Leading Beyond Expertise: Harnessing Vulnerability to Inspire Trust and Drive Impact

The complex challenges facing today's military require leaders who can leverage collective expertise rather than being all-knowing figures themselves. After commissioning as an Engineer Officer in August 2023, my first assignment placed me with an engineering company, leading technical soldiers in vertical construction tasks—a field entirely foreign to me. This experience crystallized what research increasingly confirms: effective military leadership has evolved beyond projecting unwavering certainty toward embracing what Moussavi-Bock (2011) calls "the raw power of vulnerability in leadership." Modern commissioned officers serve primarily as versatile integrators of specialized capabilities, not as universal technical experts. When leading teams with specialized knowledge, acknowledging limitations becomes a strategic strength rather than a weakness, enabling leaders to harness the full expertise of their units. This fundamental transformation in leadership philosophy represents a necessary evolution for navigating today's complex operational environment.

Redefining Leadership Through Vulnerability

Traditional leadership models often glorify the authoritative expert who has all the answers. But in today's rapidly evolving environment, this archetype is not just outdated—it's counterproductive. True vulnerability in leadership means acknowledging limitations while remaining committed to the mission and team success. Vulnerability in leadership is not about weakness but involves "coming out from behind yourself, into the conversation, and making it real" (Moussavi-Bock, 2011). It represents leaders' choice to be authentic in their interactions, not something they inherently possess.

This stands in stark contrast to both the traditional "all-knowing" approach and laissez-faire leadership. Where traditional leadership might mask uncertainty to project strength, and laissez-faire leadership disengages from responsibility, vulnerability-based leadership strikes a powerful middle ground—maintaining authority while openly acknowledging limitations.

Leaders who express vulnerability publicly exhibit their human fallibility, appreciate others' strengths, and demonstrate teachability by engaging in ongoing learning (Owens et al., 2013). This approach shifts attention from leaders to team members, creating a foundation for trust and psychological safety (Wang et al., 2018).

The Psychology of Trust and Team Dynamics

When leaders embrace vulnerability, they fundamentally transform team psychology.

Research shows that 58% of employees trust strangers more than their bosses (Gordon, 2018)—a statistic that reveals the severe trust deficit in many organizations. Trust is key to organizational effectiveness, with employee performance quality and efficiency increasing when employees trust their leaders (Brown et al., 2015).

Three key practices emerge as hallmarks of vulnerable leadership: sharing authority with team members, expressing genuine emotions, and communicating mistakes (Gordon, 2018). When leaders openly share successes and failures, they create unified, confident teams motivated to take ownership of their work.

This isn't just about feeling good—it's about creating a psychologically safe environment where innovation and problem-solving flourish.

Psychological safety is the shared belief that the team environment is safe for interpersonal risk-taking allows members to ask questions, seek feedback, report mistakes, and propose new ideas without fear of negative consequences (Edmondson, 1999). When leaders express humility by acknowledging their limitations and showing appreciation for their teams' contributions, they signal to team members that "it's safe to express myself even if making mistakes" (Zou & Chen, 2022).

Evidence-Based Impact

The benefits of vulnerability-based leadership are far from theoretical. Studies demonstrate that leader humility positively impacts team psychological safety, which in turn facilitates creativity and performance (Wang et al., 2018). Psychological safety provides team members the confidence to take risks and express new ideas, helping them overcome anxiety and fear of failure (Frazier et al., 2016).

Research shows leaders who tap into vulnerability can build stronger connections and trust (Maor et al., 2024). Vulnerability allows leaders to invite thoughts and insights from colleagues and team members, which builds trust—the foundation of effective teams.

Teams with leadership-fostered psychological safety demonstrate increased knowledge sharing, openness about mistakes, and accelerated learning and innovation (Carmeli et al., 2010). When leaders normalize discussing mistakes, teams learn more, save organizations money, and innovate faster (Cheung et al., 2016).

Brene Brown's groundbreaking research on vulnerability reinforces these findings. As she discovered in her TEDx talk on vulnerability, "For connection to happen, we have to allow ourselves to be seen, really seen... deeply seen" (Brown, 2010, cited in Moussavi-Bock, 2011). Brown found that people with high self-worth "had the courage to be imperfect. They had the compassion to be kind to themselves and others. They had a connection as a result of authenticity. They were willing to let go of who they should be to be who they were" (Brown, 2010, as cited in Moussavi-Bock, 2011).

