I have been thinking a lot lately about honesty and vulnerability within leadership and how these notions bridge together to make our schools and communities better places to work and thrive. Brené Brown, in her book Dare to Lead, talks extensively about the power and importance of vulnerability. Always more difficult in practice, I have taken keen notice of honesty and vulnerability in both my personal and professional life and how I can use these to establish and encourage building positive relationships and supporting those around me.

I have also found as a male leader, that vulnerability may not always be valued as a top priority. This is a difficult area of leadership with which to reflect, as vulnerability to me means taking a step out front when something is not going well, even when you know that you are going against the majority. I have often heard and used the sayings myself, “is it worth fighting for?” and/or that we need to “pick our battles.” I long to work in an environment where honesty and vulnerability within our teams, of where we are in the moment, can and should be a powerful tool for moving teams and organizations forward. I want to be completely open and honest with those teams that I work closest with (leadership, faculty, parents, students, community) and find ways to ensure that always taking first, always having the right answer, always being busy, always being the most important … these do not always equate to successful leadership.

When I speak, listen, and share with others I want to be truthful with my words and actions and also vulnerable to show empathy and understanding in difficult situations. It’s not always about “being tough” and “letting things go.” Sometimes we need to continue to talk about and share the difficult and challenging moments and know that the team we work closest with is not going to throw judgement, but rather stick by our side and support us as we learn and grow through the different experiences.

Being honest and vulnerable are not weak traits, if anything, they should be valued for the “realness” that they bring. Leadership is not easy and all educational leaders are on different paths working towards the same goals … to make a positive difference in the world and support one another in the process.

“We need to trust to be vulnerable, and we need to be vulnerable in order to build trust” (Dare to Lead, Brene Brown, p. 30)