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There is a backlash to this ancient mode of thinking. It's called Conscious Leadership and it's predicated on the idea that vulnerability brings better results

There is a backlash to this ancient mode of thinking. It's called Conscious Leadership and it's predicated on the idea that vulnerability brings better results and that you need a safe environment for the dynamic to flourish. Some of it sounds very new-agey but from what I've read and experienced it has really good fundamentals.

orev 9y ago
That's very naive though. Eventually there will be someone around who is politically motivated or otherwise adversarial, and then your safe space is gone and everyone who exposed themselves remains exposed. No matter how much we want the new-agey stuff to work, it just doesn't because it requires everyone to play by its rules, which doesn't happen in reality.
- nathanasmith 9y ago
  To add to this, I made the huge mistake a few years ago of admitting to an amount of social anxiety at a certain workplace. Within a few weeks that admission of vulnerability was used against me as a reason I wasn't a good fit for a project that I know I would have been great at. I left over it. Never again.
- white-flame 9y ago
  The things that are exposed should still be work-related. Be honest about why deadlines were missed, what failures were in designs, etc, and basically work against just everybody putting on a "Yes everything is great!" facade. That facade breeds distrust and low morale. Even if things aren't going great, being honest about it keeps motivation up better than the alternative.
  - greenrd 9y ago
    Do retrospectives at regular intervals and encourage everyone in the team to bring up (almost) any issues, large or small, in those meetings, and discuss them, with a solution-focused outlook - what can we actually try in order to address this problem? An essential feature of retrospectives is that upper management, and internal/external customers, are not invited - and do not get to see the raw whiteboard, but only - if they see anything from it - a sanitised summary that's relevant - and diplomatic - for them. This all helps to encourage openness.
- chillacy 9y ago
  Prisoner's dilemma: if everyone shares it's great all around. If everyone shares and you don't, still safe but less benefit for you. If nobody shares and you do, you're hosed. Strategy: always defect.
lolsal 9y ago
It seems like this parallels the need for encryption. I don't over-share in meatspace for the same reason that I don't deliberately make myself vulnerable in cyber-space.
- amigoingtodie 9y ago
  I agree, but, I also wonder if some of this 'it is okay to share' is because of social media's influence on what is acceptable to disclose.
  - greenrd 9y ago
    No, it's just immature thinking from people who aren't familiar with the workplace and its norms. If it wasn't social media it would be some IRL friends.
OnlyRepliesToBS 9y ago
Extract all value, then discard.
- dang 9y ago
  Special-purpose accounts aren't allowed here. HN is for thoughtful conversation, which takes place between individuals, not abstractions.

orev 9y ago

That's very naive though. Eventually there will be someone around who is politically motivated or otherwise adversarial, and then your safe space is gone and everyone who exposed themselves remains exposed. No matter how much we want the new-agey stuff to work, it just doesn't because it requires everyone to play by its rules, which doesn't happen in reality.

nathanasmith 9y ago
To add to this, I made the huge mistake a few years ago of admitting to an amount of social anxiety at a certain workplace. Within a few weeks that admission of vulnerability was used against me as a reason I wasn't a good fit for a project that I know I would have been great at. I left over it. Never again.
white-flame 9y ago
The things that are exposed should still be work-related. Be honest about why deadlines were missed, what failures were in designs, etc, and basically work against just everybody putting on a "Yes everything is great!" facade. That facade breeds distrust and low morale. Even if things aren't going great, being honest about it keeps motivation up better than the alternative.
- greenrd 9y ago
  Do retrospectives at regular intervals and encourage everyone in the team to bring up (almost) any issues, large or small, in those meetings, and discuss them, with a solution-focused outlook - what can we actually try in order to address this problem? An essential feature of retrospectives is that upper management, and internal/external customers, are not invited - and do not get to see the raw whiteboard, but only - if they see anything from it - a sanitised summary that's relevant - and diplomatic - for them. This all helps to encourage openness.
chillacy 9y ago
Prisoner's dilemma: if everyone shares it's great all around. If everyone shares and you don't, still safe but less benefit for you. If nobody shares and you do, you're hosed. Strategy: always defect.

lolsal 9y ago

It seems like this parallels the need for encryption. I don't over-share in meatspace for the same reason that I don't deliberately make myself vulnerable in cyber-space.

amigoingtodie 9y ago
I agree, but, I also wonder if some of this 'it is okay to share' is because of social media's influence on what is acceptable to disclose.
- greenrd 9y ago
  No, it's just immature thinking from people who aren't familiar with the workplace and its norms. If it wasn't social media it would be some IRL friends.

OnlyRepliesToBS 9y ago

Extract all value, then discard.

dang 9y ago
Special-purpose accounts aren't allowed here. HN is for thoughtful conversation, which takes place between individuals, not abstractions.