Displaying Vulnerability at Work. Is it Different For Leaders?

Leaders who show vulnerability are often seen as more approachable and relatable. It humanizes them and can inspire greater loyalty and commitment from their team — when done right it fosters a healthy and productive work environment.

So, does vulnerability look the same for leaders as it does for everyone else? The simple answer is “no”. So how do executives show vulnerability without it feeling uncomfortable or sounding disingenuous? The answer lies in tying the act of vulnerability to leadership.

Demonstrating vulnerability can help to build trust and connection by allowing others to see you as human, with strengths and weaknesses. This authenticity builds trust and fosters stronger connections among team members. It also encourages open communication leading to more honest discussions, problem-solving, and collaboration. 

Additionally, embracing vulnerability contributes to a positive and supportive workplace culture. Team members are more likely to feel comfortable expressing their ideas, concerns, and opinions without fear of judgment. It also fosters innovation in that when people feel safe being vulnerable, they are more likely to take risks and share unconventional ideas leading to increased innovation and creative problem-solving. 

Acknowledging vulnerabilities can also contribute to the well-being of employees. It reduces the pressure to maintain a facade of invulnerability, which can be stressful, and encourages a more balanced work-life integration. Recognizing vulnerabilities also allows individuals to acknowledge areas for improvement. This openness to learning and growing contributes to personal and professional development.

An additional benefit includes building resilience, allowing individuals and teams to adapt to challenges more effectively. It also fosters empathy, making it easier to navigate conflicts. And finally, it creates a more inclusive environment where individuals feel accepted regardless of their strengths or weaknesses.  

It’s time to realize the positives of demonstrating vulnerability. This can be done by asking, “why am I sharing this?” Is it to simply display feelings or in doing so will it enable me to exhibit leadership attributes like trust? The point here is being vulnerable is different than leading with vulnerability because vulnerability without leadership can land awkwardly, or even worse be seen as incompetence. Take for example a leader who is going to announce reductions in staff. To show vulnerability a leader could express how bad this makes him/her feel and how he/she really doesn’t want to do it. This shows vulnerability but not necessarily leadership. In contrast that same leader could announce staffing reductions, sharing how they realize this is painful for all but at the same time necessary to make the company stronger in an increasingly competitive landscape. This in turn shows empathy and strength in leadership. 

After being clear on the “why” for sharing,  it is critical to think about the “how” to display it. Best-selling author and futurist, Jacob Morgan in his new book, Leading with Vulnerability: Unlock Your Greatest Superpower to Transform Yourself, Your Team, and Your Organization masterfully touches on some of these points including highlighting the eight attributes of vulnerable leaders: Competence, self-confidence, motivation, integrity, authenticity, empathy, self-compassion, and self-awareness. When leaders learn to display vulnerability effectively they allow it to become a superpower instead of a struggle.  

In sum, being vulnerable looks very different than leading with vulnerability. Understanding that difference and displaying it appropriately can strengthen leadership and propel teams.