Fear of vunerability, fear of leading like a sinner!

Often when I read books on personal growth, they will talk about the role of humility and team in the development of the person.  You can't see blind spots without someone to guide you to them.  You need others to help you gain what you do not possess.

The point of writing this book, is that I have not often found anyone address directly and with focus how being vulnerable, and humble has a profound affect upon an organization.  Leading like a sinner, is in my definition, leading with a knowing that I am not perfect, and as I walk into that vulnerable place of letting members of my team know that about me, it will bring us together and allow team members to do the things that will cause them to grow.  It is overcoming the fear that letting others know my imperfections will cause them to loose respect for me and cause me to loose control.

I read a quote yesterday that said the more influence we have, the more we are tempted to hide our imperfections for fear that we will loose that influence.  I find that this quote is so true, at least in my reality.  As my influence increases, I begin to think more highly of myself, and as I do this, the accuser of my soul pops up and whispers in my ear that I am faking it.  So I can begin to go down the road of wanting to be more than I am, and then act like I am more, just a little bit.

The funny thing with this leading like a sinner stuff, faking it always brings short term rewards.  Sometimes in performance of the team and sometimes in how you feel.  But if we endure the pain of vulnerability, and walk into it, again and again, the reward is there.  A reward of a team that has had all of its members grow.  Its like the dawn of a morning or the growth of a little child.  If you are in it, the dawn, or parenting, you don't see the changes happen because it is so slow and gradual. 

But they do!