The Leaders’ Secret To Connection

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Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around – Leo Buscaglia

In his book, No Limits, leadership expert John Maxwell recounts his reaction to the above quote by Leo Buscaglia. Maxwell reflected on those words after speaking to a large audience. He said, “As I spoke that day, I had invited people to come to me in my world, I realized that instead, I needed to go to them and put myself in their world.”

There are not many more important things that you can do as a leader than connect with your people. Without a connection to your people, it will be hard to lead your people. Click To TweetAnd herein lies the secret sauce for leaders today – stop expecting the people you lead (or desire to lead) to step into your world. You must step into theirs.

One would think that this is would be a given that most leaders understand. But is it? This train of thought by Maxwell highlights a significant leadership blindspot that must be owned – we think it’s about us, but it’s not.

The impact that you make as a leader shifts in your favor the day you realize this truth and begin to act like it.

When you step out of your own orbit as a leader and put yourself in the world of those you lead great things begin to happen. With this fresh perspective, you just might learn a few things. Here’s a sampling.

In their world, you learn their hopes and dreams

You might accidentally learn the hopes of your people when they are in your world, but you learn it intentionally when you step into theirs. To remove yourself from your people is to deny yourself from knowing what inspires them the most.

When you know what fuels the hopes and dreams of your people you will begin to see your leadership more as a sacred trust. Click To Tweet The people you lead have placed a degree of trust in you so you need to treat it with its due respect.

In their world, you learn their ‘why’

When you step into the world of your people you will not only learn about their hopes and dreams, but you will learn the most important things. That you already know their skill sets and areas of expertise is a given – but now you get to know them for who they are, not just what they do. Now you can be in a place to learn their ‘why’ and you can be a leader in their life that adds value with purpose.

When you step into their world you get everything that comes with it. Knowing their ‘why’ gives you the knowledge you need to step up and be the best leader possible.

In their world, you can learn more about yours

Maxwell’s transparency about the Buscaglia quote was a dose of refreshing transparency and a lesson for all of us. He felt good about himself after his successful presentation only to realize that he had only been thinking about himself.

As leaders, it’s easy to get caught up in our own orbit and think it’s only about us – our wants, our needs, our ideas, our opinions, and last but not least – having things done our way. But it’s not.

What we learn here goes to the heart of good leadership. When we lead with a heart of kindness, learn how to smile, give a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, an act of caring – these are things that will set you apart as a leader. And when you do these things, your people will be much more receptive to your leadership.

It’s time to realize that to be effective as a leader you must step into the world of the people you lead.

©2018 Doug Dickerson

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A Message To Broken Leaders

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“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” – Psalm 147:3

A quick Google search netted 279 million hits. No, it wasn’t a search for the newest leadership success story or the latest self-help book that’s been released. This search was perhaps a little more ominous. The search category was simply “broken leaders”.

Broken leaders. It’s not the most pleasant of topics we like to hear and read about. We side-step it, and avoid discussing it, and squirm maybe just a little when the topic is addressed. I mean, after all, we have an image to uphold and a reputation to protect.

Let’s be clear – leadership is hard. John Maxwell, a leadership mentor to many of us summed it up once by saying, “Sometimes leadership sucks”. It’s hard and it’s messy, and not for the faint of heart. Or is it?

As a leader, and in the solitude of this moment in which you are now reading, you might be acknowledging for the first time that you are a broken leader. You’re tired, you’re hurt, you’re discouraged. Behind the public smiles are private disappointments, battle scars, and the lost ambition to try another day. If that’s the case, please keep reading.

The truth is, every leader I know–myself included, have come face to face with our own own brokenness. And it’s in these times that we must be brought back to simple truths that can put it all in perspective. So, to all the broken leaders reading this right now, please remember the following. 

You are not alone

The struggles you face are the struggles we all face. On your leadership journey, you do not walk alone. The road to success is a journey of the broken- people who struggle and yet every day are trying to make a difference and add value. We strive together, we serve together, and we walk this road by sharing the load. Regardless of your circumstances today, you need to remember that you are not alone. Click To TweetThe brokenness you feel and the burden you carry is shared by many.

