Vulnerability Is a Leadership Superpower

February 13, 2026

Vulnerability Is a Leadership Superpower

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Vulnerability is hard, let’s just start there.

Most leaders don’t struggle with standards. They don’t struggle with drive.

They struggle with vulnerability, because they’re afraid.

Afraid they’ll be taken advantage of, afraid they’ll lose authority, and afraid kindness will be mistaken for weakness.

That fear keeps organizations rigid, cold, and transactional.

And it limits performance.

Lead Like It’s Your Best Friend’s Kid

Here’s a framework I use: Treat your teammates the way you would treat your best friend’s grown children.

Think about that.

You’d want them to win, grow, and feel supported. You’d bring a lot of kindness. A lot of love.

But you wouldn’t sacrifice transparency, expectations, or professionalism.

That’s the balance. That’s leadership.

Vulnerability Is Not Lowering Standards

Some people think vulnerability means soft leadership.

It doesn’t.

It means being honest about your own mistakes and admitting when something isn’t working. It means being human, without lowering the bar.

You can be kind and still hold the highest standards.

In fact, the highest-performing cultures require both.

The Fear Is Wrong

Leaders often think: “If I lead this way, people will take advantage of me.”

In my experience, the opposite happens.

When you combine:

Clear expectations
High standards
Transparency
And real vulnerability

The net result is powerful.

People love coming to work. They become the best version of themselves. They want to engage. They want to contribute.

The vibe and performance changes.

Massive Vulnerability Is Required

If you want this kind of culture, it starts with you.

The leader has to go first.

The leader has to model vulnerability, admit mistakes, and remove ego from the room.

Without massive vulnerability at the top, the whole thing collapses.

With it, people flourish.

And when your people flourish, the business wins.

Explore more leadership themes in Gui Costin's book, "Be Kind" here!

Written By: Gui Costin, Founder, CEO

Gui Costin is the Founder and CEO of Dakota.

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Vulnerability Is a Leadership Superpower