Leading with Vulnerability

8How People Become Vulnerable Leaders

Steve Rendle is the chairman, president, and CEO of VF Corporation, which is the parent company behind such iconic brands as Vans, The North Face, Timberland, Dickies, and Jansport. Steve shared a story with me about one of the first jobs he had, in 1983. He was hired by a tough East Coast business leader who was actually fond of Steve because he played lacrosse, which for the CEO denoted toughness. This CEO had no emotion whatsoever, he had all of the answers (or at least pretended he did), and when he asked you to do something you did it. If someone on the team wasn't getting results, there was no coaching or mentoring; the attitude was “if you didn't get the results, then go get them.”

One of Steve's first encounters with him during his training was something that belongs in the show The Office.

I'll never forget this. Inside his office he had a desk with a very high chair and on the other side of the desk was a very low couch. When you came in and sat down to speak with him, he was towering over you, showing that he was superior to you. I'd never had this kind of an experience before. I sat down on the couch and it was incredibly uncomfortable so I stood up and spoke to him that way. He just stared at me oddly. I think he enjoyed and respected that I didn't take part in his game. We worked together for a while and eventually I was able to get past those nuances and see the leader for who he was. In his own way, he did care, but ...