In October 2023, I had the honor of becoming a columnist for Harvard Business Manager. It has been—and continues to be—important to me to make the topic of vulnerability useful for our organizations.

The opening article was titled: “The Superpower of Vulnerability.”

Today, two years later, many people are familiar with the concept—but only a few have the courage to truly live it. At the same time, there are still many misunderstandings about what it actually means. Here is an attempt to explain:

“Vulnerability refers to the state of being exposed to the possibility of being physically or emotionally harmed.”(Brené Brown)

It’s about showing up authentically—rather than constantly bending or masking yourself just to avoid standing out or causing irritation. It’s about owning your mistakes, fears, and imperfections, while also standing up for your ideas, ambitions, and dreams with everything you have and everything you are—even at the risk of being hurt.

But what does that mean in practice? I can, for example, pitch an idea and hide behind the recommendations of experts, McKinsey & Company and others—or I can say: “I am deeply convinced that this is what we should do. Even if I risk my career—I stand behind this project with everything I am.”

I can cover up a mistake or blame another department—or I can say: “I’m truly sorry, I messed up. I didn’t work carefully enough. That won’t happen again.”

I can spend months at work pretending to be strong, trying to suppress my marital problems and the grief that comes with them—or I can say: “My marriage is falling apart. I haven’t been sleeping properly for weeks—because I’m worried about our children and our future. Right now, I’m not the leader you deserve.”

Yes, I know: showing yourself like this is frightening and can trigger fear and shame—but at the same time, it is the foundation for real progress. Doesn’t every great innovation begin with someone who goes “all in”? And doesn’t true belonging and genuine trust only emerge when people have the courage to show their real feelings and imperfections?

In the words of Brené Brown: “Perfection separates, vulnerability connects.”

But be careful: never show your vulnerability in an environment that does not deserve it. In toxic cultures, where every mistake and every sign of humanity is exploited or even punished, it is wise to continue protecting yourself and wearing a mask. But do we really want to keep working like this—and is it sustainable in the long run? In a time when AI and robots already do many things better than we do—isn’t vulnerability the last stronghold of our humanity?

This post was published by Wolfgang Jenewein on LinkedIn on November 14, 2025. Zum Original-Beitrag