Featured Insights
Written By Reshma Nair – AD, Employer Branding and Comms, ACKO
“We were talking about what truly makes teams click. And somewhere between stories, the leader I was speaking with said something that stuck – ‘Fear might get people to act. But only trust will get them to care.’
That one line shifted something in me.
Too often, we assume leadership means being the smartest in the room, having all the answers, or appearing infallible. But what teams really need is not the best in the team – it’s the best for the team.
We live in a world where job security isn’t what it used to be, and it’s only natural for people to operate from fear or self-preservation. But fear builds walls. Trust lays out bridges. And when you lead with trust, everything changes – feedback flows easier, performance gets better and people feel safer being themselves.
It doesn’t mean baring your soul every morning. Vulnerability can be as simple as reflecting on shared and individual highs and lows. Showing your team that everyone – everyone – has survived something, achieved something and has value. It makes space for empathy. It silences judgment. And it makes trust possible!
To do that, though, you need a strong sense of self. Knowing who you are, what you value and what you need that’s what helps you lead with intention. Because when leaders are self-aware and willing to be vulnerable, they make it easier for others to show up fully too.
Instead of pushing feedback, what if we held space for it to be asked? What if trust came before instruction?
This particular conversation reminded me: vulnerability isn’t a weakness. It’s where real leadership begins!”