Leadership can certainly feel lonely at times.

A lot of that feeling comes from a belief that you’re not supposed to show weakness, doubt, or failure. You’re the strongest person in the entire organization, right?

But this leads to isolation.

Honestly, that’s why the best leaders seek out a coach, mentor, or support group. It’s a safe place where you can express vulnerability without losing face.

But the best of the best are so strong that they’re able to admit weakness. And you know what? People appreciate that. Because we’re ALL stumbling through life, making it up as we go along.

Being able to show weakness is based on the trust you’ve established with people. If you’re trustworthy and people have experienced this over the long term, then they’ll cut you some slack.

The challenge here is that not everyone trusts you to the same degree. When you display weakness out in public, there are some people who know nothing about you and are inclined to believe the worst.

It’s up to you whether you want to worry about those naysayers. You can choose to focus instead on the people you’re there to serve.