Vulnerability leadership is something that is gaining more and more attention. The idea of leaders being vulnerable with their teams has been around for a while. Still, it’s becoming increasingly popular as people seek to create better work environments where employees are comfortable expressing themselves at all times. The traits of a vulnerable leader include transparency, honesty, caring, supportive, and emotional intelligence. The following are the benefits of embracing vulnerability as a leader.
- Reduces Employee Turnover Rate
Vulnerability within a leader creates an environment where employees feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and feelings. This reduces employee turnover rate because people enjoy working in settings that they accept who they are, especially when it comes to the way their leaders behave towards them.
- Builds Trust
Employees feel more comfortable with their leaders when they know that they will be vulnerable and honest with them. People want to work for a leader who values the input of every member of the team, especially if it means being helpless about making mistakes or admitting weaknesses to learn from them.
- Fosters Innovation
Having a leader willing to be vulnerable with employees opens up a dialogue that can help foster new ideas and creativity. If an employee comes up with a brilliant idea, that team or company leader needs to support that person in pursuing this idea. Employees are more likely to trust leaders who encourage them when it comes to their ideas, and vulnerability is a key factor in this encouragement.
- Results to Stronger Bonds in the Workplace
The leaders value employees who feel like the ideas they work for and that leaders care about them as people will have a stronger bond with their team. These employees are more likely to go above and beyond what’s expected of them because they value being part of something bigger than themselves.
- Source of Inspiration
Leaders who are vulnerable with their team often serve as a source of inspiration to those employees. Vulnerable leaders go through the same hardships that everyone else does, and they do not pretend like these hardships don’t exist or have an easy solution. This can be incredibly inspiring for people on the team because it shows them that there’s always a way out, no matter how bad the situation is.