There are no brave leaders. Leadership is about being vulnerable but taking bold decisions where it matters.
Year 2008 was a tough one for Starbucks. Business was teetering. Employees were uncertain about how long they would last. Nothing was going right. Then one day, then CEO Howard Schultz admitted there had been leadership mistakes. While battling financial meltdown of markets and executing rapid expansion nationwide in the US, they made a colossal mistake. Starbucks did not focus on making its cafes more inviting or align an array of new products. Consequently, the footfalls and profits dipped. So, mere global economic crisis was not the reason for the company’s perilous downslide. In an emotional message to all employees the leadership communicated if the company did not change, there would be no more Starbucks.
Bureaucracy was dispensed and Starbucks batted for customers instead. A work friendly environment was set up, office space was redesigned and employees reverted with a brilliant community engagement project-’My Starbucks Idea.’ Customer opinion was invited and implemented. The company soared upwards through Twitter and Facebook. WhatsApp groups surfaced, fanbase spiraled and tweets like ‘Keep Calm and make Coffee’ became legendary! Mobile apps with attractive initiatives were set into motion to draw more customers. They were taught how to create personalized drinks through an interactive software and how to order them. The strength of emotion catalyzed innovative business strategies with smart technology. This resulted in a complete turnaround for Starbucks and set a benchmark.
The lesson here: It took a moment of vulnerability, of not knowing what would happen, but taking the risk anyway. Schultz bared his vulnerability: He was transparent and took his people into confidence. Most importantly, he was not afraid to ask for help.
Vulnerability is the new superpower defining brave leadership of the new reality. Instead of blame, defensiveness and shock, the brave leaders choose to share their concerns and brazenly seek help. These leaders have unspooled the formula key to success—forging genuine bonds, being cool with not having all solutions, cementing trust and transparency to make the impossible possible. Because this value chain inspires loyalty, fosters creativity and breaks all barriers. They choose not to be ‘demi-Gods’ or authority figures. Rather, they are influencers of a different kind.
Now consider these values in a backdrop of a world that is complex, unboxed, volatile and driven by high octane technology. There are unforeseen challenges on an unfamiliar terrain of wicked problems, transformative corporate and economic models, innovative governance methodologies and a unique confluence of plurality, pragmatism, materialism and humane values conflicted with ideologies and ‘isms.’ Today, ambiguous challenges like the coronavirus pandemic which pose great economic and health risks are highlighting a new fact—its critical for leaders to have an immediate response to any unforeseen danger. A ‘New Reality” is dawning. This reality needs a new leader- vulnerable yet brave, unconventional yet a pragmatist, driven by market forces yet conscious of consumption and its impact on the world. The well-being of mankind is becoming a global pursuit as path breaking leaders, institutions are focusing on the inner world.
How does one become a vulnerable leader ?
It starts with accepting and embracing the belief that as leaders we are allowed to be vulnerable. Admitting one’s fraility is the first step towards making it your biggest strength. Being open and transparent is uplifting.
These times are challenging and the post corona world, rattled by economic disturbance, will be significantly more complex. It will not have any set formula to apply from the past to find a solution. The leadership competencies of yesterday may not be as relevant. Leadership itself is more likely to be a collaborative and distributed effort and therefore the leader who asks, listens and is prepared to fail is likely to succeed.
It is not easy to embrace your own frailities and yet it can be one of the most empowering emotions. The invitation is to freely accept your vulnerability and liberate the true leader inside. Leadership is not a milestone, it will always be a moving target!
(The writer is CEO Asia Pacific, GUS)