INTHEBLACK February 2023 - Magazine - Page 62
WORK SMART
TED Talk, TEDxHouston – Brené Brown
The power of vulnerability
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Authentic
vulnerability
at work
Authentic vulnerability in the workplace is a valuable
leadership skill. It can promote inclusivity and motivate
people to contribute their best work.
Story Beth Wallace
62 INTHEBLACK February 2023
The stress and burnout that have permeated
the working environment in recent years have
increased the importance of empathy at work.
Empathy and authentic vulnerability have
become vital in the workplace, and both are
often regarded as key leadership traits.
“Although vulnerability has historically been
perceived as a sign of weakness, it simply
means expressing what you think about an issue
or topic or how you authentically feel when
you don’t know the outcome or how it will be
received,” says Phillip Ralph, managing director
of leadership development company The
Leadership Sphere.
Ralph believes that workplaces have a lot to
gain by building “open” cultures, particularly
when it comes to eradicating toxic behaviours,
such as bullying and harassment.
“I think vulnerability and authenticity lie at the
root of human connection,” he says. “They are
the antidote to poor behaviour, but I think a lot
of it gets closeted away, because people don’t
have a voice to speak up.”