Is it just me or has the whole pandemic experience redefined how we operate in the world?

Set aside the extremely challenging and unique experiences that we all went through, from fear of our own safety and that of others, to the isolation many of us experienced as a result of working from home.

I’m sure that, like me, you have now moved to a hybrid kind of working where you get the freedom to still work from the comfort of your own home but now we get to meet people face to face again. I have to say, the latter has been a blessing for me, Even as an introvert, I missed those in-person interactions with others. Building relationships is important. I prefer to get to know other people and, as good as Zoom or Teams can be, there is no substitute for sitting across from someone else having a real human interaction.

I know that I’m not alone. Many of my clients and friends have said similar.

However, I still felt that crippling anxiety right up to 2022 about meeting too many people at the same time. It was an almost illogical apprehension but it was strong enough to limit the amount of face time I managed to get with people.

To be honest, I was happy when 2023 came around because it gave me the opportunity to commit to taking the steps to get out and about meeting clients and delivering some of our public-facing programmes again.

This year, we have already held our inaugural public speaker programme, Create and Speak, a couple of weekends ago and it felt really good to be working with our private clients again. I recall how powerful it can be to be in the room with people to work on our programmes.

I’m now visiting corporate clients, again, the experience has left me remembering the power of building relationships.

However, I have also learnt something fundamental in the process.

As we navigate through the post-pandemic world, the qualities that define effective leadership are evolving. While traits such as decisiveness and strength have traditionally been associated with strong leadership, recent times have shown that vulnerability is becoming an essential leadership superpower.

Vulnerability refers to the willingness to show one's true self, weaknesses, and mistakes. In the past, vulnerability was viewed as a weakness and was something that leaders needed to hide to maintain their authoritative image. However, in the post-covid world, vulnerability is being recognised as a valuable asset that can help leaders build stronger relationships with their teams and create a more inclusive and empathetic work culture.

In his book, ‘The Five Dysfunctions of a Team ' Patrick Lencioni talks about vulnerability being a key component to building the critical foundation of trust in executive teams.

One of the key reasons vulnerability is becoming more important is the changing nature of work. The pandemic has forced us to work remotely, which has increased the need for connection and empathy. With remote work, it is more challenging to read nonverbal cues and create a sense of belonging. Leaders who are willing to show their vulnerability and connect with their teams on a personal level can build trust and create a sense of community, even when everyone is working remotely.

It also helps to create a safe space for employees to share their own vulnerabilities and seek support. This can be particularly important in times of crisis, where employees may be dealing with personal challenges that are affecting their work. Leaders who are open about their struggles can encourage their teams to speak up and seek help, which can lead to better mental health and well-being.

In addition, vulnerability can help leaders build resilience. By acknowledging their mistakes and weaknesses, leaders can learn from their experiences and become more adaptable to change. They can also set an example for their teams by showing that it's okay to fail and make mistakes, as long as we learn from them.

I believe that vulnerability is emerging as a new leadership superpower in the post-covid world.

Leaders who are willing to show their vulnerability can build stronger relationships with their teams, create a more inclusive and empathetic work culture, and encourage their teams to speak up and seek help when needed. By embracing vulnerability, leaders can build resilience and adapt to change more effectively, which is crucial in today's fast-paced and ever-changing world.

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Kul Mahay is a former senior UK police officer.

For the past 8 years, he has helped a wide range of organisations, shape their leaders and cultures to become much more human-centred.

He has worked with countless introverted leaders on building their communication and public speaking skills.

Kul is a regular TV presenter, radio presenter and host of the Human Centred Leadership  podcast.