I was drawn to this book because of its title and the reference to the “Man in The Arena” speech by Theodore Roosevelt. We Emergency Managers have and will find ourselves in situations requiring us to take risks. We rarely have all the information to make a perfect decision, and sometimes we must go with our “gut,” and it is ok to dare greatly. We often find ourselves outside our comfort zones and briefing emergency plans to senior leaders, presenting preparedness seminars to our communities, presenting at a conference, or hosting professional reading reviews. We must be willing to dare greatly. So, what holds us back from stepping into the arena? Often, shame is the biggest obstacle to our willingness to put ourselves out there and be vulnerable.
We are all afraid of rejection (after all, we are social animals), and we sometimes doubt our worth. Our primal drive for acceptance and belonging to a group leads us to avoid vulnerability for fear of ridicule and rejection. But if we seek to understand vulnerability, it becomes apparent that it is a strength, not a weakness (superman’s cape). It takes courage to admit vulnerability and face it head-on despite the intense instinct to avoid it. Avoiding vulnerability can cause us to miss out on great opportunities by not showing up. Our greatest vulnerability is letting people see who we are, so we put up our defenses, only revealing so much. We can connect with others more deeply if we are willing to be vulnerable about ourselves. This can benefit all relationships in our personal and professional lives, and we all know how important relationships are in Emergency Management.
Shame has a significant effect on our lives. Nobody wants to be perceived as “less than,” so we avoid situations that could make us look bad. Think about how many of us have shied away from an on-camera interview. I have seen it many times in PIO classes alone. No one wants to be the face on camera. That’s the shame I’m talking about, that feeling of not being good enough to show up. We are enough as we are if we are willing to take a risk and fully show ourselves to others. I think we will see amazing things happen in our life. We can build shame resilience and accept that we may not always succeed, and sometimes we may fall, but we commit to always getting back up. Being strong enough to fail while daring greatly and getting back up to dare again is strength, is inspiring for all who observe, and is how winning is done.
I think the message is essential for Emergency Managers. Being a leader is challenging and requires incredible strength. When skies turn grey, we are upfront and center stage, which can be very vulnerable especially when people look to us for answers. If we can take this message and strengthen all our relationships, we will become more confident, competent, and connected leaders for those we serve.
Take Aways
We can all benefit from more vulnerability in our lives. Accepting it requires courage when we show up and allow ourselves to be seen and heard as vulnerable.
Vulnerability takes courage, so be courageous, put yourself out there, and dare greatly. I challenge everyone to find an opportunity to be vulnerable and do it; the growth that comes from doing something uncomfortable is fantastic.
External circumstances do not define our worth. Our worth is determined within.
I encourage everyone to step into the arena, dare greatly, fall, and get back up; you may find that you are stronger than you ever imagined. Don’t be one of those cold and timid souls who never know victory nor defeat.
**I embarked on this expedition of reviewing Emergency Management professional reading books as an unexpected part of my Army transition journey. It was a tough decision for me when I was offered this opportunity because I am naturally an introvert and typically avoid putting myself out there. I set a goal to get comfortable, being uncomfortable, so I said yes, and the experience and growth have been incredible. I want to thank everyone for supporting me on my journey of vulnerability with the Baker’s Dozen endeavor so far, and I look forward to what may come. **
I'm a big fan of Roosevelt's speech as well.