You are stronger than you think

I can’t begin to count the number of times when I thought I could not go on as a leader because of a setback, a failure, or discouragement, etc. But by God’s grace, I can look back and see that in my times of brokenness that hope was not lost but rather it was found in One stronger than me. If you are feeling broken as a leader and you think that you can’t go any further, take a moment and look back at how far you’ve come. Click To Tweet You are stronger than you think.

Your worth is not defined by your worst

Now might be a good time to cut yourself some slack. I don’t know about you, but sometimes the darkest moments in my leadership journey were not ones brought to bear by others – but by the man in the mirror. Over the years, I’ve come to learn that not every fear is fatal and not every mistake is final. But the attitude we chose decides the outcome. Simply put – we’ve all blown it. We’ve made mistakes. We’ve experienced setbacks of our own creation. Your worth is not defined by your worst, forgive yourself and move on. Click To Tweet

Your brokenness can be your blessing

Growing pains are not pleasant. And the feeling of brokenness you have right now as a leader may, in reality, be your growing pains. This season in your life – the brokenness and pain – is serving a greater purpose and is preparing you for your next level in leadership.

“Many of life’s failures, “ said Thomas Edison, “are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up”. In your brokenness, you will be tempted to quit and abandon your dream. I’d like to challenge and inspire you today to not see your brokenness as the end of your leadership journey, but rather to see it as the blessing it has the potential to be in your life.

It’s out of your brokenness – your fears, your frustrations, your setbacks, and scars that you will be able to reach back and pull up the struggling leader behind you. Your brokenness may be God’s way of helping you let go of the pieces in your life that don’t belong. Click To Tweet

©2018 Doug Dickerson

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Six Reasons Why You Want Diversity On Your Team

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Diversity: The art of thinking independently together. – Malcolm Forbes

That diversity is at the forefront of importance in the business community is an understatement. It’s as much a part of the conversation now as it’s ever been. Yet sadly, there are still some who are slow to understand the benefits of a diverse team.

Writing for Teamable, Melissa Suzuno highlights some impressive statistics as it relates to diversity and inclusion on your leadership team. Here are a few of her findings: 67% of candidates want to join a diverse team, 57% of employees want to prioritize diversity, inclusive companies enjoy 2.3 x higher cash flow, 35% of diverse companies outperform homogeneous ones, and 70% are more likely to capture new markets.

As impressive as these statistics are, it leads us to the questions- why are some organizations still slow in embracing diversity on their teams? We would like to offer six reasons why you should.

To create new margins for growth and opportunity.

Any organization seeking to expand its growth and opportunities should see diversity and inclusion as the starting point. Click To TweetDiversity on your team creates the margins you need to make that happen. With greater diversity and inclusion comes a larger net, greater reach, greater potential, and more success. It’s a leader’s secret sauce that’s really not a secret at all. It’s the lifeblood of your organization.

To eliminate stagnant thinking

Nothing will sink an organization faster than a group- think mentality and stagnant thinking. When creativity is waning or gone, and everyone is thinking alike you’ll soon discover no one is really thinking at all. Diversity allows you to challenge old assumptions and creates more options. Stagnant thinking says, “this is the way we’ve always done it”, while diversity says “we can and we will do better”. Diversity of thought and ideas gives you leverage that will elevate you to the next level. Embrace it!

To maximize our potential for success- the more voices at the table, the stronger we are.

Organizational leaders need to understand that the more voices you have at the table the stronger you will be. Click To TweetThose same few voices will continue to deliver those same predictable decisions. The expansion of creativity and diversity of ideas will only come to fruition with the inclusion of more people who can contribute to your organization’s success.

To take ego out of the equation

If you lack diversity on your team, chances are you have surrounded yourself with ‘yes’ men. This is great for your ego, but disastrous for your business. We all have blind spots, areas where we cannot see clearly. Diversity on your team gives you access to the resources that help bring your blind spots into focus.

To enhance buy-in

If you lack diversity on your team, you will struggle to get widespread buy-in for your ideas and solutions. We all want to feel like we have some control over our work environment. Diversity on your team allows input from a variety of perspectives and provides a sense of inclusion in the process. Buy-in eliminates the “us vs. them” mentality and fosters more of a “look at what we did” pride. Click To Tweet

To promote engagement

If you lack diversity on your team, you will promote an ‘us’ versus ‘them’ mentality. We all want to feel like we are making meaningful contributions at work. An ‘us’ versus ‘them’ mentality is the enemy of engagement. Diversity on your team breaks down a perceived division and inspires employees to become engaged in making positive contributions to your organization.

