Statement 1: Every day is filled with infinite opportunity and potential.
Statement 2: Every day is filled with uncertainty and things we cannot control.
Which of these statements resonated with you the most? Did either (or both) of them conjure up any strong feelings? Perhaps statement 1 made you feel excited, while statement 2 made you feel a little uneasy or anxious. Or maybe you glossed over them without any strong feelings one way or the other. There’s no right or wrong answer here, just something to be aware of.
The truth is both statements are synonymous with one another. You cannot have infinite opportunities without also having some uncertainty. You cannot have potential without some lack of control. In the world of business, thought leaders try to seek opportunity while also not giving way to too much uncertainty or lack of control.
Vulnerability is a Part of Us
Vulnerability is inherent, it’s the same as thoughts that pop into your mind without the conscious choice to create them. You can’t control being vulnerable, but you can choose where you stand with vulnerability if you bring it to your awareness. If you don’t allow yourself to embrace vulnerability by making it conscious, you’re letting this inherent part of you go undetected – essentially, fear is calling the shots.
Vulnerability isn’t something to be afraid of unless you allow it to remain dormant, like background noise that you don’t even hear anymore. Once you accept that there are many elements of life that you have no control over, you open a vast amount of space in your life for freedom, creativity, and vitality. In order to take this courageous leap into the unknown, you’d want to know what you might gain or lose by being vulnerable. I use the concept of positive and negative asymmetry to evaluate this.
Positive and Negative Asymmetry’s Role in Vulnerability
The concept of positive asymmetry is when there exists a high amount of reward with a small amount of risk. An example of this is a leader who decides to operate based off of trust, which inevitably offers a higher benefit with little downside. My chosen vulnerability, the choice to trust has provided me with an enormous amount of positives in my life and business. Have I ever been taken advantage of? Yes, maybe 1 to 2 percent of the time. However, the other 98 to 99 percent have been more than worth it. Allowing myself to be more trusting and vulnerable with myself and others has had a profound, positive impact on my business, team, family, and the beautiful world we all live in.
Negative asymmetry is the opposite. Instead of accepting a small amount of risk, you choose to avoid vulnerability altogether. Consider a business deal that you’d deem “risky.” You don’t have concrete evidence that the deal will play out in your favor, but you also don’t have any clear indication that it wouldn’t. There’s the potential you could lose money, so you forgo the idea altogether. Months later, you run into a colleague at dinner who accepted the same business deal you turned down, and it’s been one of their greatest successes to date. By operating through negative asymmetry, you missed the opportunity for a great success.
Once you acknowledge the powerful concept of positive and negative asymmetry as it relates to vulnerability, it’s time to create a method and put it into action.
The Vulnerability Spectrum
We’re all vulnerable – physically, financially, and psychologically. Wouldn’t it be more powerful, more true if we accepted vulnerability with intention and awareness? Instead of acting as a participant in vulnerability, we first observe it. The most useful method I’ve found to intentionally observe and then interact with vulnerability is to view it on a spectrum.
On one end of the vulnerability spectrum, fear is the driving force. On the other end, freedom is the driving force. With each decision you make, you can consciously choose where you want to fall on this spectrum. In some instances, the freedom end has some obvious risks that are likely to end up in failure. For example, leaving your car key in the ignition each night so you stop losing them in your house. Sure, it’s “freeing” to allow yourself to be completely open – but if consciously evaluated, you can easily decide this particular freedom isn’t worth the potential for somebody to take off with your car.
Take this vulnerability spectrum further with questions about how you run your business. Where do you fall along the spectrum when it comes to taking a chance on a project you’re not sure will succeed? Do you choose to settle into the fear end of the spectrum to avoid it failing and operate through the lens of negative asymmetry? Or do you navigate closer to the freedom end of the spectrum for the potential it might be a huge success?
The Takeaway
I’ve met countless leaders who have made positive impacts on their business, team, and the world around them by choosing to be “more” vulnerable or naive. Not an ignorant naivety but a mature, chosen naivete that comes from intention, wisdom, and freedom.
It’s time for leaders to consider newer and more conscious ways of leading people, growing their businesses, or interacting with the marketplace. And when you come up with the idea that sounds too vulnerable or idealistic, pause before you quiet that inner voice.
- Consider if you want to operate through positive or negative asymmetry
- Take the time to evaluate where you consciously choose to fall on the spectrum of vulnerability
- Bring more awareness into your decision-making
Remember: We already live in a world filled with opportunity, potential, uncertainty, and things we cannot control. Your only limitation is how and if you face them.
Why you Shouldn’t be Afraid to Fail(Opens in a new browser tab)
About Joshua
Joshua Berry is the founder of Econic, a consulting firm, and Certified B-Corp focused on innovation, leadership, and the future of work. A world-class facilitator and speaker, Joshua has sparked the change at organizations like John Deere, US Bank, P&G, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Ameritas, and Teach for America. His passion is creating space for people to grow. Joshua’s new book, Dare to Be Naive: Unleash Ripples of Impact in Life and Business, debuts in Summer 2023.
For more info, visit DareToBeNaive.com.