When leaders use a tool like Working Genius to openly admit, "Hey, I suck at a few things. And here's the proof," it creates a liberating culture. It signals to everyone that it's safe to be vulnerable, acknowledge their own areas of frustration, and ask for help without fear of judgment.
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The framework allows leaders to reframe performance problems. Instead of judging an employee or feeling guilty about one's own shortcomings, it attributes struggles to a mismatch between a person's natural genius and their job requirements. This fosters grace and enables constructive conversations about finding the right role.
Leno believes his "low self-esteem" is a professional advantage. By assuming he's not the smartest person in the room, he remains open to expert advice and empowers his team, fostering a culture where anyone can voice concerns for a better final product.
Leaders often suffer from the "SAGE syndrome," feeling they must have all the answers. This is self-limiting. To create a culture where asking for help is normal, leaders must model the behavior themselves. If a leader isn't willing to ask for help, it's unlikely anyone else on their team will feel safe enough to do so.
True self-awareness involves publicly admitting your weaknesses. By openly stating what you're bad at (e.g., 'I suck at 99% of things'), you build immense credibility and trust when you then declare your strengths. This approach validates your expertise in your core competencies.
To eliminate the blind spots that undermine leadership, practice "proactive teachability." Go beyond passively accepting feedback and directly ask trusted colleagues, "Where am I blind?" This vulnerability not only fosters growth but also builds the referent power that makes others want to follow you.
Creating an environment where people feel safe to speak up requires more than just asking for it. Leaders must actively model the desired behavior. This includes admitting their own mistakes, asking questions they worry might be "dumb," and framing their own actions as experiments to show that learning and failure are acceptable.
To create a truly safe culture, leaders must demonstrate vulnerability first. By proactively sharing personal struggles—like being a recovering alcoholic or having gone through trauma therapy—during the interview process, leaders signal from day one that mental health is a priority and that it's safe for employees to be open about their own challenges.
To get truthful feedback, leaders should criticize their own ideas first. By openly pointing out a flaw in their plan (the "ugly baby"), they signal that criticism is safe and desired, preventing subordinates from just offering praise out of fear or deference.
Leaders often try to project an image of perfection, but genuine connection and trust are built on authenticity and vulnerability. Sharing your "brokenness"—insecurities or past struggles—is more powerful than listing accolades, as it creates psychological safety and allows others to connect with you on a human level.
People connect with humanity, not perfection. True leadership requires understanding your own narrative, including flaws and traumas. Sharing this story isn't a weakness; it's the foundation of the connection and trust that modern teams crave, as it proves we are all human.