Valuing and promoting a diverse team environment in your business benefits you as the leader, your employees, and the organization as a whole. This diversity creates new margins for growth and opportunity, eliminates stagnant thinking, maximizes the potential for success, takes ego out of the equation, enhances buy-in, and promotes engagement. As Malcolm Forbes stated in the above quote, the ultimate definition of diversity is “… thinking independently together.” No organization can stand on firm footings without it.

©2018 Doug Dickerson and Liz Stincelli

Liz Stincelli is an Employee Advocate, Leadership Consultant, Author, and Speaker. Learn more about Liz Stincelli at http://www.stincelliadvisors.com/

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Leadership In A Word: Rest

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Rest when you’re weary. Refresh and renew yourself, your body, your mind, your spirit. Then get back to work. – Ralph Marston

As summer slowly draws to a close, I came across a rather interesting article about the workplace and how employees are using their vacation time. A Glassdoor survey last year reported that millions of Americans are giving back their vacations to their employers. At first glance, I thought perhaps my eyes were playing tricks on me. Say it ain’t so! But here’s the explanation:

“Why don’t they take what’s due? “Fear,” says Scott Dobroski, career trends analyst at Glassdoor. “That’s the underscoring theme.” They fear getting behind on their work (34%), believe no one else at their company can do the work while they’re out (30%), they are completely dedicated to their company (22%), and they feel they can never be disconnected (21%). As workers shoulder a heavier work-load post-recession, he says others are afraid of not meeting goals.”

That millions of Americans are giving back vacation time because they fear getting behind on their work, that no one else in the company can do their work while they are out, complete dedication to their company, and that they can never be disconnected to their work, speaks to the importance of my series theme word this week*.

While the reasons listed for not taking vacations might sound noble on the surface, it does speak to other underlying leadership concerns such as the need for cross-training, having a healthy work-life balance, and what is a healthy workload with recognizable boundaries that management has in place.

A hard truth that is lost on many is that we are not indispensable. We can be replaced. And while the above-listed reasons for not taking vacation sound valid, one can do more harm than good – to themselves and their company- by not taking time to rest.

I will not presume to say what that should look like. But here are a few simple reminders as to why rest is important.

It’s a time to recharge

This is the value-added consequence of taking the time to rest. Your body, soul, and mind, can only run for so long and still be useful to you. Rest affords you the opportunity to recharge mentally, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually.

Recharging your leadership through the lost art of rest will do you a world of good. Click To TweetWhen you are recharged you give yourself a fresh perspective on the issues at hand and it will give you the energy needed going forward. Rested and recharged you will position yourself for a great second half of the year.

It’s a time to reflect

During downtime and rest is the perfect time to reflect. It’s a time to look back at the first half of the year to see where you’ve come- to put it all in perspective. It’s a time to look ahead, not in the heat of the moment when there is no time to properly absorb what is taking place – but to do so in a state of mind that gives you the context you need.

In your time of rest and mid-year reflecting it’s also important to be present in the moment. “We always project into the future or reflect in the past,” says Marina Abramovic, “but we are so little in the present.” How much do we miss as leaders – family, children, memories we can never have again – simply because we were too busy and missed living in the moment?

It’s a time to reconnect

The benefits of rest can be substantial. Times of rest is important for us in ways already mentioned. But the good it can do for you as a leader will make you a better one.

A rested leader is a more effective leader. Your thinking clearer, your instincts are sharper, and your temperament is more balanced. Click To TweetYet, none of these benefits would be possible without making the conscientious decision to rest. Rid yourself of the stigma that to rest is wrong, and embrace this important area of your leadership.

Rest is the secret ingredient to your balanced life and leadership. Discover this secret and you will be better for it.

© 2018 Doug Dickerson

*(Leadership In A Word is my writing theme for the year. See my website at Dougdickerson.wordpress.com to catch up on all my entries to date).

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Postcards From China

Challenging Assumptions

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes. – Marcel Proust

As I write this postcard, I am in my fifth and final week here in the Guangdong province of southern China. It’s been an incredible journey – one that I will never forget.

