Legacy Leadership: Wisdom Of The Apostle PaulSample

Vulnerable and Transparent

Earlier in this plan we discussed the fact that some leaders maintain a high level of power distance between themselves and their followers. These leaders go to great lengths to create a mask of invulnerability that cannot be penetrated. They draw strict boundaries around themselves and do not share personal beliefs, concerns, and fears with their followers.

This tendency is usually fueled by ego, pride, insecurity, and a strong need to maintain control. In his best-selling book, The 5 Temptations of a CEO, Patrick Lencioni identifies choosing invulnerability over trust as the foundational problem that inhibits a leader’s effectiveness.

To combat this temptation, leaders must encourage, even invite, people to challenge their ideas. But, when they do, the leader must accept the challenge without becoming defensive or retaliating. By allowing themselves the discomfort of being vulnerable with their followers, these leaders model the way for others to also be vulnerable. When this vulnerability is met with acceptance, trust develops.

There are two dimensions of trust-building: vulnerability and transparency. First, a leader must be vulnerable by proactively requesting feedback from others. As we have seen, Paul actively sought feedback by inviting the scrutiny of those who knew him. He frequently encouraged them to examine his life, question his motives, and identify any gaps between what he claimed and how he lived.

He called on the Thessalonians as people who knew the facts to examine his life. He also invoked God as witness to the truth of his message (1 Thessalonians 2:5). Later in the same passage, Paul reminded the Thessalonians that they “are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers” (1 Thessalonians 2:10–12). This invited scrutiny speaks to the legitimacy and sincerity of Paul’s ministry

The second crucial dimension of trust-building is the willingness to be transparent by sharing information with others. Paul was comfortable with this as well. He was “well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but our own lives as well” (1 Thessalonians 2:8; emphasis added).

When Paul speaks of “sharing his life,” he is referring to his whole personality and his innermost being. Literally, Paul and his colleagues were sharing their “own souls” with the Thessalonians. This was not a passing whim, but the habitual style of Paul’s interactions with his followers. This pattern flowed from who he was.

The best relationships between a leader and their followers are those that are characterized by a great deal of mutual trust and shared information. The responsibility for creating this type of relationship rests squarely on the shoulders of the leader.

Legacy Leaders must allow themselves the discomfort of being vulnerable, transparent, and trusting others with their ego. They have to drop their guard and let others into their life. As Paul did with the Thessalonians, leaders must model the way by taking the initiative and accepting the responsibility for the quality of the relationships with their followers.

Reflect and Act on these questions:
• In order to create trust, leaders must be willing to solicit feedback from others without judging it or reacting to it. Think of a time when you received negative feedback about some aspect of your performance or behavior. How did you respond? Do you think your response encouraged or squelched future feedback from that person?
• In today’s lesson, we discussed the importance of a leader’s willingness to be vulnerable and transparent. Soliciting feedback is only part of this. Leaders must also be willing to drop their guard and share their own lives with their followers. How comfortable are you with this idea?