We’ve all heard the saying, “To be a great leader, you need to be strong.” But what if true strength in leadership isn’t about being tough all the time? What if it’s about being open, honest, and yes, even vulnerable? Leading with vulnerability doesn’t mean showing weakness—it means showing up as your authentic self, building trust, and connecting with others on a deeper level.
For women, especially, vulnerability in leadership can feel like a balancing act. We often feel pressure to prove ourselves, to be perfect, or to avoid showing any cracks in our armor. But here’s the truth: vulnerability is not only powerful, it’s essential to effective leadership. It fosters connection, trust, and growth, both for you and those around you.
So, how do you actually lead with vulnerability? Here are four practical ways to embrace vulnerability as a leader, while staying grounded in your strength.
1. Admit When You Don’t Have All the Answers
One of the most empowering things you can do as a leader is to acknowledge when you don’t know something. Let’s be real—no one has all the answers, and pretending that you do can actually backfire. By admitting that you don’t know everything, you open the door for collaboration, innovation, and learning.
How to Put This into Practice:
- Say it out loud. The next time you’re asked a question you don’t know the answer to, try saying something like, “I’m not sure about that, but I’ll look into it” or “Let’s figure this out together.” This shows confidence in your ability to learn, rather than a need to appear perfect.
- Foster a culture of curiosity. Encourage your team to ask questions, explore new ideas, and learn from mistakes. When they see you embracing uncertainty, they’ll feel more comfortable doing the same.
Leading with vulnerability means embracing a growth mindset—one that acknowledges that you’re constantly learning and evolving.
2. Share Your Personal Experiences—Including the Challenges
As women, many of us have overcome obstacles—both personal and professional—on our journey to leadership. But sometimes we hesitate to share those stories, worried it might make us appear less capable. In reality, sharing your challenges and how you’ve overcome them can be one of the most powerful tools in your leadership toolkit.
When you share your struggles, you give others permission to be human, too. You create space for honesty and connection, and you show that it’s possible to navigate challenges and come out stronger on the other side.
How to Put This into Practice:
- Choose a moment to share. Whether it’s in a team meeting, a one-on-one, or during a public speaking opportunity, share a story about a time when things didn’t go as planned and how you handled it. This might be about overcoming self-doubt, navigating a career setback, or learning from a mistake.
- Highlight the lessons learned. The key is to focus not just on the struggle, but on how you grew from the experience. This gives your team a roadmap for resilience and reinforces that challenges are a natural part of growth.
Your story has the power to inspire others to face their own challenges with courage.
3. Invite Feedback—and Really Listen
True vulnerability in leadership involves being open to feedback, even when it’s hard to hear. Inviting feedback shows that you’re willing to grow, evolve, and adapt. It also sends a powerful message to your team: their voices matter.
However, inviting feedback is only half of the equation—you also have to really listen. This means setting aside defensiveness, being present, and considering how you can use the feedback to improve.
How to Put This into Practice:
- Ask for specific feedback. Rather than asking broad questions like, “How am I doing?” get specific. Ask, “What’s one thing I could improve on?” or “Is there anything I could be doing to better support the team?”
- Show appreciation. Even if the feedback is tough to hear, thank the person for sharing. Let them know that their input is valuable, and explain how you plan to use the feedback moving forward.
By modeling openness to feedback, you create a culture where continuous improvement is encouraged, and everyone feels empowered to share their insights.
4. Show Empathy and Compassion
One of the most important ways to lead with vulnerability is by showing empathy and compassion, both for yourself and for others. As women leaders, we often feel the pressure to be everything to everyone—but it’s important to recognize that we’re human, too.
Empathy in leadership means recognizing when someone is struggling, offering support, and creating a space where they feel heard. Compassion, on the other hand, means extending that same kindness and understanding to yourself.
How to Put This into Practice:
- Create space for emotions. Whether you’re managing a team or leading a meeting, don’t be afraid to acknowledge when things are tough. Something as simple as asking, “How is everyone doing?” or saying, “It’s okay if you’re feeling overwhelmed right now” can make a huge difference.
- Take care of yourself. Part of leading with vulnerability is recognizing your own limits. If you’re struggling, don’t be afraid to step back, ask for help, or take time for self-care. When you model self-compassion, you give others permission to do the same.
Empathy and compassion build strong, loyal teams. People work harder and are more engaged when they feel cared for and supported.
Vulnerability as Strength
Leading with vulnerability doesn’t mean letting go of your strength. In fact, it takes immense courage to be open, honest, and real. As women, we bring a unique perspective to leadership, and embracing vulnerability allows us to lead in a way that is authentic, powerful, and deeply connected to those we serve.
By admitting when we don’t have all the answers, sharing our personal stories, inviting feedback, and showing empathy, we create environments where people feel safe to show up as their full selves. And that’s where the magic happens—when vulnerability leads to trust, growth, and a shared sense of purpose.
Remember, you don’t have to be perfect to lead. You just have to be real.