Embracing Imperfection as a Leader: Why Your Flaws Build Trust

Let’s be real: once you're in a leadership position, it can feel like the stakes for getting it wrong are sky-high.

Maybe you’ve thought this:

If I mess up, they’ll stop trusting me. If I say “I don’t know,” I’ll look weak. If I fail, I might lose the job altogether.

That pressure is real. But here's what’s more real—and more powerful:

Embracing imperfection as a leader doesn’t make you less credible. It makes you more human, more trustworthy, and more effective.

Why This Matters

Trying to lead from a place of perfection sends an unspoken message: “We don’t mess up here.” That shuts down learning. It kills curiosity. And it quietly builds fear.

When you show your team that it’s safe to try, to get it wrong, and to grow—you don’t lower standards. You raise the level of psychological safety.

📚 As Harvard Business Review puts it:

“Leaders who openly acknowledge their weaknesses are seen as more relatable, more approachable, and more effective in building trust.” 👉 Read the full article

And as Brené Brown reminds us:

“Vulnerability is not weakness; it’s the most accurate measure of courage.” 👉 Dare to Lead

The Gap Between What We Say and What We Do

You may tell your team, “It’s okay to fail,” …but if they never see you admitting a mistake, asking for help, or figuring things out as you go—they won’t believe it.

It’s like parenting. You tell your child not to yell… while yelling from the other room. 😅

Monkey see, Monkey do... 🙈

People copy what you model—not what you say.

What This Looks Like in Practice

❌ Fear-based leadership:

• “Sorry I’m a disaster today!”

• Hiding errors or pretending you’ve got it all figured out

• Only celebrating “perfect” outcomes

✅ Growth-oriented leadership:

• “I didn’t get that quite right—here’s what I learned”

• “This is a stretch for me—want to work it out together?”

• “I used to do this differently, but here’s how I’ve grown”

This is not weakness. This is what modelling self-compassion and authentic leadership looks like.

Reflective Questions for the Week

🪞 Where in your leadership are you most afraid to be seen as imperfect?

🪞 What’s something you’ve recently learned through failure or missteps?

🪞 What might shift if you let go of the need to appear polished?

Final Thought

You weren’t hired because you’re perfect. You were hired because you bring experience, insight—and the ability to keep growing.

So this week, let your team see that side of you.

Because when you lead with honesty, humility, and humanity—you don’t lose credibility. You build it.

💬 Where do you feel pressure to be perfect—and what might happen if you dropped that story, even slightly?

What's it like for you? 👇