In a world of ‘strongmen’ (see Putin, Trump, etc.) we need more vulnerable leaders.
I’ve recently taken part in a gathering of young leaders (a.k.a. the Global Shapers Summit) in Geneva, Switzerland, at the World Economic Forum. During one of the leadership sessions we had, we were asked to come up with a value that we would like our community to adopt in the future. And so, we began a brainstorming exercise during which people shared the common values one would generally adhere to (eg. empathy, compassion, etc.). However, someone mentioned the word vulnerability, and for some reason beyond me, everyone dropped their preferred values and decided to go with vulnerability as our group’s value. This was only day one, and so, I didn’t really give a lot of importance to the moment, since I was not able to ‘connect the dots’ and really understand what vulnerability was all about.
I was born in a former communist country in which many of the leaders I saw growing up, be it on TV, in the classroom or at work, seemed to be like an ‘impenetrable fortress’, hard to connect with, and even harder to emulate. But I still tried my best to follow their example, and lead without showing much vulnerability, if any. However, I came to realise over the years that such a form of leadership can take a toll on one’s own wellbeing, since you’re constantly on your toes trying to make sure that you show no weakness or flaw. Staying true to yourself and ‘leading vulnerably’ is a much more sustainable type of leadership, and the sooner you realise this the better, not just for your own wellbeing but for the world at large.
Going back to my experience at the Summit, it was both inspiring and humbling at the same time to be in the company of so many incredible young individuals from around the world. But the quality that impressed me the most in the other participants was their vulnerability. Here I was in room with 400 future leaders of the world, and every time there was an opportunity to share something in a small group or speak to the wider audience, someone would stand up, open a door to their souls and let the rest of us peer inside, even if only for a fraction of a second, but just enough so that we can see her/his vulnerability. It was truly overwhelming to see so many accomplished individuals open up and show the rest of us how vulnerable they really are. I’ve came to realise that everyone is facing some sort of existential challenge or another, but it’s how we act in those moments that defines us.
So, in a world where vulnerability is synonymous with weakness, where leaders are afraid to show their humane side and prefer to conceal their flaws, my fellow Shapers have shown me over the three days we’ve spent together at the Summit that there is plenty of hope for a future in which vulnerability will be a seen as what it really is, one of our greatest strengths. And the world will be a better place when our leaders will embody this quality.