Leadership Vulnerability through Emotional Transparency and “Being the Goof”
As a leader, I pride myself on promoting a culture of honest feedback and transparency. If a change to a project is made, I make sure to immediately share the reasons for that change with the parties directly involved. Consistent communication with stakeholders and team members is pivotal. Importantly, transparency and communication are validated by giving your team an open platform to share their opinions. For instance, when we cut a significant character element from an arcade racing game I’m working on, I gave invested parties a platform to share their frustrations. I wanted them to know that I respected their talents and judgments. As Lead Producer, I worked with the Game Designer as he expressed his disappointment and facilitated an environment for him to more comfortably come to terms with the decision. I’m a big proponent of promoting cuts as “addition by subtraction”.
Beyond “telling it as it is” and pushing project transparency, a key piece of leadership honesty is leadership vulnerability. Vulnerability can emerge in numerous ways. And, for many leaders, it’s hard to know when and how to be vulnerable. Nevertheless, it is important to master and display one’s vulnerabilities to earn the trust of one’s team.
And this is a backed claim. Studies show that “vulnerability is not only the prerequisite for courage, innovation, and trust but also has far-reaching implications in employee engagement, satisfaction, and retention. [1]”
A vulnerable leader should embrace the emotions within the room, not hide from them.
My team had just come off missing major elements of a significant milestone. The stakeholder feedback, while fair, was brutal and the tension leading into our sprint retrospective was thick. I decided to address the room and acknowledge the situation.
Going forth on an impromptu motivational speech, I bore my soul and shared the pride I had in being their producer and peer, the respect I had for everyone who was pushing out of their technical comfort zone, and the excitement I felt for what lay ahead. It was hardly the most eloquent string of words, but it was charged, raw, and honest. I even acknowledged at one point how I was getting worked up at the moment. On multiple occasions, I got the team to applaud themselves and cheer themselves on. Through it all, however, I made sure to keep a clear and level headed presentation. Afterward, a few of my teammates came up and thanked me for the display. It was my among my proudest moments as a producer.
As powerful as the “Rah-rah” speech can be, you can’t just open up with “We did a great job, everyone,” — especially if your project stakeholders just told you otherwise. When applicable, it is important to share your discomfort with a situation before following it up with praise. But when you do share the stronger moments or harsher feedback, do it calmly and professionally. You don’t want to be the hot head in a situation. And certainly, never try to blame. By broadcasting honesty, you strengthen any subsequent validation.
Vulnerability can also be as simple as showing off your goofy side.
Often, what we perceive as “different” about ourselves is, in fact, an endearing quality. For years, I was a bit ashamed of my dorky personality and interests. I’m the type of person who dresses up for Renaissance Festivals, uses props in conversation, knows loads of useless nerd trivia, and seriously roleplays in tabletop games. I always thought the “right move” in a professional setting was to shelve this, be reserved, and “play it cool”. But I have learned to embrace my uniqueness and make it a leadership strength.
When my team had to come in on a Saturday to make up for time lost to winter weather, I took Aragorn’s rousing speech at the Black Gate from Return of the King and changed the words to match our project. “Programmers of Gondor! Level Designers of Rohan! Artists!”, I began. The entire time I swung around a cheap costume sword and paced the room as if addressing fellow soldiers on the front line of battle.
Yes, it was silly and a bit nonsensical. But in putting myself out there, I demonstrated to the team that I was not afraid to express myself and that I was willing to “be the goofball” to insert some early joy into a long, potentially thankless day. Granted, it’s not the type of play you can make all too frequently, or else it loses its power by redundancy. Nevertheless, in going out there during those tough moments, I showed my team that I was invested in their success and willing to act the fool on their behalf.
A leader’s vulnerability is matched by transparent vulnerability from their team.
Demonstrating vulnerabilities buys loyalty from your team. By showing a willingness to share, you welcome a willingness to receive. One of the greatest validations a leader can receive comes when a team member approaches you with a concern and says the words, “I trust you…” What’s even better is when you enable peers to share that trust among the entire team. Sprint retrospectives are wonderful venues for this, but you should make everyone feel open to sharing their concerns throughout the entire project.
In conclusion, by encouraging transparency and putting oneself out there, you can better respond to teammate’s feelings and improve the project as a whole. Through vulnerable leadership, I have navigated through difficult moments and have helped create games I am proud of.
[1] L. Ward, “The role of vulnerability in leadership: A study to understand how vulnerability contributes to personal, professional, and organizational success,” LinkedIn, 16-May-2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/role-vulnerability-leadership-study-understand-how-lindsay/?src=aff-ref&trk=aff-ir_progid.8005_partid.10078_sid._adid.449670&clickid=3yO3Y3RsFxyNR3CTgaVsPzYvUkAR%3APyOxyCLxo0&mcid=6851962469594763264&irgwc=1. [Accessed: 20-Mar-2023].