Practical Strategies for Vulnerable Leadership

Translating vulnerability into everyday leadership practice requires intentional approaches:

1. Share authority and burden: Effective delegation involves both disclosure vulnerability (communicating critical information with team members) and reliance vulnerability (sharing responsibility with the team) (Gordon, 2018). When leaders discuss crucial responsibilities with team members, they create opportunities for employees to demonstrate competency and reliability.

2. Express genuine emotions: Emotional expression centered around visions and concerns helps teams understand direction and navigate problems more efficiently (Meyer et al., 2017). When leaders express emotions regarding company progress, employees can redirect efforts appropriately.

3. Communicate mistakes openly: Leaders who openly share and discuss personal mistakes create a culture that learns from errors rather than hiding them (Gordon, 2018). This approach invites knowledgeable people into the conversation, helping avoid costly repeated mistakes while fostering innovation.

4. Create a "To Be" list, not just a "To Do" list: Most leaders have a to-do list that keeps them on track. But Maor et al. (2024) suggest developing a "to be" list—a reminder of who leaders are and how they want to behave when they show up at work daily. Are they egotistical or open to other points of view? Emotionally distant or vulnerable?

5. Practice consistency: The consistency with which leaders express humility matters significantly. Research by Rego et al. (2020) found that when leaders express humility consistently across team members, it reinforces psychological safety. Inconsistent expressions of humility can weaken its positive effects.

Overcoming Challenges

Vulnerable leadership isn't without challenges, especially in military contexts where traditional leadership models are deeply ingrained. Leaders may fear that displaying vulnerability will diminish their influence. However, in today's fluid hierarchies, where leaders project humility, they can maintain respect by balancing competence with honesty. As former Novartis CEO Dan Vasella noted, "Leaders now gain respect by being both competent and honest" (Maor et al., 2024). Some concerns about vulnerability stem from misattribution. Team members may perceive leader-expressed humility as manipulative when attributing it to self-interest. Research shows that when employees attribute their leader's humble behavior to manipulative intention, the positive effect of humility is weakened (Zou & Chen, 2022). To address these challenges, authenticity is key. To be effective, vulnerability must be genuine, consistent, and paired with competence.

Conclusion

As military leaders, we face unprecedented complexity and challenges that no single person—regardless of rank or experience—can solve alone. By embracing vulnerability, we don't diminish our leadership; we enhance it. Vulnerability becomes power in leadership relationships (Moussavi-Bock, 2011). As Brene Brown discovered, leaders with high self-worth "had the courage to be imperfect... They were willing to let go of who they should be in order to be who they were, which you have to absolutely do for connection" (Brown, 2010, as cited in Moussavi-Bock, 2011). In my experience, the strongest teams aren't built through displays of perfect leadership but through authentic connections forged when leaders have the courage to say, "I don't know—but let's figure it out together." By harnessing vulnerability, we create psychologically safe environments where innovation thrives, trust deepens, and teams achieve their full potential. The next time you find yourself facing a challenge beyond your expertise, remember that your greatest leadership asset might not be having all the answers but having the courage to acknowledge that you don't—and the wisdom to draw on the collective intelligence of your team.

References

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Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44, 350-383.

Frazier, M. L., Fainshmidt, S., Klinger, R. L., Pezeshkan, A., & Vracheva, V. (2016). Psychological safety: A meta-analytic review and extension. Personnel Psychology, 70, 113-165.

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Joey Tientcheu is a Cybersecurity Research Staff Member at the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA). Joey conducts critical analyses of complex information systems to ensure their security and effectiveness in supporting the warfighting functions. Her multifaceted career spans roles as a Cyberspace Operations Lead in the Federal Government, Tax Technology & Transformation at EY, and pioneering work as part of PwC's inaugural class of Tax Digital Accelerators. Currently serving as an Engineer Lieutenant in the Maryland Army National Guard, Joey brings a unique blend of military and civilian expertise to her work safeguarding national defense infrastructure.

Her academic pursuits reflect a commitment to continuous growth, having earned an Honors Associate's in Political Science, a Bachelor's in Accounting, a Master's in Data Analytics & Policy, and now pursuing a Doctorate in Engineering in Cybersecurity Analytics. This educational foundation, combined with extensive experience in risk management, cyber threat analysis, and network defense, has established Joey as an influential mentor and leader who excels in dynamic environments where technical expertise meets strategic decision-making.