A strong leader knows their weakness.
You’ve probably heard that risk-taking and strong decision-making are important values for leaders. This is partly true, but they can also create some serious problems for a leader. In Snippet #9, we talked about one of the biggest problems regarding these values–ego.
In this Snippet, we will work with another problem–when leaders don’t understand weakness. Many leaders are afraid to be honest about their weaknesses. Instead of admitting the areas they struggle in, they hide behind excuses like, “If I share my weaknesses, I’ll lose the respect of the team.” Knowing your weakness and exposing it to the team doesn’t decrease your authority. It actually moves you in the opposite direction; it will give you more authority. Here are three arguments to prove that point:
1) By exposing your weakness, synergy increases between you and your team. Every member of the team knows you have weaknesses–whether you admit them or not. So if they are to know, I guarantee there’s no better way to find out than from their leader.
2) By admitting weaknesses, the team sees that their leader has one of the most important understandings of leadership–knowing yourself. As a leader, it’s critical that you know what you can and cannot give to the team and the organization.
3) With a clear understanding of your weaknesses, you can hire individuals who complement you and round out your team. No leader in the world can do everything well. You need key players on your team that will help you and the organization avoid costly mistakes and move toward success.
A Christ-centered leader is someone who is humble to listen, learn, and expose. By listening to others' opinions, learning who you are, and exposing yourself while making hard decisions and taking risks you are much more likely to get the buy-in and support of your team.
Do you know your weakness as a leader? Do you believe you can reveal your weakness without losing authority?
Eduardo Mendes
Founder and President
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