Embracing vulnerability can foster trust and authenticity at work, at home, and in all of your relationships. While vulnerability is often stigmatized as a weakness, or even a solely feminine quality, the truth of the matter is that it actually means wearing your heart on your sleeve for others to know and see. It means letting go of the control over your own perception and putting faith in people appreciating you for the qualities and characteristics that make you you, not just because of what you can do for them based on the titles you hold.
Controlling everyone else’s narrative as a leader will only exhaust and burn you out. Recognizing your vulnerability for the power that it holds, the connection and success it can foster, will help you feel successful as a leader.
“Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome.” – Brené Brown
In today’s fast-paced, high-stakes world, leaders are often expected to have all the answers. Whether it’s in a company, organization, in politics or even at home, we ask our leaders to be decisive, steadfast, and project strength and knowledge at all times. However, there is a growing recognition that the most effective leaders aren’t those who hide behind a façade of perfection, but rather those who are willing to embrace and express vulnerability—the ones who are okay admitting that they still rely on help and support, and ask questions to be successful.
Vulnerability is often misunderstood as a weakness, but in truth, it is one of the most powerful tools a leader can possess. When we allow ourselves to be open, authentic and even imperfect, we create the opportunity for deeper connection and build bridges toward trust which ultimately allows greater success in our relationships—both in our personal and professional lives.
Just think about the leaders you’ve admired the most. I’m pretty certain you weren’t drawn to them because they were flawless or larger than life, but instead because they were real and genuine. They shared their struggles and allowed you to see them for who they truly are.
This level of openness invites others to be vulnerable too, providing a sense of permission to be and feel wholly human. When we feel safe to express our humanity, we feel more connected, have a better sense of wellbeing, and experience a higher quality of life.
Vulnerability is Paramount to Trust
At the core of every successful relationship is trust. Whether in business or in life, trust is what allows individuals and teams to function at their highest potential and achieve success. Research supports this, too. A 2017 study published in the Harvard Business Review found that when leaders displayed vulnerability by admitting mistakes, sharing personal stories, or asking for help, their employees were 20% more likely to take risks and speak up with innovative ideas.
People often look toward leaders as role models, someone whose mannerisms they should emulate. When leaders exhibit levels of trust and vulnerability, employees will likely follow suit. Trust and vulnerability allow people to feel comfortable opening up their hearts and their minds. This will foster a culture of sharing thoughts and ideas, offering support or constructive criticism and collaborating in unity toward common goals.
Vulnerability Promotes Psychological Safety
When leaders are willing to be vulnerable by acknowledging their own mistakes, admitting when they don’t have all the answers, or showing emotions—they humanize themselves in the eyes of their team. This openness encourages a deeper level of trust, as people feel more connected to a leader who is authentic rather than one who always seems impenetrable or separated.
More often than not, people want to see you succeed. People want to watch you be successful, to help celebrate you, and vice versa. We look to each other for validation. Creating a workplace that feels safe for others to exist means you’re also creating a business and culture founded on the idea that people should enjoy what they do and the minds they surround themselves with.
When teams feel safe to express their own challenges and doubts, they become more collaborative, innovative, and resilient, because they feel connected as individuals. A sense of safety is born, and safety promotes enhanced workplace morale and a culture of collaboration.
Authenticity Sparks Greater Innovation
A study from Google’s Project Aristotle on high-performing teams highlighted the importance of vulnerability. It found that psychological safety—built on trust and the willingness to express vulnerability—was the most important factor in team success. Teams that reported feeling safe to be authentic with each other were more innovative and had higher overall performance.
Vulnerability paves the way for greater creativity and innovation. When leaders are authentic, they give others permission to show up as their true selves with their unique perception and ways of thinking. This creates an environment where diverse ideas can flourish, where risk-taking is encouraged, and where failure is seen as a necessary part of growth, one met with constructive criticism rather than harsh consequence.
As a leader, if your employers notice you asking thoughtful questions or providing specific insights, they’ll be more likely to feel it’s acceptable to do the same things themselves. Your authenticity will cause a domino effect for the authenticity and innovation of others.
Vulnerability Reveals Emotional Intelligence
One of the foundational pillars of effective leadership is emotional intelligence. Essentially, this is the ability to understand and manage your own emotions while also being attuned to the emotions of others. Vulnerability plays a crucial role in developing and maintaining emotional intelligence. When leaders let their guard down and allow themselves to be vulnerable, they get more in touch with their own emotions and also can better relate to the emotional experiences of their team members.
This emotional awareness fosters a culture of empathy and understanding. Employees feel seen and valued, which leads to higher levels of engagement, loyalty and employee retention.
According to a study by Catalyst, leaders who demonstrate vulnerability through empathy and inclusivity are more likely to inspire 61% of their employees to be innovative, and successfully encourage 50% of their employees to be more engaged in their work.
Vulnerable leaders also demonstrate humility, showing that they are willing to learn and grow alongside their team. Employees will be more likely to feel seen and heard, and supported in their own journeys of growth as a member of your team.
Lead With Courage, Not Perfection
As you probably know quite well, it takes a whole lot of courage to be vulnerable, and even more so when everyone is looking up to you for guidance when you’re in a leadership role. It requires letting go of the need to appear perfect, and instead embracing the reality that true leadership comes from being authentic. Of course, vulnerability is not about oversharing or constantly blithering about your insecurities—emotional intelligence and vulnerability call for a need to be appropriate and authentic in their expression. But, it is about finding the balance between strength and openness and showing up fully.
As leaders, when we embrace vulnerability, we’re not only building deeper, more authentic relationships, but we’re also creating spaces where others feel empowered to do the same. This fosters collaboration because team members will feel more inclined to share and trust in others.
In a world that often equates leadership with a steel-jawed lack of emotion and total control, or paints leadership on disconnected pedestals, separated from the unity of an employee workforce, choosing vulnerability is a radical act of courage. It’s the key to fostering trust, driving innovation, and leading with heart.
It shows others that you’re willing to embrace your imperfections, and it takes strength.
Embrace the Imperfections
My personal takeaway about leadership, trust and emotional intelligence is to embrace the imperfections. No leader is perfect, and that’s okay. In fact, it’s our imperfections that make us relatable, approachable, and even more effective in our roles. By embracing vulnerability, we step into a new kind of leadership—one grounded in authenticity, trust, and the courage to be seen for who we truly are. When we practice what we preach, it reveals our humanity and creates a nice trickle down effect in workplace or team settings.
In your leadership journey, remember this: the most powerful leaders aren’t those who never falter, but those who rise by showing up with vulnerability and lead with heart.
“To share your weakness is to make yourself vulnerable; to make yourself vulnerable is to show your strength.” – Criss Jami
