The Leadership Myth That's Keeping You Small
The biggest lie about leadership isn't about what you need to know. It's about what you need to hide.
For years, I believed successful leaders never showed weakness. Never admitted doubt. Never let anyone see them struggle.
Then a few months ago I shared the story of losing my sister Lydia in a LinkedIn post.
The response overwhelmed me—not with sympathy, but with connection. Suddenly, everyone felt permission to be human at work.
That post generated more meaningful leadership conversations than any strategy I'd ever shared.
Here's what I learned: Your struggles aren't your weakness. They're your invitation to deeper influence.
The vulnerability paradox in leadership:
The more you try to appear perfect, the less people trust you
The more you admit you don't have all the answers, the more they want to follow you
The more human you become, the more powerful your impact
But here's the key: Vulnerability isn't oversharing or emotional dumping. It's strategic authenticity.
Effective vulnerable leadership looks like:
✓ "I don't know the answer, but let's figure it out together"
✓ "I made a mistake here, and here's what I learned"
✓ "This is challenging for me too, and that's okay"
✓ "I need help with this—who has experience?"
Ineffective vulnerability looks like:
✗ Sharing personal problems that burden your team
✗ Constant self-doubt that creates insecurity in others
✗ Using vulnerability as an excuse for poor performance
✗ Making everything about your struggles
The leaders who changed my life weren't those with perfect track records. They were the ones brave enough to say "I'm human too."
Your imperfections aren't bugs in your leadership—they're features that make you relatable, trustworthy, and ultimately more effective.
Invitation: Share a time when a leader's vulnerability made you trust them more. What did they share, and how did it change your perception?
To dive deeper into courageous leadership and create lasting impact, explore my keynote, "Courage as a Carry-On."
