Leading with Vulnerability

3Why Lead with Vulnerability?

What It Means to You

We all know and have worked with leaders who are the farthest thing from being vulnerable. Yet somehow they are still leaders. They have the authority, salary, equity, benefits, office, and great parking spot. Many leaders got their role because they are good at navigating office politics, they know someone who helped get them promoted, they have been at the company for a long time, they help make the company money, or perhaps they are just good business operators.

So if they didn't have to be vulnerable to get to their position, why should you?

To answer this question, we turn to the Edith checkerspot butterfly.¹ Nevada was home to a particular species of butterfly called the Edith checkerspot. These butterflies had a favorite plant to lay eggs on called the blue‐eyed Mary. For many years the butterflies thrived until one day humans came into the area and brought cattle along with them. But with the cattle came an invasive new plant called ribwort plantain, which took over the blue‐eyed Mary.

Gradually, the butterflies were able to adapt to this new plant and even thrived until 2005 when the humans abruptly left and took their cattle with them. Without the cattle grazing in the fields, the grass grew and covered the ribwort plantain so that butterflies couldn't land on it to lay eggs or eat. Unfortunately, the butterflies had already adapted to this new plant and abandoned their dependency on the blue‐eyed Mary. As a result, ...