Picture this: You are overcoming a $10+ million budget shortfall in the upcoming fiscal year for the second year in a row, a hurricane is forecasted to strike, and an election is approaching with some influencers promising you a lifetime job while others want your immediate removal.

Additionally, a staff member is being arrested and you have a family emergency happening at home. The community is tense, the team is working around the clock, and the unknown looms. The media is breaking down the door for your comments, elected officials are asking what is next, and your family is waiting for you. What do you do?

Luckily, not all of these things happened to me simultaneously, but some of them did, and all within the same quarter.

I stood before my staff and community, not as a city manager with all the answers, but as someone committed to navigating the storm (literally and figuratively) together. I admitted what we didn’t know, assured them of what we did, and invited them to collaborate to strengthen the city’s response. These key moments taught me the importance of vulnerability in leadership. Acknowledging reality is one of the most challenging, yet essential aspects of leadership. 

During Hurricane Milton, uncertainty loomed. Models varied wildly, showing the storm potentially impacting South Florida, the west coast of Florida, or central parts of the state. As the city manager, many looked to me for finite answers amid the storm’s ambiguity. I had to address our team, elected officials, and the community with honesty: I admitted what I didn’t know, emphasized that decisions were being made in collaboration with experts, and focused on protecting both the community and my staff. We ensured that the public had the information they needed to properly prepare, while also being clear that we didn’t have all the answers.

This transparency paid off. While we were fortunate to avoid the storm’s direct impact, our approach strengthened trust and underscored that vulnerability isn’t about weakness but about creating space for collective strength.

Similarly, my vulnerability was tested in a completely different context when a former employee exhibited erratic and threatening behavior. Safety concerns for myself, city officials, staff, and the community dominated the weekend. Despite personal fears, I knew my role demanded calm and decisive leadership. I helped coordinate law enforcement actions, issued trespass warnings, and updated security protocols. Throughout it all, I kept stakeholders informed while remaining vulnerable enough to acknowledge the weight of the situation—a weight that at times could paralyze you with what-ifs. These moments of candor proved critical to maintaining the trust of the team and ensuring safety.

Sharing the Process

When others look at us in our leadership roles (not always as the chief administrative officer, sometimes as a friend, or in my case, as a husband or father), they often come with the expectation that we have all the answers. However, sharing the decision-making process—the doubts, considerations, and rationale—can be a powerful way to build trust and strengthen buy-in.

For example, during Hurricane Milton, I didn’t just inform stakeholders of the decisions being made; I explained why I was making them. I walked them through the logic behind the timing of service shutdowns, balancing the needs of the community and the personal needs of staff to secure their homes and prepare their families. Sharing this process reassured others that decisions were thoughtful, dynamic, and rooted in collaboration with experts.

In a different instance, when addressing the $10+ million budget shortfall, I outlined the competing priorities and trade-offs our team faced. Instead of presenting a polished plan as though it was final, I engaged the commission and staff by walking them through the fiscal realities and tough decisions required to close the gap. This approach not only fostered understanding but also created a shared sense of ownership over the solutions.

Inviting Input

True leadership recognizes the value of collective wisdom. By inviting input and encouraging dissenting opinions, leaders signal that they don’t have all the answers—and that’s okay.

For instance, leading up to the budget, I held open forums with staff and community stakeholders. These sessions were designed not just to inform but to actively listen. I asked questions like, “What am I missing?” and “What concerns haven’t been addressed?” These moments of active listening helped shape our final budget decisions, ensuring more inclusive and diverse perspectives.

Similarly, during the unfortunate events that led to a staff member being arrested, I sought input from other staff members and contracted experts regarding legal aspects, crisis management, media responsiveness, police operations, and restructuring our organizational chart. The feedback received from staff and the commission allowed me to view the situation from someone else’s perspective, helping me avoid tunnel vision or over-emphasizing my personal feelings on the situation.

Since then, I have seen team members providing solution-based ideas more freely. By witnessing my openness to successfully and empathically handling crises from a collective perspective and my ownership of decisions and their impacts, I have further gained the trust of those we work with.

Balancing Vulnerability and Authority

While vulnerability is essential, it must be balanced with authority. I achieve this delicate balance by:

1. Acknowledging My Vulnerability as My Strength. 

Vulnerability should emphasize collaboration and shared purpose. For example, I often ask, “What are your thoughts?”, “What might I be missing?”, or even “How would you solve this?” to encourage open dialogue while demonstrating confidence in the team’s ability to contribute.

2. Choosing My Moments. 

Not every moment calls for vulnerability. During a crisis, transparency must align with providing clear direction. During Hurricane Milton, I shared uncertainties strategically, while ensuring the community felt confident in the city’s preparedness. During the situation with the former employee, I didn’t allow my limitations or second thoughts to deter a final decisive decision. Once a decision is made, I hold myself accountable and take responsibility for my decisions.

3. Following Through with Action. 

Allowing myself to be vulnerable to others ultimately leads to a more inclusive solution. Whether I was addressing the storm, our budget process, or the safety threat posed by a former employee, I paired open communication with decisive action to show that transparency drives meaningful outcomes.

Leadership, particularly in local government, is rarely about having all the answers. It’s about creating trust, fostering collaboration, and navigating challenges with authenticity. Vulnerability and transparency, when balanced with authority, can transform leaders from distant figures to relatable, trusted guides.

To my fellow leaders, don’t shy away from being vulnerable or showing vulnerability. Embrace it as a tool for connection, a pathway to trust, and a foundation for a team cemented in support, integrity, generosity, honesty, and transparency.

MARIO A. DIAZ is currently an ICMA Member in Transition and an ICMA-CM candidate with 10 years’ experience in local government management.