Vulnerability Is a Leadership Quality

To thrive in the contemporary workforce, companies need to create a culture of teamwork and trust. Yet within many industries, becoming a career employee at the same company has become the exception rather than the rule. Nonetheless, because job commitment and security are valuable commodities in an uncertain economy, managers and supervisors seek not only to attract talent, but to retain it. And as we have learned over the years, employee retention requires more than benefits; it requires emotional buy-in and interpersonal bonding through trust. Fortunately, research reveals there are ways for supervisors to create this dynamic.

Source: Image by u_c3dlob4ax4 from Pixabay

The Value of Vulnerability

When we envision the qualities that make great leaders, vulnerability is likely not top of the list. Yet in reality, many people follow leaders who are not only competent and trustworthy but who possess qualities that others can identify with. Great leaders are often respected and trusted through their humanity, being relatable through vulnerabilities they are willing to share. A recent study explains.

Shared Humanity Creates Authenticity and Trust

Ito and colleagues (2025) [i] note that one of the most significant challenges faced by managers is cultivating trust, which includes both vulnerability and holding positive expectations of the intentions of others, between supervisors and subordinates. Trust not only creates interpersonal comfort and confidence, but it also contributes to a well-functioning workplace. For example, Ito and colleagues note that one recent study (citing Robinson, 2021) indicates that 49 percent of employees have failed to report something to their manager which they should have, out of fear of retaliation. They note this statistic is concerning because the lack of trust in managers can prompt turnover and lost productivity, among other negative consequences. In today’s world, we can add that if over half of the workforce is reluctant to report red flags of danger or dishonesty, to name a few, there are bigger problems down the road that could threaten workplace safety and security.

Regarding how to build a culture of trust, Ito and colleagues note that one important aspect of a subordinate’s trust is the perceived authenticity of a supervisor’s behavior. Because authenticity includes sharing both positive and negative events, supervisors who share both types of historical examples exhibit a degree of vulnerability, which can build trust by illustrating values and beliefs--such as recognizing it is acceptable to share weakness.

The Power of Shared Personal Experience

Ito and colleagues investigated how supervisors can generate trust among subordinates through self-disclosure. They found that when supervisors share personal experiences, such as having suffered a traumatic loss, it has the potential to enhance the trust of subordinates by increasing charismatic attributions, which precede trust. This is important interpersonally because, as a practical matter, almost everyone can relate to some past trauma, and many people find it cathartic to share. Yet in addition to sharing common experience, whether suffering a loss through a car accident or surviving a battle with cancer, talking it out requires trust. Ito and colleagues found that supervisor self-disclosure of a traumatic loss can build trust by demonstrating authenticity regarding the self-disclosure, which builds stronger connections with subordinates and fosters high-quality relationships.

Creating a Culture of Competence and Acceptance

Being able to share appropriate vulnerabilities within professional boundaries contributes to a culture of acceptance. Assuming this can be accomplished while respecting the confidentiality of others, it may allow colleagues and peers to bond through shared experiences. Supervisors do not lose rank and respect by being relatable; they gain status among peers and subordinates through bolstering their experience and expertise with street credibility.

In the contemporary world, where company policies promote open communication and on-the-job safety, employees who feel comfortable sharing observations, ideas, and aspirations with superiors contribute to a workplace culture that is social, stimulating, and safe. And considering the amount of time the average employee spends on the job, positive company culture provides an attractive venue to call one’s home away from home, and a place where talented prospects want to work.