As I reflect on my time here, I must make a confession. I came here with a lot of wrong assumptions. Of course, if we are honest, we can all look to times in our lives when we’ve made wrong assumptions about people or things. That can be good, or bad, depending upon your individual circumstances.

In my case, I am glad to say I was wrong. My preconceived views of this beautiful country and its people were not tied to the realities of everyday life I see here. It had been skewered by the lens of political and religious differences, while real, made me unnecessarily cautious.

The Chinese people are warm, hospitable, beautiful, and most willing to help a stranger. So, enjoy a few pictures of this remarkable country, and as you do, think about old assumptions that you’re holding onto. Perhaps it’s time to let them go.

Until next time,

Doug

The smiles of the children will light up your world. We need more smiles.

 

“I try to have as much fun as I can, and I travel around the world doing what I love”. – Red Gerard – Yep!

 

“The best education I have ever received is through travel”. – Lisa Ling  So true!
Wherever you go, go with all your heart”. – Confucius (Victoria Harbor, Hong Kong)
Watch the road!
“You do not travel if you are afraid of the unknown, you travel for the unknown, that reveals you with yourself”. – Ella Maillart
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Postcards From China

Life Can Be A Circus

Keep the circus going on inside you, keep it going, don’t take anything too seriously, it’ll all work out in the end. – David Niven

Week three of my adventures in China is about to begin. It’s been an incredible experience so far.

After overcoming many unexpected challenges and obstacles last week, it was only fitting over the weekend for our team to drive down to Guangzhou to attend the famous Chimelong International Circus.

Chimelong International Circus.
Provided by the author.

If you ever make your way over to this part of the world, put the Chimelong International Circus on your list of things to do. It’s simply amazing and there are leadership/life lessons to be applied.

Your life in leadership can resemble a circus at times. Think about it – there are many moving parts–a ton of distractions, near disasters, a ton of thrills- all while entertaining the masses.

Sound familiar?

Regardless of what life or leadership throws at you, here are a few things worth remembering- a few lessons from the circus…

Laughter is good medicine because life is too short

Along the way, don’t forget to have some fun

Even clowns serve a purpose

When the show is spectacular no one will remember your mistakes

And yes, the show must go on!

Provided by the author.

 

Until next time!

Doug

 

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Postcards From China

Greetings from Dongguan, China

You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting,  so…get on your way! – Dr. Seuss. Oh, The Places You’ll Go

I am writing to you from Dongguan, China, in the province of Guangdong, on the east coast of China – on the mainland.

I am here leading a team of teachers and students for five weeks teaching ESL classes to Chinese students. Needless to say, this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. How could I pass it up?

So on this blog for the next few weeks, I will be sending you these postcards to share my reflections and insights about my stay here in China. Here’s the first takeaway I’d like to leave with you.

What separates us is not nearly as important than what unites us.

What I’ve learned is that too much time is devoted to what separates us – be it our political points of view, philosophies, religious beliefs, etc… we tend to categorize people and places based upon our own prejudices.  And in the process, we lose perspective.

Here I see just how small the world is – and what divides us is not as important as what unites us. We are all part of the human race.

The loving affection in a mothers eye as she holds her little girl or the father’s proud hand on the shoulder of his son is a universal language. It knows no boundaries.

I’ve been blessed to travel to many parts of the world and this is a universal observation.

Sunset over the South China Sea upon approach to Hong Kong.

The late Sam Walton once observed: “The bigger we get the smaller we have to think…” And while we need to think long, dream big, and pray hard…I hope the world and what truly matters will get smaller and become more in focus.

It’s when we realize that we have more in common we can begin to make the world a better place for everyone.

Until next time,

Doug

 

 

 

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Leadership In A Word: Generosity

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Real generosity is doing something nice for someone who will never find out. – Frank A. Clark

A word about generosity

The story is told that one day a beggar by the roadside asked for alms from Alexander the Great as he passed by. The man was poor and wretched and had no claim upon the ruler, no right even to lift a solicitous hand. Yet the Emperor threw him several gold coins.

A courtier was astonished at his generosity and commented, “Sir, copper coins would adequately meet a beggar’s need. Why give him gold?” Alexander responded in royal fashion, “Cooper coins would suit the beggar’s need, but gold coins suit Alexander’s giving.”

