The Unexpected Strength in Vulnerability as a Leader

Early in my career, I had a very clear idea of what being a leader meant. I believed leaders were supposed to be tough, composed, and always in control. I thought showing any kind of vulnerability or uncertainty would be seen as a weakness and might cause my team to doubt me.

This idea stuck with me for years, and I worked hard to maintain that image. When things got stressful or difficult, I kept those moments to myself, quietly figuring things out alone so that no one else would feel uneasy or worried. On the surface, it seemed to work. My team respected me, and we always got the job done. But looking back, I realize that my relationships at work lacked genuine connection and trust. Everyone respected me professionally, but they didn’t feel close to me personally.

That began to change during one particularly tough project about four years ago. We were working with a high-profile client on a very complex travel itinerary. Everything was meticulously planned, every detail had been triple-checked, and yet just a few days before departure, multiple things began to fall apart.

First, a crucial hotel booking got mysteriously canceled due to an internal error at the property. Then, a major partner suddenly raised their prices at the last minute, threatening to blow up our carefully balanced budget. On top of that, I found out one of our most trusted suppliers had mistakenly double-booked their services for the same dates, creating a logistical nightmare just 48 hours before the client was due to leave.

I remember clearly sitting in my office late that night, feeling completely overwhelmed. Normally, I would’ve taken a deep breath, worked quietly through the night, and pretended the next morning that everything was under control. But for the first time in my life, I decided to do something different.

Instead of handling everything on my own, I gathered my entire team together early the next morning and told them the truth. I told them exactly what had happened, exactly what was at stake, and exactly how I was feeling. I admitted that I didn’t yet know how to fix everything and that I genuinely needed their help.

In that moment, standing there openly admitting I was uncertain and anxious, I felt strangely exposed. For a brief second, I worried I had just damaged my credibility as a leader. But to my surprise, the reaction I got was completely different from what I expected.

Instead of losing trust in me, my team immediately stepped forward. They were calm, supportive, and proactive. One team member quickly found an alternative hotel that was even better suited to the client's tastes, and another called in a favor from a vendor we hadn’t used in years. Within a few hours, everyone had jumped in with ideas, solutions, and offers to work extra hours. By the end of the day, not only had we solved every single issue, but the final itinerary turned out even stronger than our original plan.

Afterward, something remarkable happened. My team started coming to me more openly when they faced problems. Instead of hiding their doubts, they felt comfortable enough to share them. Trust deepened. People began to connect more personally because they saw a side of me that wasn’t always strong, wasn’t always sure, but was always authentic.

I learned that day that vulnerability isn’t weakness,it’s actually one of the strongest tools a leader can have. By showing that I didn’t always have all the answers, I created space for my team to feel needed and valued. I gave them permission to show their own vulnerabilities, fears, and struggles. As a result, we became a tighter, more resilient group.

Since then, I’ve continued to embrace vulnerability as a key part of my leadership style. It doesn’t mean oversharing or creating unnecessary drama; it simply means being honest about my limitations, asking openly for help, and admitting when I’m not entirely sure of something.

In doing this, I discovered something powerful: vulnerability creates trust, connection, and loyalty. It transforms teams from people who simply work together into people who truly support each other.

And that’s the kind of strength no amount of toughness can replicate.