The Surprising Trait Jeff Bezos Says Is Pivotal to Stronger Leadership
Written by
Angela Mae
Edited by
Jasmine Browley
Commitment to Our Readers
GOBankingRates' editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and services - our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our products and services review methodology.
20 Years
Helping You Live Richer
Reviewed
by Experts
Trusted by
Millions of Readers
Figuring out what kind of leader you want to be isn’t easy. So many people expect you to be tough and courageous. Some of the most influential leaders are viewed as being visionary, confident and capable of handling every challenge that comes their way without fail — and guiding everyone around them to the path of success.
But in a recent interview, Jeff Bezos said he believes strong leaders must also be vulnerable. According to experts, here’s what being vulnerable means from a leadership standpoint and how to achieve it.
Leaders Don’t Need to Have All the Answers
The belief that leaders need to have all the answers is somewhat of an outdated one; and it’s largely due to how quickly the world keeps changing.
“Information, context and technology move faster than ever before,” said Erika Migliaccio, founder of Upstream HR Strategies. “Yesterday’s new technologies quickly become today’s relics. Although we don’t often think about it this way, the speed of technology is forcing us to redefine the role of a manager.”
She added, “Gone are the days when the manager of a team can be the end-all expert. With such a rapidly shifting environment, no single leader can possibly have – or expect themselves to have – all the answers.”
A good leader is someone who recognizes this and can openly accept their flaws and limitations — all while allowing for other opinions.
“Instead of striving to have all the answers and best ideas themselves, they focus on creating an environment in which the best solutions and ideas can surface freely — at any time, from anyone, at any level of the organization,” Migliaccio said. “They instigate divergent thinking, encourage constructive debate and welcome dissent. And that requires vulnerability.”
Vulnerability Can Lead To Growth
Being vulnerable isn’t a flaw unless you take it to extremes. In fact, vulnerability can lead to greater success, growth and powerful connections within a team.
“Being vulnerable is so critical to building trust and rapport with your team,” said Crystal Stranger, CEO of Optic Tax Inc. “Leaders often forget what it felt like to be a worker at a company and the fear many feel toward their bosses.”
Stranger continued, “Being vulnerable and sharing the challenges not only allows for better problem solving as the whole company can be focused on solutions, but it also humanizes leaders and makes team members more comfortable in approaching them when there is a problem. Without a good flow of information between the leadership and the team, the growth of a company is limited.”
A Vulnerable Leader Isn’t a Weak One
Make no mistake — being vulnerable doesn’t mean you’re weak or unwilling to stand up for what you believe in. It simply means you’re willing to take constructive criticism and, when the occasion calls for it, make changes for the betterment of the team or business.
“Unfortunately, many people hear the words ‘vulnerability’ or ‘authenticity’ and shudder because they think it’s a synonym for weakness or means having to disclose your most personal details at work,” said Migliaccio. “Neither is true!”
According to Migliaccio, there’s a specific type of vulnerability that can lead to a powerful leader: “technical humility.” She defines this as including the following:
- “Welcoming upward dissent and seeking to learn from anyone, at any level in pursuit of the best ideas.”
- “Recognizing others’ super-powers and leaning on experts within the department for help, advice and counsel.”
- “Viewing every piece of disagreement and criticism as inspiration .”
- “Openly admitting mistakes and sharing lessons learned to model and cultivate a culture of continuous learning.”
- “Willingly discarding outdated mental models and refusing to declare oneself as an expert’; knowing that the moment you rest on your laurels of expertise is the moment you become obsolete.”
Cultivating Vulnerability as a Leader
No two leaders are going to look the same. Nor are they going to operate in the same ways. But there are ways to cultivate strong leadership while still being vulnerable with your team.
“I like to start with getting the team together to play the game, ‘what is and isn’t working?'” said Stranger. “This gives everyone a chance to raise issues they have seen, and for the leaders to listen and respond. By being open and sharing that you also don’t always know the answer, when it is relevant, this helps others to open up and share more.”
More From GOBankingRates
