The Importance of Prioritizing Health as a Leader
I felt like I was standing at a crossroads.
The company I had founded with my wife was struggling. On the outside, we looked like we had it all together—a nice office, a large staff, and a consistent flow of clients. We weathered the storm of the pandemic, we adjusted, and we made it happen.
Or so everyone thought.
Behind the scenes, we were struggling. Our overhead was too high, and while we had clients, it wasn’t as busy as before the pandemic. Government support was a temporary bandage on a deeper issue.
At that crossroads, I had two choices: be open, honest, and vulnerable with our staff or pretend I had it all together and try to fix it on my own.
I wish I could say I chose the first option. I didn’t. I was unhealthy, and in my pride and insecurity, I chose the second. It led to months of hidden stress until the board gave me an ultimatum: cut costs, or close the business.
By then, it was too late. While the organization survived and is now thriving, I am no longer in charge. I’ve had time to reflect, and I know now: I should have prioritized my health and led with vulnerability.
What is Vulnerability?
Vulnerability is a word that often carries baggage, but it’s essential to leadership. At its core, vulnerability is “the quality or state of being exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally.”
In leadership, vulnerability means allowing your humanity to be seen—your flaws, struggles, and weaknesses. Yes, this opens you up to potential attack, but it also opens the door to support, growth, and strength.
Here are three reasons leading with vulnerability matters.
Vulnerability Recognizes the Power of Presence
Your mental, emotional, and physical presence impacts your team, whether you acknowledge it or not. Have you noticed how your mood affects those around you? Stress, frustration, and anger change the energy in a room, even if you try to hide it.
The only way to diffuse this is to name it honestly. Saying something as simple as, “I’m frustrated with this situation, and I want you to know it’s not about you,” creates clarity and reduces confusion.
If I could redo my story, I would have admitted that I was tired and overwhelmed. My exhaustion led to disconnection and irritability, and while I thought I could hide it, my presence said otherwise. Naming it might have changed everything.
Vulnerability Highlights Emotional Reciprocity
Reciprocity in relationships means mutual give-and-take. As leaders, when we create space for emotions to be expressed and give language to those emotions, we foster a culture where others feel safe to do the same.
This isn’t a one-time conversation; it’s a posture of leadership.
In my story, there was no emotional reciprocity. I was walled off, thinking I needed to hold it all together. This created a “pressure cooker” where my unspoken emotions built up—and my team mirrored my avoidance. What was once a collaborative team environment became toxic because I wasn’t willing to model emotional honesty.
Vulnerability Shows the Importance of Developed Awareness
If you lead people, you lose the luxury of ignoring what’s happening inside you. Your mental and emotional wellness impacts those you lead, and you must know your struggles, shortcomings, and triggers to lead well.
Vulnerability forces us to maintain this self-awareness.
My unhealth became toxic, and I chose to ignore it. I was unwilling to see things differently or admit when I was wrong. I became defensive and unresponsive, and eventually, I stopped leading altogether.
Final Thoughts
I’m not saying you need to revolutionize your organization overnight. Creating a culture of vulnerability takes intentional thought, reflection, and planning.
But you have to start somewhere. Begin exploring how you can integrate vulnerability into your leadership and team interactions. Your health is directly linked to the health of your organization. As you grow in this, the culture will follow.