go too far in sharing my past because it might be too much for them to handle. But as I’ve started to tell the whole story, the response has been amazing and phenomenal. Much to my pleasant surprise, people are buying my book “The Biggest Disability is a Bad Attitude” and booking me to speak to their groups.
Something I’m learning is that people, companies, business leaders, and employees are desperate for authentic transparency. They want real people, not Photoshop or social media that says everything is great all the time.
There’s such a hunger for the reality of someone’s life and to have a person open up enough to admit where they’ve gone wrong, say what really happened and even share the consequences. For example — here’s what happened when we lost a lawsuit; here’s what happened when we did this or that.
I’ve realized the power of being vulnerable in sharing these things. A coach and leader who is real and vulnerable gives people hope. It also helps people in return be vulnerable and open with me so I can help them in an even deeper way; it creates for them insights, breakthroughs, transformation and miracles. But this all starts with me setting the example.
I’m challenging you as a leader to be vulnerable. Be honest with people. Share the experiences you have had – the good, the bad, the ugly, the in-between, the successes, and the failures.
The more you do this, the more people will gravitate to you and want to follow you. People will want to listen, learn and then follow whatever the vision or mission you have for your business or your company.
But I challenge you to put on vulnerability and transparency of who you really are – show up as yourself.
That’s my challenge: Show Up As Yourself!
Tell the true story. Get into the details of it.
Watch people around you react in a way that both positive and meaningful. Then watch your ability as a leader multiply.
Schedule a free consultation if you’d like to talk more about this.