My next series of blog posts are based on my book concept called Cape-abilities. For the next few weeks, I will take you through a chapter of the book complete with some exercises and provocative questions to help you think differently and get unstuck. Once you learn all of the abilities, you’ll then earn your innovation superhero cape!
How To Put On Your Cape-abilities
In these blog posts, you’ll find strategies that you can use to shake up your thinking and unleash your innovation super powers. Each chapter defines a tool you need, gives you a summary of what that tool can do for you, some questions that stir your thinking, and an exercise to get you started using the tool. You can either use the tools from start to finish to understand all the tools in your toolkit or you can pick up any tool — play around, use it, and discover how it works for you.
Vulnerability: 1. means "easily hurt or attacked."
Vocabulary.com definition
The ability to recognize that I have a challenge or idea and I’m afraid to appear that I don’t have all of the answers.
Gert’s definition
Vulnerability comes from the Latin word for "wound," vulnus. Vulnerability is the state of being open to injury, or appearing as if you are. It might be emotional, like admitting that you're in love with someone who might only like you as a friend, or it can be literal, like the vulnerability of a soccer goal that's unprotected by any defensive players.
It’s okay to be authentic and put yourself out there. Be real. People usually don’t like to do this because they feel they’ll be judged, but it’s actually much sexier to be honest and say, “I’m scared and I need help.”
Some of the most groundbreaking, disruptive ideas have come from embracing vulnerability. Sharing your real experiences makes you attractive and transparent to your clients and colleagues. Whether you plan it or whether you suddenly open up, being vulnerable turns what is usually perceived as weak into a powerful bridge to collaboration.
I was doing a keynote speech for a group of sales and marketing executives at the Orlando Sentinel newspaper. I had just gotten my hair colored red and I felt a hot flash coming on. I knew in a few minutes that I was going to have rivers of red rolling down my face so I just took a deep breath and told them with full disclosure that in a couple of minutes I was going to look like I had a head injury but rest assured that I was just fine. They appreciated my vulnerability and remained my client for years to come!
Brene’ Brown says “If you think dealing with issues like worthiness and authenticity and vulnerability are not worthwhile because there are more pressing issues, like the bottom line or attendance or standardized test scores, you are sadly, sadly mistaken. It underpins everything.”
Provocative Q’s to ask yourself:
Here’s an
Exercise to help you identify why you’re vulnerable in certain areas:
I had a client a couple of months ago (not to be named here) who was wrestling with this very topic and theirs was around leadership training, so I walked them all up to a wall with their post-its and we listed out everything that they felt should be included in leadership training. We had an entire wall filled! Then we began to cluster those post-its into themes … empowerment, diversity, giving feedback, etc. From there, we were able to create some areas of opportunity for them to come up with ideas to apply that would address these areas. And they did it themselves, so they had ownership in the whole process. And, as leaders, they allowed themselves to be vulnerable in front of each other in order to fix the weak areas.
Practice being vulnerable this week. In my next blog post, I will be covering our next ability which is Flexibility … you have to be flexible if you are going to be more innovative and collaborate better with others.
--gert--
McHALE DESIGN CASE STUDY: MONSTERVERSE- THE LEGEND CONTINUES…
Build-A-Bear Celebrates National Teddy Bear Day with Donation to The Toy Foundation™
Toy Foundation Auction is Now Open for Your Bids
Bracelets, Stickers, and Viral Fame: The Story Behind Sky Castle Toys’ Sticki Rolls
Chrissy Fagerholt: Luck is when Preparation Meets Opportunity!
Book Review: Storm: Dawn of a Goddess by Tiffany D. Jackson
Book Review: Erno Rubik and his Magic Cube by Kerry Aradhya
Game Review: Trip Chaser
Learning Express Toys Hosts 25th Annual Convention & Toy Expo at JW Marriott Tucson
Submit Your LA Showroom Details for 2025 Toy Previews
Randy Klimpert Shares his Ukulele Collection
Steve Casino Peanut Art
Everyone's Talking about POP!
Princess Etch - a Multi-Talented Etch A Sketch Artist
Joseph Herscher of Joseph' s Machines.
Connie Vogelmann designed Apiary & Wyrmspan!
Bob Fuhrer... Is THE Crocodile Dentist!
Tom Dusenberry... Bought Atari, Wizards of the Coast, and Avalon Hill!
Matt Leacock created Pandemic... the game!
Scott Brown and Tim Swindle... are Launching a New Sport!
POPDuo: Richard Dickson, Mattel’s President & COO, and Kedar Narayan, Young Inventor Challenge AMB
POPDuo: Will Shortz and Josh Wardle
POP Duo: Elan Lee, Co-Founder, Exploding Kittens.and Jeff Probst, Host and Exec Producer, Survivor
POP Duo: David Fuhrer, MNG Director, Blue Sq Innovations & Shawn Green, past Dodgers & Mets MLB Star
POP Duo: Bob Fuhrer, Founder, Nextoy and Tom Fazio, Golf Course Designer