Leaders Can Be Vulnerable – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1016

Leaders Can Be Vulnerable – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1016

Dear Colleagues! This is Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1016 for Pharma Veterans. Pharma Veterans Blogs are published by Asrar Qureshi on its dedicated site https://pharmaveterans.com. Please email to aq.pharmaveterans@gmail.com for publishing your contributions here.

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Leadership often comes with the pressure to always have the answers, appear strong, and project unwavering confidence. Vulnerability in leadership is often seen as a paradox. Leaders are traditionally expected to project strength, confidence, and decisiveness, but embracing vulnerability can be one of the most powerful tools for building trust, engagement, and authentic connections in a team. The truth is that the most impactful leaders aren’t the ones who never show weakness, but the ones who embrace vulnerability as a strength.

In a world where we're conditioned to hide our fears and imperfections, vulnerability may feel counterintuitive. However, it’s one of the most powerful tools a leader can harness. Here are the reasons why.

Vulnerability Creates Trust

When leaders show vulnerability, it invites others to do the same. Being open about your struggles or uncertainties demonstrates authenticity, which builds trust. Your team or followers want to connect with a real person, not a perfectly polished image. Sharing your own experiences of challenge and growth opens the door to deeper, more honest relationships.

Vulnerability allows leaders to connect more deeply with their teams by showing that they, too, face challenges and emotions. When leaders share their struggles, whether related to business or personal matters, it creates space for empathy. This kind of emotional connection fosters loyalty and can enhance team cohesion.

Vulnerability Humanises Leadership

Leaders aren’t superhuman. By admitting that you don’t have all the answers or that you're working through something difficult, you become relatable. This human touch not only inspires empathy from others but also creates a safe environment where people feel comfortable sharing their own challenges.

When leaders show vulnerability by admitting mistakes or acknowledging uncertainty, they humanize themselves, making it easier for employees to relate to them. This openness encourages a culture of trust, where team members feel safe to share their own challenges or ask for help. It reduces the fear of failure, promoting innovation and learning within the organization.

Vulnerability Sparks Innovation

When leaders are willing to say, “I don’t know,” or “Let’s try something new,” it opens the door to creativity and innovation. Fear of failure often holds teams back. But when a leader embraces the possibility of failure and frames it as a learning experience, it encourages the entire team to think more openly and experiment with bold ideas.

Vulnerability Builds Resilience

Being vulnerable means confronting your fears, mistakes, and uncertainties. Instead of avoiding them, you face them head-on, learning and growing in the process. This builds resilience—not just in you, but in your team. They learn to see challenges not as threats, but as opportunities for growth.

Leaders who are vulnerable signal to their teams that it’s okay to take risks and fail. This also promotes resilience, as the team understands that setbacks are part of the journey to success. By modeling how to handle failures or difficult times, leaders help their teams develop the mindset needed to persevere in challenging situations.

Vulnerability Encourages Authenticity

By being open about their own imperfections, leaders model authenticity for their teams. This gives permission to others to bring their whole selves to work, rather than trying to live up to unrealistic expectations of perfection. A culture of authenticity is crucial for creativity, diversity of thought, and healthy collaboration.

Vulnerability Improves Decision Making

When leaders admit what they don’t know, they open the door for input from others, creating a more collaborative and inclusive decision-making process. Vulnerability can lead to better decisions because it encourages diverse viewpoints and solutions from across the organization.

Strength in Humility

Admitting vulnerability doesn’t mean a lack of strength—it takes courage. A leader who can say, “I don’t know,” or “I made a mistake,” demonstrates humility. This kind of strength comes from within and can inspire confidence, because it shows the leader is focused on learning, growth, and the team's best interests rather than ego.

Vulnerability Boosts Engagement and Motivation

People tend to be more motivated and engaged when they feel understood and appreciated. Vulnerable leaders who acknowledge the efforts of their team, express gratitude, or admit to their own stress can create a more supportive and motivating environment. This can increase job satisfaction and commitment among employees.

Vulnerability Creates Psychological Safety

Vulnerability is a key component of psychological safety—an environment where team members feel safe to express ideas, make mistakes, and learn without fear of being judged or penalized. Leaders who model vulnerability contribute to this kind of environment, which has been shown to boost performance, innovation, and learning.

How to Lead with Vulnerability?

Own Your Mistakes – When you make a mistake, admit it. Instead of covering it up, share what you learned. This not only shows humility but also sets an example for your team that mistakes are part of the journey.

Ask for Help – Leaders don’t need to do everything alone. Asking for input or guidance shows that you value others’ contributions and are open to collaboration. It empowers your team to step up and support you.

Share Your Story – Being open about your own leadership journey—the struggles, the doubts, the breakthroughs—gives others permission to do the same. Your story can be a powerful tool for connection and inspiration.

Encourage Vulnerability in Others – Build an environment where your team feels safe to speak up, share their concerns, and admit when they need help. Vulnerability isn't a one-way street; it’s a culture that starts from the top and flows throughout the organisation.

Moving Forward

The next time you feel the urge to armour up and hide behind a façade of strength, consider this: vulnerability doesn’t weaken your leadership; it enhances it. In fact, it allows you to lead from a place of true power, where authenticity, trust, and connection thrive.

Sum Up

While vulnerability is powerful, it must be balanced. Leaders must be mindful of the context in which they express vulnerability. Oversharing, or appearing indecisive or unsure too often, can undermine a leader's credibility. The key is to show vulnerability in ways that align with the organization’s goals and culture, using it to build strength rather than appearing fragile.

In conclusion, vulnerability in leadership is not about weakness, but about courage, empathy, and the willingness to be open to growth. Leaders who skillfully balance vulnerability with strength create more dynamic, engaged, and innovative teams.

Concluded.

Disclaimers: Pictures in these blogs are taken from free resources at Pexels, Pixabay, Unsplash, and Google. Credit is given where available. If a copyright claim is lodged, we shall remove the picture with appropriate regrets.

For most blogs, I research from several sources which are open to public. Their links are mentioned under references. There is no intent to infringe upon anyone’s copyrights. If, however, it happens unintentionally, I offer my sincere regrets.

Reference: Ryan Ettridge - Ryan@BeingUnstuckable.com