Vulnerability: The Workplace Superpower Disguised as a Weakness

Last year I got a call from Alex, a leader in a consumer products business. He was preparing to make a big change in his organization: new roles, reporting lines, products—a pretty big deal!

“We’ve done a lot of change in the past,” he told me. “Our analysis is always spot on, our products and structures are right. But something always falls apart. We lose productivity, we lose talent, and we lose steam!”

He was looking for a different outcome this time. Luckily, that’s just my jam.

He showed me his change plan, chock full of cells, lines, and boxes. He had thought it all through, just as he’d done every time before.

“Great,” I said. “Now tell me about what you don’t know. What anxieties, questions, and concerns do you have? And what does your team have to say about all of that?”

He stared blankly. Then, he explained that his job was to deliver clarity, confidence, and answers, not questions, uncertainty, and risk.

This, my friends, was our big moment.

Being vulnerable involves being honest about what you don’t know, what scares you, and where you need support from others.

Alex didn't need more intelligence or analysis—that was already working for him. What he needed was vulnerability.

And chances are, in certain moments, so do you. So let’s dive into what vulnerability is, why it serves us, and how you can bring it to life.

What is vulnerability?

In the fourth-most-watched TED Talk of all time (according to TED), researcher Brené Brown describes vulnerability as “uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure.”

But vulnerability is often mistaken for weakness. When we speak of illness, for example, we flag certain populations, like the elderly, as being the most “vulnerable,” the most likely to fall ill.

Real vulnerability is a show of strength, not weakness.

But the brand of vulnerability we’re talking about here has more in common with the Incredible Hulk than elders like, say, Betty White. (Although, don't we all hope Betty White turns out to be invincible?) Real vulnerability is a show of strength, not weakness.

The Brené brand of vulnerability requires courage and confidence. It involves being honest about what you don’t know, what scares you, and where you need support from others.

Why is allowing yourself to be vulnerable at work so powerful?

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