The Vulnerability of Leadership

I’ve written hundreds of blogs about design. But honestly, I feel hesitant to write about leadership. Because leadership isn’t a craft you can hide behind. It’s not like design, engineering, or strategy — where skill can mask insecurity, or technique can cover uncertainty.

Leadership asks for something more exposed:
your full self.
Not your tools.
Not your title.
You.

To lead is to show up as a person, fully present to other people — with no shield but your humanity.

And that is deeply vulnerable.

There’s Nowhere to Hide

When you lead, you don’t get to say: “I’m just the designer,” or “I’m just following the process.”
You are the process.
You are the one creating clarity.
The one embodying safety.
The one others look to when things are unclear or hard.
There’s no system that leads for you.
No checklist that makes the hard call.
No role that gives you courage.
You have to bring that from within.

Wanting to Lead Is Vulnerable Too

Even saying “I want to lead” can feel vulnerable.
Not because it’s arrogant —but because it’s honest.

Because it reveals a desire we’re often told to suppress or be ashamed of.

We’re taught to be humble, not hungry.
To wait to be picked, not raise our hands.
But real leadership starts with a willingness to be seen.

To say:
I care enough to step forward.
Even when it’s not safe.
Even when it might be misunderstood.
Even when others stay silent.

Presence Is the Practice

Leadership isn’t performance.
It’s presence.
It’s showing up — again and again — as your full self.
Facing the unknown without pretending.
Holding space for others even when you feel unsure.
Staying open when it would be easier to retreat.

You can’t learn this from a course.
You can’t master it like a technical skill.
You can only live it.
That’s why leadership is hard.

And why it matters so much.

An Invitation

We don’t need leaders who hide behind confidence or hierarchy.

We need people who lead with:
Presence, not perfection.
Care, not control.
The courage to say “I don’t know, but I’m here.”

Not everyone will understand.
Especially when it’s vulnerable.
Especially when it’s human.