Jacob Morgan’s latest work, Leading with Vulnerability, explores a question many experienced leaders still wrestle with: how do you bring honesty and emotional openness into organisational life without eroding trust, stability or confidence in your leadership? His research, drawn from over 100 CEO interviews and a global survey of 14,000 employees, highlights a pattern that emotionally intelligent leaders will recognise. Vulnerability on its own is never enough. It needs to be paired with clarity, direction and competent action.
Two contrasting examples illustrate this well.
In 1991, Hollis Harris, then CEO of Continental Airlines, told his 42,000 employees that the business was struggling and he did not know how to move forward. He ended his message by asking employees to pray for the company’s future. By the next day, he had been removed from his role.
His words were honest, but they left a leadership vacuum. The emotional exposure was clear; the leadership was absent.
Compare this with Fleetwood Grobler, President and CEO of Sasol Limited. He stepped in when the organisation was $13 billion in debt and facing the possibility of repossession. He acknowledged the seriousness of the situation, but he also articulated a future direction. He spoke about rebuilding trust, working collectively and using the strength of the team to regain stability. His message was vulnerable, but it was also anchored in leadership. Employees could see both the reality of the challenge and the path forward.
This distinction matters. Leaders operate within a different emotional and relational context. Their words carry weight, shape interpretation and influence psychological safety. Vulnerability expressed without leadership can unsettle teams, weaken confidence and unintentionally signal that the leader is overwhelmed. Vulnerability expressed with leadership strengthens trust, deepens connection and reinforces credibility.
Morgan’s definition of a vulnerable leader aligns closely with emotionally intelligent practice: someone who intentionally opens themselves to emotional risk while taking action, where possible, to create a constructive outcome. It is the combination that matters. Admitting a mistake and actively addressing it. Asking for help and committing to the learning required. Sharing a personal challenge while also demonstrating how you are managing it. Vulnerability creates connection; leadership demonstrates capability.
The survey conducted with DDI revealed the most common barrier to vulnerability at work: “I don’t want to be perceived as weak or incompetent.” This fear is familiar to many leaders. The solution is not to avoid vulnerability, but to add competence to it. Morgan frames this as:
Vulnerability + Leadership = Leading with Vulnerability
The distinction is subtle but important. Vulnerability alone is disclosure. Leading with vulnerability is disclosure paired with action, learning and forward movement.
For leaders navigating change, rebuilding trust or strengthening performance, this combination is essential. It reassures people that you are human and accessible, while also demonstrating that you are capable, steady and committed to progress.
Whenever you find yourself in a vulnerable moment, whether anticipated or unexpected, pause and ask:
What leadership can I add here?
It is a simple question that keeps vulnerability purposeful rather than destabilising. It helps you stay connected without losing authority, and it supports teams in feeling both informed and secure.
Morgan’s book explores this balance in depth. For leaders committed to emotionally intelligent practice, it offers a clear and practical lens for integrating vulnerability into everyday leadership without compromising trust or effectiveness.
You can learn more about the book here: https://thefutureorganization.com/
