As leadership consultants, coaches, and certified Enneagram teachers, we’ve seen firsthand that vulnerability is not a liability, it’s a catalyst for authentic leadership, organizational trust, and sustainable results. When leaders lean into uncertainty, acknowledge their limitations, or share their inner struggles, they model humility and courage. In doing so, they foster a culture rooted in psychological safety—where real connection thrives, collaboration deepens, and innovation becomes a shared norm.
For nearly 30 years, we’ve introduced the Enneagram to hundreds of leaders because we believe its wisdom cuts through the surface and speaks directly to the core of why people do what they do. With remarkable accuracy, the Enneagram helps leaders identify their core motivations, strengths, challenges, and blind spots. These insights increase self-awareness and illuminate how leaders show up—both consciously and unconsciously—in ways that impact the people and systems around them.
Despite growing awareness, many leaders still see vulnerability as a weakness. In our work, we challenge that belief and invite leaders to embrace vulnerability as a vital and necessary skill. In working with leaders through the Enneagram, we’ve found that each type has its own unique relationship with vulnerability—and its own transformational pathway for softening, opening, and leading with greater authenticity. When leaders lean into vulnerability, they not only enhance their own effectiveness, but also create conditions where others feel empowered to do the same. This kind of leadership builds trust, fosters meaningful connection, and ignites the kind of collaboration that sustains high-performing, human-centered teams. Vulnerability isn’t the opposite of strength—it is strength, expressed with intention and fueled by authentic connection.
Below is a brief look at each of the nine Enneagram types, highlighting how vulnerability uniquely shows up in their leadership and the essential shift that helps each type grow into a more open, impactful, and authentic leader.
Type 1 – The Perfectionist
As a Type 1 leader, vulnerability means letting go of the need to be right and allowing room for imperfection. When you admit mistakes or say, “I don’t know,” you make space for growth and inspire your team to show up honestly—not just perfectly.
Type 2 – The Helper
For Type 2s, vulnerability is in asking for help and acknowledging your own needs. When you’re honest about your capacity and let others support you, you demonstrate balanced giving. That builds stronger, more reciprocal relationships.
Type 3 – The Performer
Type 3 leaders thrive on success, but vulnerability means being real about your limits, fears, and struggles. When you drop the performance mask, you model authenticity—and earn respect not for what you achieve, but for who you are.
Type 4 – The Romantic
As a Type 4, you’re already in tune with emotion—but leadership requires grounding your depth in shared reality. Vulnerability means letting others in without dramatizing or withdrawing. When you show up with both feeling and stability, you become a powerful connector.
Type 5 – The Observer
For Type 5 leaders, vulnerability is stepping out of your head and into engagement with others. Sharing your thought process before it’s fully formed or asking for input when you feel unsure builds trust and connection—two things that don’t thrive in isolation.
Type 6 – The Loyal Skeptic
Type 6s are constantly scanning for what could go wrong and expressing those fears, doubts or concerns often shows up as negative or asking too many questions. When you share your uncertainty and still move forward, you model courage in action.
Type 7 – The Epicure
If you’re a Type 7 leader, vulnerability is in staying present with discomfort instead of jumping to the next idea. When you share the full range of your emotional experience—including sadness, fear, or regret—you give others permission to be fully human, too.
Type 8 – The Challenger
As a Type 8, strength is second nature. Vulnerability is not. But when you reveal what’s under your armor—your fears, your tenderness, your doubts—you lead from trust, not control. That’s when others feel safe to speak the truth around you.
Type 9 – The Peacemaker
Type 9s often minimize their own voice to keep peace. Vulnerability means stepping forward, stating what you need, and risking conflict instead of “going along.” When you show up fully grounded and authentic, others are inspired to do the same.
Vulnerability in leadership is a professional advantage. It builds cultures of trust, encourages collaboration, and drives meaningful innovation. In a world that often equates leadership with control and certainty, the ability to lead with openness, humility, and presence is nothing short of a superpower.
Ready to Lead with Greater Impact?
If you’re a leader who’s ready to move beyond surface-level strategies and step into deeper, more authentic leadership—learning the Enneagram is a game-changing place to start. At Transform, Inc., we guide leaders in understanding the internal patterns that shape their leadership style and reveal what may be limiting connection, creativity, and growth.
Developing greater self-awareness and embracing vulnerability doesn’t just transform your leadership—it elevates your entire organization. When you lead with presence, courage, and emotional intelligence, you foster a culture where people feel safe to bring their full selves to the work—and that’s when real innovation, trust, and performance thrive.
Call or email us today and let’s work together to develop your and your team’s leadership superpowers!
Theresa Gale
PRINCIPAL
