The 10 Steps to Establish Vulnerability-Based Trust

Best-selling author Mark Manson recently said: "The greatest truths are often the most unpleasant to hear." We all hate listening to the hard truth, even though we know it’s vital for our well being, our growth and our development.

Creating an environment where truth is the standard can be challenging, but it’s critical for the teams we lead. We all become preoccupied with making sure we handle the fundamentals, but we tend to overlook the most critical component of any championship organization: Vulnerability based trust.

Patrick Lencioni, author and president of the Table group, has written a great deal on the subject in his best selling books. Lencioni defines vulnerability-based trust as "a place where leaders comfortably and quickly acknowledge, without provocation, their mistakes, weaknesses, failures, and need for help. These leaders also recognize the strengths of others, even when those strengths exceed their own." They create a culture where the team around them is willing to make mistakes, take responsibility for any mistake, and accept coaching, without confusing it for criticism. They willingly do so because the person in charge sets the example.

Renowned author, researcher, and podcast host Brené Brown also preaches teaching those you lead about how to create a "safe zone" where no one judges mistakes, everyone learns from one another and the main objective is to improve, not find blame — a place where it becomes "safe" to make mistakes.

Here are 10 steps we can implement to help us create that safe zone:

1. Reduce the amount of gossip and talking about one another behind their backs.

2. Admit when you are wrong, make mistakes and readily apologize.

3. Let go of holding grudges from the past.

4. Understand and appreciate one another's work styles and strengths.

5. Be open and practice information sharing.

6. Take time to learn about each other on a more personal level.

7. Looks for ways to give credit to others.

8. Acknowledge and celebrate the successes of others.

9. Share openly both your failures and successes.

10. Give your team members the benefit of the doubt before jumping to a negative conclusion.

The team doesn't become vulnerable by accident; it takes the leader to teach vulnerability and ensure that everyone buys in.

These 10 steps are absolutely essential. If we devote as much time to these them as we do to rebounding, blocking to our sales meetings or hosting clients, we will see significant rewards.

 Please forward and share this email with your friends and family.