%% [[Leading]] tags:: #note/idea | #on/leadership | #on/psychologicalsafety | #on/modeling people:: # modeling vulnerability Lon Setnik dates:: 2022-10-17 %% *How to get to a speaking up culture.* This reminds me of creating moments where [[2024 pain faculty program Ideas]] is not just acceptable, but positive. Since [[the answers you get come from the questions you ask]], in this case the question that is being asked is, can you be as open as I am? It's kind of like the fiction contract, how it recognizes the imperfection of what the educator has created in order to allow for the imperfection of the performance. Since the mindset here is transparency and [[Feeling]], we create an [[emotional contagion]] of recognizing the role of emotion in our lives. This spreads the way [[Mindsets change our mind and our future]]. Modeling vulnerability is an act by a leader to recognize their own imperfections. Modeling vulnerability is likely the most powerful way to create [[psychological safety]] in a group because it creates a space for imperfection. Be a Don't Knower Eileen Fisher is among those leaders who calls herself a “don't knower.”29 She began her now-celebrated clothing brand in 1984, at the age of 34, when she did not know how to sew and knew little about either fashion or business. Today, as a leader, Fisher models vulnerability and humility, which unsurprisingly helps to create psychological safety in the workplace, as we will explore further in Chapter 7. She speaks honestly about her struggles and fears. Edmondson, Amy C.. The Fearless Organization (p. 113). Wiley. Kindle Edition. ![[CleanShot 2022-10-18 at 06.35.34.jpg]] “Display Fallibility To create psychological safety, team leaders must demonstrate a tolerance of failure by acknowledging their own fallibility. Self-disclosure by team leaders is an effective way to reveal one’s limitations.30 For instance, one cardiac surgeon team leader in the previously mentioned study repeatedly told his team: “I need to hear from you because I’m likely to miss things.” The repetition of the phrase was as important as its meaning. People tend not to hear or believe a message that contradicts old norms or stances when they hear it only once. Acknowledging one’s fallibility and the need for feedback suggests to others that their opinion is respected and contributes to establishing a norm of active participation. Moreover, when managers and supervisors admit that they don’t know something or made a mistake, their genuine display of humility encourages others to do the same.” Excerpt From Teaming Amy C. Edmondson https://books.apple.com/us/book/teaming/id512935046 This material may be protected by copyright. ### What would the opposite argument be? If the leader shows vulnerability they won't be trusted. In this case, there might be cultural norms (such as political leadership) where this might be true. However, moving away from those toxic areas would be where I would want to be, anyways. ## Sources: https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/create-safety-by-modeling-vulnerability Edmondson, A. C. (2019). _The fearless organization: Creating psychological safety in the workplace for learning, innovation, and growth_. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Edmondson, A. C. (2012). _Teaming: How organizations learn, innovate, and compete in the knowledge economy_. Jossey-Bass.