Harnessing Vulnerability: Building Stronger Teams Through Connection & Trust

For decades, courage in healthcare meant keeping your cool in a crisis, pushing through exhaustion or making a call no one else could. But we’re learning that one of the most powerful forms of courage is the willingness to be vulnerable.

Healthcare has a proud legacy of resilience and innovation. But it also has a long-standing tradition of emotional armor. For generations, we were taught to lead with strength, not softness, and to power through rather than speak up. While that mindset may have served its purpose in the past, we now know better. Vulnerability is not a weakness; in fact, it’s a strength that can help us build healthier, more connected teams and, ultimately, improve care for the patients and families we serve.

This isn’t just a healthcare imperative – it’s a human one. No matter your role or industry, you have the opportunity to lead with vulnerability and help create a culture where people feel seen, supported and empowered to grow.

Letting Go of the “Armor Up” Culture

When I began my career in healthcare in the 1990s, the culture was clear: prioritize expertise, efficiency and hierarchy. Personal struggles were checked at the door. If you needed help, you didn’t say so. If you were emotionally exhausted, you just pushed through.

This “armor up” mentality may have created an illusion of professionalism, but it came at a cost. It isolated us from one another, made us less empathetic and contributed to burnout and medical errors. It also left little space for authentic connection – something we now recognize as vital to both team member wellbeing and patient outcomes.

Thankfully, a shift is underway. Slowly but surely, we are beginning to value transparency, psychological safety and the wellbeing of our teams. We are learning that the future of healthcare leadership requires not just strength, but softness. Not just grit, but grace.

The Science Behind Vulnerability

The word “vulnerability” comes from the Latin word vulnerare, meaning “to wound.” It’s no wonder we shy away from it. But modern science tells a different story.

Psychologist Kelly McGonigal’s research in The Upside of Stress shows that when we openly express our struggles, our brains release oxytocin – the hormone responsible for social bonding and trust. Oxytocin not only helps counteract the negative effects of stress but also strengthens our relationships with those around us.

In clinical environments, this matters deeply. Providers who engage with patients authentically – acknowledging their own humanity and emotions – are more effective. They build trust, communicate better and help patients achieve improved health outcomes. But the impact doesn’t stop at the bedside. Vulnerability also improves communication and collaboration across nonclinical teams, enabling a culture of connection that drives innovation and excellence – two of our core values at Children’s Nebraska.

Healthy Teams Embrace Healthy Conflict

One of the most persistent myths from the “armor up” era is that conflict is a sign of dysfunction. In reality, the absence of conflict often signals deeper problems – like suppressed needs, lack of engagement or fear of speaking up. Vulnerability means being willing to have the hard conversations. It means acknowledging when something isn’t working or when someone’s actions have hurt us. It means owning our mistakes and asking others to do the same.

As you know, these conversations aren’t easy. They require psychological safety, emotional intelligence and a shared commitment to growth. But when handled constructively, conflict becomes a catalyst for trust – not a threat to it. When we model vulnerability as leaders, we give our teams permission to do the same. How are you striving to model vulnerability within your own team or organization?

Trauma-Informed Leadership: A Path Forward

At Children’s Nebraska, we’ve been investing in this work through our People First culture and our WeThrive program. These initiatives affirm what we know to be true: when team members feel seen, heard and valued, they show up more fully — for each other and for the children and families we serve.

We’re also expanding our use of trauma-informed care (TIC) – an approach that recognizes how past experiences impact current behavior and aims to create environments of safety and healing. Traditionally, TIC has been used in patient care but we’re learning that its principles are just as important in how we lead and support one another.

Trauma doesn’t always look like a catastrophic event. Sometimes it’s chronic stress. Sometimes it’s unspoken grief. Sometimes it’s the emotional toll of caregiving, both at work and at home. When we lead with compassion and curiosity rather than judgment, we open the door for deeper understanding. That doesn’t mean excusing poor behavior or avoiding accountability. It means responding in a way that asks, “What happened to you?” instead of “What’s wrong with you?”

Vulnerability Is a Collective Practice

Creating a culture of psychological safety isn’t a solo act. It takes everyone – leaders, frontline caregivers and support teams, each practicing vulnerability in their own way.

That might mean admitting you don’t have all the answers. It might mean checking in on a team member who seems to be withdrawn. It might mean raising a concern in a meeting, even if your voice shakes.

Over time, these small acts build trust. They teach us how to navigate conflict with care. They help us show up not just as professionals, but as people. And in doing so, they model the very values we hope to instill in the children and families we serve.

Bravery Looks Different Now

We are in a new era of healthcare – one where bravery is no longer just about charging forward; it’s about showing up, slowing down and letting others see who we really are. At Children’s Nebraska, we are learning that the strongest teams aren’t the ones that avoid emotion – they’re the ones that harness it. They’re the ones that know when to step up, and when to open up.

Because in the end, vulnerability isn’t about weakness. It’s about being strong enough to be human with ourselves, with our teams and with the people who trust us to care for them.

While my experience is rooted in healthcare, the power of vulnerability isn’t limited to one field. Whether you’re leading a team in a hospital, a school, a tech firm or a nonprofit, the same truth applies: workplaces thrive when people feel safe to show up as their full selves.

So, let’s take this opportunity to model vulnerability. Because that’s how we build stronger teams, and that’s how we build a better future together.