Organizations are the macro version of the individual. It often desires change but, at all cost, avoids the dreaded feeling of risk, uncertainty and emotional exposure. Truth is, there’s no path to change without walking the proverbial tight rope. Vulnerability is the cost to reaching new levels, discovering new land and often a precursor to landing flat on your butt. Nonetheless, we don’t know what’s possible unless we choose to keep going.
As a consultant and performance coach, I’ve worked with many organizations and leaders around a variety of challenges and goals. Everything from new start up, new market segment, turn around to dissolution and there is one pervasive theme with all organizational change – who we are, is how we lead.
SO THE ORGANIZATION WANTS CHANGE?
when businesses look to change, a great first step is to begin with the team of one. Everyone plays a role in shaping the soul of an organization. Leaders hold a unique position in creating the bone structure in which the soul rests, while others create the connective tissue. When leaders pause to to self-assess, this low-touch intervention can reveal if the fibula is fractured. And if so, the good news is there room for healing without putting the whole body in a cast.
If your workplace culture is laced with blame-and-shame, cover ups, comparison, back-channeling, gossip, or perfectionism leaders can explore their beliefs around vulnerability and how it plays a part in work performance. Many erroneously believe that vulnerability is a sign of weakness and as a result, the normative behavior is likely chok-filled with armored leadership.
According to the research of Brené Brown, vulnerability is the birthplace of creativity and innovation. A lack of vulnerability is the greatest casualty in any workplace. When leaders armor up to protect and advocate all-knowing instead of curiosity and learning, the environment tends to wreak of distrust. Then, what we see is people trying to hustle for their worth and jockey for position. It’s ugly, toxic and everybody suffers.
SO HOW DO WE TURN THIS BUS AROUND?
We put down the armored leadership and choose courage. What we can glean from the 400,000 pieces of data from Brown’s 7-year study on courageous leadership is that courage is not a single act of choice, but a collection of four skill sets that are teachable, measurable, and observable. Courage is the key ingredient for sustainable organizations AND vulnerability is the foundation for all four courage-building skills.
- Rumbling with Vulnerability
- Clarifying Values
- Trust
- Rising from Failure
THE MAGIC BEGINS WITH PRACTICE! The skills are teachable!
We only know what we know. Brown’s Dare to Lead™ certificate program not only paints the picture of human barriers that block creativity, innovation and connection, she provides easy-to-understand tools and practices to move individuals, teams and organizations forward – and with loveable humor. I won’t lie. The work works!
The Dare to Lead™ certificate program is empirically based and only offered through Certified Dare to Lead™ Facilitators. Program participants can expect a personal, deep-dive into the practical wisdom Brené Brown shares from her #1 New York Times best selling book Dare to Lead™. This highly anticipated organizational leadership training provides 16-hours of rich content to help leaders understand, practice and become a better version of themselves.
Once you learn this stuff, there’s no turning back!
Friends, get ready for a revolution. Dare to Lead™ is doing its part in changing the world one narrative and workplace at a time!
Charletta Wilson is the founder and principal consultant of CaPeesh Consulting. Under a competitive process of global talent, she was selected to join Brené Brown’s global network of certified Dare to Lead™ Facilitators. By trade, Charletta is an industrial and organizational psychology practitioner, by heart she’s an ambassador for meaningful life.
For more information on Dare to Lead™ programs offered in Hawaii or the greater Pacific email us at char@capeeshconsulting.com.
Based on the New York Times #1 Best Seller