vulnerability Archives - Amanda Bernardo https://amandabernardo.ca/tag/vulnerability/ A dynamic leader, author and passionate community advocate Fri, 11 Apr 2025 14:31:56 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8 184607573 Authentic storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we have as leaders https://amandabernardo.ca/2025/04/11/authentic-storytelling-is-one-of-the-most-powerful-tools-we-have-as-leaders/ Fri, 11 Apr 2025 14:13:03 +0000 https://amandabernardo.ca/?p=2022 And more often than not—it starts with vulnerability. It’s easy to talk about success. It’s harder to talk about the moments that shaped us: The missteps. The pivots. The times we led from a place of uncertainty but showed up anyway. But that’s exactly where...

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And more often than not—it starts with vulnerability.

It’s easy to talk about success. It’s harder to talk about the moments that shaped us:

The missteps. The pivots. The times we led from a place of uncertainty but showed up anyway.

But that’s exactly where connection lives.

Authentic storytelling is about more than showing people what we’ve achieved. It’s about showing them who we are—and how we got here. The lessons we learned the hard way. The values we leaned on when the path wasn’t clear. The moments that made us better humans, not just better professionals.

It’s ironic. Vulnerability is widely praised in leadership literature. Brené Brown, for example, argues that vulnerability isn’t weakness—it’s the foundation of courage, creativity, and trust. Being open about struggle or doubt doesn’t erode leadership—it invites connection. It builds psychological safety.

And yet, many organizations struggle to create room for that kind of leadership. They reward polish over honesty, control over connection. Vulnerability is often something we talk about on stage or in workshops, but not something we practice in the meeting room. Why is that? If vulnerability is so essential to effective, human leadership, why do so many organizations treat it like a liability the higher you go?

That mindset has to shift.

Because people don’t want to be led by a title. They want to be led by someone who gets it.

Someone who’s been in the trenches. Someone who’s made tough calls, missed the mark, and kept going. Someone who’s willing to say, “I don’t have it all figured out—but I’m listening, I care, and I’m here to grow with you.” Someone who isn’t afraid to be vulnerable, human.

They follow people who show up as themselves—and invite others to do the same.

That kind of leadership builds trust. It builds empathy.

It humanizes us—not just as decision-makers, but as people.

What does authentic storytelling look like in action?

Here are some examples:

In the workplace, that might sound like starting a team meeting by sharing how you handled a failure earlier in your career—and how that mistake shaped your approach today.

Online, it might look like a post that says: “This is what the outside world saw when I took this promotion. But behind the scenes? I was battling imposter syndrome, late nights, and self-doubt. Here’s what helped me push through…”

These stories don’t need to be long. They don’t need to be perfect. They just need to be real.

When we lead with vulnerability, we give our teams permission to do the same. We create spaces where people feel safe to speak up, take risks, and show up as their full selves.

And that’s where the magic happens—not just in how we perform, but in how we connect.

The benefit? Deeper trust. Stronger connection. Greater empathy.

Let me be clear: authentic storytelling isn’t about oversharing. It’s about being intentional. It’s about knowing which stories reveal your values, show your process, or offer perspective that helps someone else feel less alone in theirs.

So if you’re a leader trying to figure out what to say—start with your truth.

Not the polished version. The real one.

That’s what people remember.

That’s what people follow.

And more than anything—that’s what people trust.

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A good manager is emotionally intelligent https://amandabernardo.ca/2023/01/24/a-good-manager-is-emotionally-intelligent/ Tue, 24 Jan 2023 02:21:00 +0000 https://amandabernardo.ca/?p=806 A good manager is emotionally intelligent, they know how to practice empathy and are able to manage difficult conversations for the betterment of their team. There will be some difficult conversations ahead as employees struggle to adopt a new hybrid way of working, they’ll need...

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A good manager is emotionally intelligent, they know how to practice empathy and are able to manage difficult conversations for the betterment of their team.

There will be some difficult conversations ahead as employees struggle to adopt a new hybrid way of working, they’ll need to juggle new commutes, perhaps day care, a shift in schedules, anxiety and so much more.

To say emotions are heightened would be an understatement.

How can you help manage that? Today’s article by Jacob Morgan offers a little advice:

1. Perspective taking, or putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. Imagine things from their point of view. 
2. Stay out of judgment and listen. Don’t rush into judgment; focus on listening to the other person. 
3. Recognize the emotion the other person is feeling. Think of a time you have felt similarly.  
4. Communicate that you recognize that emotion. Sharing understanding builds trust and connection.

These best practices shared from Dr. Bréne Brown also tie into another valuable share on “venting” or “over sharing”. In her book Daring Greatly, Brené addresses the difference between vulnerability and oversharing

“Using vulnerability is not the same thing as being vulnerable; it’s the opposite – it’s armour. When we’re “being vulnerable” with an ulterior motive, it feels manipulative and icky to the other person. When we’re just vulnerable, we’re being authentic. And being authentic is how we really develop genuine heartfelt and deep intimacy.”


Brené offers a selection of questions we can ask ourselves to stop over-sharing to help keep in mind as both managers and employees:

Why am I sharing this?
What outcome am I hoping for?
What emotions am I experiencing?
Do my intentions align with my values?
Is there an outcome, response, or lack of a response that will hurt my feelings?
Is this sharing the service of connection?
Am I genuinely asking the people in my life for what I need?

To know the difference of being vulnerable versus over sharing is important. It may come off as harsh, as if we’re saying “hey don’t share” but the real goal is to have more constructive conversations that can lead to action and change… and avoid, ultimately, creating a very negative workplace culture consumed by a constant need to vent.

Don’t get me wrong, a little vent session here and there is normal – we’ve “let it out” so to speak in my own teams. But to help protect the mental space as much as the physical one, it’s important to consider how venting can also be too much.

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