How to Be Vulnerable as a Leader
Vulnerability is not oversharing or falling apart in front of your team. It is having the courage to say “I do not know,” “I was wrong” and “I need help” when they are true.
Vulnerability as a leader means being honest about what you do not know, owning your mistakes, asking for help and sharing appropriate parts of your own story so people see a human being rather than a title. Done well, it builds trust and gives your team permission to be honest too. It does not mean oversharing, venting or handing your burdens to the people you lead.
Many leaders believe they need to look like they have every answer. They hide mistakes, avoid admitting uncertainty and keep their own struggles completely private. It feels like strength. In practice, it often creates distance, because people can tell when someone is performing.
What vulnerability is and is not
Vulnerability is not oversharing, venting to your team or falling apart in front of them. Your people should not have to carry your burdens. It is the courage to be honest about the things that are true: “I do not know yet.” “I got that wrong.” “I need your help with this.” “This one is hard for me too.”
Ways leaders can show healthy vulnerability
- Say “I do not know.” Then say how you will find out.
- Own mistakes first. Before anyone else has to point them out.
- Ask for input. Especially from people who know more than you about a topic.
- Share a relevant story. A time you struggled, and what you learned.
- Admit when something is hard. While still showing the way forward.
Why it builds trust
When a leader is honest about their own limits, it signals that honesty is safe on the team. People start admitting mistakes earlier, asking for help sooner and raising problems before they grow. That is psychological safety, and it starts with the leader going first. See How to Build Psychological Safety at Work.
Telling your own story
Before my book came out, I sat down with my boys to share some of the stories in it that most people did not know about me, so they would hear them from me first. It was not easy. But I wanted others to learn from those lessons, and I have found that people connect far more with honest stories than with polished ones. Leaders do not need to share everything. But sharing a real struggle, and what you learned from it, helps people see that growth is possible for them too.
Strong and human at the same time
The best leaders I know are both. They hold high standards and admit their own mistakes. They make hard decisions and acknowledge when those decisions are hard. Vulnerability does not replace strength. It makes strength believable.
Leading as a human being, not a title, runs through my culture keynote, You Are Capable of a Better Culture, and my leadership workshop, You Are Capable of More: Leadership. See also How to Build Trust With Your Team and How to Apologize at Work.
Vulnerability as a leader is honesty, not oversharing: saying I do not know, I was wrong and I need help when those are true, and sharing real stories of growth. It builds trust and gives your team permission to be honest too.
Frequently asked questions
What does vulnerability look like in leadership?
Is vulnerability a weakness in leaders?
Can leaders be too vulnerable?
How does leader vulnerability affect teams?
You Are Capable of More
A No-Excuses Guide to Becoming Your Best Self. The bestselling book behind Chris’s keynotes and the 2026 Paris Book Festival winner in the How-To category. Many teams hand a copy to every seller at their kickoff.
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