Episode 69: The Power of I Don’t Know: Vulnerability in Leadership
Episode 69
The Power of I Don’t Know: Vulnerability in Leadership
Episode Summary
Admitting "I don't know" as a leader can feel terrifying, but pretending to have all the answers erodes trust faster than honesty ever could. There's a critical difference between useful vulnerability that builds trust and unhelpful oversharing that undermines leadership. Vulnerability isn't weakness—it's the foundation of effective leadership.
Key Points:
Leaders often fear vulnerability because of outdated expectations that they must have all the answers, but in today's world where information is widely accessible, pretending to know everything is both exhausting and transparently fake.
Useful vulnerability means being honest about uncertainty while maintaining boundaries—saying "I don't know, but let's figure it out" rather than dumping anxiety or oversharing personal struggles with your team.
Vulnerability-based trust is the foundation of effective leadership according to research by Brené Brown and Patrick Lencioni—without it, teams cannot have healthy conflict, commit to decisions, or hold each other accountable.
Resources
Blog Posts:
Related Episodes
Leadership and Life Bookshelf: Dare to Lead – Courageous Leadership in Action
The Leadership Toolkit: Essential Skills for Leading with Purpose and Impact
Leadership and Life Bookshelf: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
Listen
Listen on Sound Sugar Radio Monday to Friday at 11:00 am and approximately every 75-90 minutes. The audio is posted below:
About Jacquie:
Jacquie is the founder of Leadership and Life by Kayric Inc, where she blends the best of teaching, leadership, and the occasional The West Wing reference to help non-profits and small business build strong leaders and healthy teams. Utilizing DISC and The Five Behaviours of a Cohesive team, combined with teaching knowledge and experience, Jacquie strives to empower leaders with the skills no one taught them and to create teams who want to work together.
Formerly a junior high teacher (who loves teenagers), Jacquie brings a decade of classroom wisdom, ten years corporate training experience, a growth mindset, and a sprinkle of mild rebellion to her dynamic approach.
In her free time, Jacquie channels her passion for community improvement by volunteering with school councils, serving on non-profit boards, and generally finding ways to make her corner of the world a better place. You can also find her on the side of a soccer pitch, at Remedy Café or in her scrapbook room.