Generosity is one of the great privileges of your leadership. It’s where your words and actions align for the benefit of others. It’s about the impact you desire to have as a leader and stepping up with a generous heart to make it happen.

Generosity will take on many forms for you as a leader. Learning how to manage and make the most of your opportunities will require discipline on your part. Be that as it may, the most successful leaders are the most generous leaders. Here are three ways to express your generosity as a leader.

Be generous with your time

Time is the most precious commodity you have as a leader. We go to great lengths to manage it and protect it. Jim Rohn was right when he said, “Either you run the day or the day runs you”. So when it comes to generosity, the giving of your time is one of the most generous acts of your leadership.

Think for a moment about the impact that your time could have as a mentor, or time spent out of your office with your team, with a local charity, or with your place of worship? Your generosity could be the difference-maker that someone has been waiting for.

Being generous with your time is to understand that it’s not about what you are giving up or sacrificing, but what you are contributing. It’s about servant leadership.

Be generous with your talents

Your expertise as a leader can be an invaluable source of inspiration for those you serve. The things you’ve learned, the wisdom you can share, and the pitfalls to avoid can be priceless for aspiring leaders.

Regardless of your vocation, your talents as a leader can serve people from all walks of life. Your life lessons and experiences may not mirror that of everyone you meet, but your message and encouragement can make a huge difference in their life. (Read What I Wish I Knew About Leadership 30 Years Ago)

Give it some thought. What talents do you possess that can add value to those in your sphere of influence? Don’t underestimate your contributions nor deprive others of your gift. Your message may very well be the one they need to hear.

Be generous with your treasure

One of the blessings of your leadership is found in the sharing of your treasure. This, of course, is not about a dollar amount, it’s more about the attitude and generosity of your heart.

This treasure I speak of includes the generosity of your finances, but it not limited to that. By all means, be a blessing with your finances. But your generosity can be shared through other resources such as a good book on leadership that could be helpful.

Generous and selfless leaders are in high demand and are needed now more than ever. Click To TweetNow is not the time to hold back, now is the time to step up and show the world what generous leaders look and act like.

Generosity quotes

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due when it is in your power to do it’. – Proverbs 3:27

“You cannot do a kindness too soon because you never know how soon it will be too late”. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Generosity is giving more than you can, and pride is taking less than you need”. – Khalil Gibran

“Where grace happens generosity happens”. – Max Lucado

“Generosity isn’t an act. It’s a way of life”. – Chip Ingram

A final word

As a leader, commit yourself to the selfless life of generous living and leadership. Together we can show the world a better way to do leadership.

©2018 Doug Dickerson

 

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Leadership In A Word: Listening

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One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say. – Bryant H. McGill

A word about listening

Listening. Yes, I know, it’s a leadership topic that’s been tackled by the best of them for a very long time. But read up on any of the current writings about employee engagement, bad bosses, what causes people to leave their jobs, etc., and usually in the mix somewhere is the issue of listening – or the lack thereof.

At its core, listening is one of the most basic soft skills in leadership. If offered, it would be a 101 leadership course in college. Unfortunately, it’s not.

I asked an aspiring manager in a prominent retail chain some time ago what was the most frustrating thing she dealt with as it related to her direct reports. Without hesitation, she conveyed that they just don’t listen. How many of you can relate to her plight?

As leaders, intuitively we know that listening is a priority. Yet, our lives are structured in such a way that listening is an afterthought. Simply put, we are just too busy. Unfortunately, many leaders make the mistake of believing it’s more important that they are heard, therefore, failing at one of the most important things that they can do – listen.

Here are three reminders on why listening is a key ingredient to your leadership. I hope that it is helpful to you.

Listening empowers your people

If you want your people to feel empowered then listen to them. So long as they feel that they have a voice and it’s being respected and heard then you will win them over. When your people are empowered they will go to great lengths to serve you and your organization. Listening creates buy-in. It’s a momentum builder. If you want to empower you people listen to your people. Click To Tweet

Listening keeps you grounded

This is the trap that far too many leaders fall into. It’s when you stop listening that you lose touch with what’s going on around you. When you stop listening to all voices and only a few voices, then how can you truly benefit? Soon, the only voices you hear are the ones telling you only what you want to hear. When this happens, your leadership is diminished. Keep the doors to your leadership open with your ears and with an open mind. Often time the best ideas and input flow into your office, not out of it. Click To Tweet

Listening keeps you connected

Much like staying grounded, listening keeps you connected to your people. You never want to be so far removed from your people that you don’t hear their heartbeat. To listen to your people is to know your people. When you stop listening to your people, you stop knowing your people. Don’t be so far removed from their heartbeat that they no longer hear yours. Because if you do, then you are only presiding over your own demise as a leader. Stay close, stay connected, and keep listening.

