Be a More Vulnerable Leader in Times of Crisis

 

Here is another valuable Management Tip of the Day from Harvard Business Review. To sign up for a free subscription to any/all HBR newsletters, please click here.

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Leading through uncertainty is hard. How should you adjust your style to stressful times? You might think you need to be tough and confident under pressure. But when we don’t have all the answers, leaders who show vulnerability — those who are aware of their limitations, admit their mistakes, and have the necessary humility to learn and adjust course — may make more progress.

o So, be willing to put your guard down. Tell people the truth, instead of what you think they want to hear.

o What information do you know, what don’t you know, and what do you need to learn to make the best possible decision? Be honest about the facts, no matter how traumatic they are — and even if it means fessing up to mistakes or issuing an apology.

o And be sure to ask for help when you need it. A leader’s job isn’t to be a hero, it’s to bring a group of people together to collectively solve problems.

Be willing to try strategies that you didn’t think of or that you are new to you. Flexibility and openness is the sign of confidence, not weakness.

This tip is adapted from Today’s Leaders Need Vulnerability, Not Bravado,” by Amy C. Edmondson and Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic.

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Here’s a direct link to dozens of other Management Tips.

 

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