Reveal Your Weaknesses
When leaders reveal their weaknesses, they show us who they are-warts and all. They may mean admitting that they are irritable on Monday mornings, that they are somewhat disorganized, or even rather shy. Such admissions work because people need to see leaders own up to some flaw before they participate willingly in an endeavor. Exposing a weakness establishes trust and thus helps folks on board. Indeed if executives try to communicate that they are perfect at everything there will be no need for anyone to help them with anything. They wouldn’t need followers. They’ll signal that they can do it all themselves.
Beyond creating trust and the collaborative atmosphere, communicating a weakness also builds solidarity between followers and leaders. Consider a senior executive we know at a Global Management Consultancy. He agrees to give a major presentation despite being badly affiliated by physical shaking caused by medical condition. The otherwise highly critical audience greeted this courageous display of weakness with a standing ovation. By giving the talk, he had dared to say, “I am just like you imperfect.” Sharing an imperfection is so effective because it underscores a human beings authenticity. Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin, is a brilliant businessman and a hero in the United Kingdom. (Indeed, the virgin brand is so linked to him personally that succession is a significant issue.) Branson is particularly effective at communicating his vulnerability. He is ill at ease and fumbles incessantly when interviewed in public. It’s a weakness, but it’s Richard Branson. That’s what revealing a weakness is all about; showing your followers that you are genuine and approachable-human and humane.
Another advantage to exposing a weakness is that it offers a leader valuable protection. Human nature being what it is, if you don’t show some weakness then observers invent one for you. Celebrities and politicians have always known this. Often, they deliberately give the public something to talk about, knowing full well that if they don’t, they newspapers will invent something even worse. Princess Diana may have aired her eating disorder in public but she died with her reputation intact. Indeed, even enhanced.
That said, the most effective leaders know that exposing a weakness must be done carefully. They own up to selective weaknesses. Knowing which weakness to disclose is a highly honed art. The golden rule is never to expose a weakness that will be seen as a fatal flaw-and perhaps even several of them. Paradoxically, this admission will help divert attention away from major weaknesses.
Another well-known strategy is to pick a weakness that can in some ways be considered strength, such as being a workaholic. When leaders expose these limited flaws, people won’t see much of anything and little harm will come to them. There is an important caveat, however: if the leader’s vulnerability is not perceived to be genuine, he won’t gain anyone’s support. Instead he will open himself up to derision and scorn. One scenario we saw repeatedly in our research was one in which a CEO feigns absentmindedness to conceal his inconsistency or even dishonesty. This is a sure way to alienate followers who will remember accurately what happened or what was said.