Listening quotes

“I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.” – Ernest Hemmingway

“There is a difference between listening and waiting for your turn to speak”. – Simon Sinek

“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply”. – Stephen R. Covey

“If the person you are talking to does not appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear”. – Winnie the Pooh

“Most of the successful people I’ve known are the ones who do more listening than talking”. – Bernard M. Baruch

A final word

The only way listening becomes a strong leadership skill is when we become intentional about it. Remove distractions. Show respect. Put your cell phone away. Look your people in the eye and let them talk. These are just basic courtesies that we need to return to. But we have to look past the basic “how-to’s” and get to a deeper understanding of the greater benefits and how listening impacts us as leaders.

What do you say?

©2018 Doug Dickerson

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Leadership In A Word: Vulnerable

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I found that the more truthful and vulnerable I was, the more empowering it was for me. – Alanis Morissette

A word about being vulnerable

I read where Will Rogers’ stage specialty used to be rope tricks. One day, on stage, in the middle of his act, he got tangled in his lariat. Instead of getting upset, he drawled, “A rope ain’t so bad to get tangled up in if it ain’t around your neck.” The audience roared. Encouraged by the warm reception, Rogers began adding humorous comments to all his performances. It was the comments, not the rope tricks, that eventually made him famous.

As leaders, we tend to get ourselves into predicaments that are hard to escape precisely due to our obsession with protecting our image. Our greatest leadership strength can be found not in faking perfection but in embracing our own vulnerabilities.

Think for a moment about how different your leadership would look if you dropped the pretense of perfection and having all of the answers in exchange for authentic leadership. Imagine how different your life would be.

Allow me to explore a few ways in which being vulnerable can strengthen your leadership and why it matters.

Vulnerability empowers you as a leader

Think for a moment about the qualities you look for most of the leaders in your life. Melanie Curtin identified the top four qualities that millennials are looking for in an article for Inc. The top four qualities were mentoring, a gentle spirit, authenticity, and integrity,

All four of those qualities are essential to good leadership. When a leader is vulnerable these qualities will shine through. After all, how can you be an authentic leadership without being vulnerable?

If you want to gain respect and earn the trust of the people you lead, you will have to drop the mask and forget about the glittering image and get real.

Vulnerability puts the humanity into your leadership

Some of the most impactful lessons I have learned in leadership over the years from my mentors were not the great success stories they shared. It was the stories of their defeats, failures, and setbacks that inspired me. Why? Because they failed? No. It was inspiring because it allowed me to see them as human and that if they can fail, recover, and succeed then I could as well. It built my confidence.

Being vulnerable as a leader doesn’t mean that you make excuses for your failures or that you lower the bar on your goals or aspirations. Being vulnerable means that you allow your people to see the good, the bad, and the ugly, and still be inspired by your leadership.

Vulnerability creates connections in your leadership

Vulnerability opens up a whole new realm of leadership for you that just doesn’t come any other way. So long as you are guarded, distant, and protecting your image, then your people will always be made to feel they can never measure up to your example- or at least make it feel it’s out of their reach.

Vulnerability creates connections and builds bridges with your people that will open up doors and relationships that could not happen otherwise.

If you want to grow your influence as a leader then it’s time to be real, time to be genuine, and time to be vulnerable. Most people can spot a phony a long way off.

Vulnerability quotes

“Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and change.” – Brene’ Brown

“We are at our most powerful the moment the moment we no longer need to be powerful.” – Eric Micha’el Leventhal

“Developing people by investing in them doesn’t mean pretending you have all the answers.” – John Maxwell

“Getting in touch with your true self must be your first priority.” – Tom Hopkins

A final word

Vulnerability in leadership is essential to good leadership. It’s not an expression of weakness, it’s an expression of being empowered as a leader and comfortable in your own skin. Embrace being vulnerable and watch your influence grow.

©2018 Doug Dickerson

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