Leading With Vulnerability With Jacob Morgan

On this episode of Redefining Work, I’m joined by bestselling author, global keynote speaker and work futurist Jacob Morgan. We discuss the topic of his new book, “Leading With Vulnerability,” the state of work today, what CEOs expect from their people and much more.

Jacob studies trends in the ever-shifting dynamic between employers and employees. He’s uncovered striking conclusions about the current state of work — notably the need for employees to reconsider whether they are truly indispensable in the face of a potential recession.

Jacob also shares advice for employees who want greater job security and for employers who want a more positive and productive work environment — all through the lens of vulnerable leadership.

You can also listen/share the episode directly syndicated on any of these channels: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

Take a Long-Term Approach to Asking for More

Jacob is a longtime advocate for employee experience, which means there’s nothing wrong with asking for more from your employer. But the shifting economic climate also plays a role, with Jacob concluding that some employees are putting themselves at risk with the scope of their demands.

“We're becoming very shortsighted with what's happening in the economic environment,” Jacob says. The Great Resignation has passed, and many employers are now worried about preparing for a recession. 

“We're negotiating for more, we're asking for more, we're trying to take more, we don't want to show up to the office. But we haven't made ourselves indispensable yet,” Jacob adds.

If you’re not indispensable and you’re asking for more than other employees — remote work, higher pay, etc. — you could be vulnerable. 
“You should be thinking about your security and your safety beyond just the next three months,” Jacob says. “You should be thinking about, ‘Well, do I want to have my job in 2024, potentially into 2025? What is it going to take for me to do to make sure that when we get through a tough economic time that my leader, the CEO of my organization, looks at me as somebody who's been indispensable?’”

Approaching work from the perspective of being indispensable gives you a better bargaining position. “Once you become indispensable,” Jacob says, “you use that leverage as a way to negotiate more salary or things that you want.” 

The people who ask for more while delivering less will be the first to go during layoffs. “You need to think of your own self-preservation inside of the organization going forward,” he cautions.

Be Vulnerable, But Not Too Vulnerable 

Jacob defines workplace vulnerability as saying or doing something that someone else can use to cause you emotional harm. There’s a place for vulnerability at work, but employees need to be careful and deliberate, Jacob says, or else they risk overusing this trait.

“The relationship between an employee and an employer is very basic,” he says. Too much vulnerability — in the form of constantly bringing up challenges and struggles, for example — can cause an employer to wonder whether they made the right hiring decision. 

To solve this problem, Jacob brings in leading with vulnerability. “Vulnerability, I think, is a very important and a valuable attribute that you can bring,” Jacob says. “But you have to combine it with competence — being good at your job, demonstrating that you are trying to be good at your job.” 

If you make a mistake at work, for example, it’s OK to be vulnerable and admit it. But go further — examine how the mistake happened and how you’ll prevent it going forward. “You're still vulnerable,” Jacob says, “but you're also demonstrating to me that you're trying to close the gap, that you're trying to get better.”

Being vulnerable helps people connect with you. Being competent improves their trust in your abilities.

Balance Leadership and Vulnerability Based on Circumstances

There’s no perfect blend of leadership and vulnerability, Jacob says. Which one you need to lean into more depends on your role and the situation. “You need to be able to make sure that you can bring both to the table, and use your best judgment on which one is required more,” he says. 

As an executive during a crisis, for example, leaning more into leadership builds people’s confidence in your ability to guide the organization through challenging times. A manager helping an employee through a rough patch, however, might rely more on vulnerability.

In his book, Jacob uses the concept of eight “infinity stones” that all leaders need to collect to unleash the power of leading with vulnerability. One of the most important, he says, is self-compassion, especially when someone, inevitably, turns your vulnerability against you.

“If you're vulnerable with somebody, at a certain point, it's going to be used against you,” Jacob says. Self-compassion allows you to use that experience as a learning opportunity and move on rather than dwelling on it. 

Leaders and workers ultimately need to figure out how to mix leadership and vulnerability in the workplace. “If you're just vulnerable, people will look at you as being incompetent,” Jacob says. “The flip side of that: If you're only competent, people will view you as a robot.

People in This Episode

Jacob Morgan: Email, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), The Future Organization, “Leading With Vulnerability”

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