232. Vulnerability Does Not Require Full Exposure

In this episode of the Women Emerging Podcast, Julia Middleton sits down with Njeri Margaret to explore why vulnerability matters when we lead—and why it must come with boundaries.Together, they begin with what vulnerability makes possible. It allows people to relate to the person behind the title, makes leadership more authentic and can help others feel seen and heard. Njeri reflects on how sharing lived experience can build community, give voice to what others have struggled to express and turn a personal story into a resource for change.But vulnerability can also become exposure. Drawing on her own experience of speaking publicly about mental health and accumulated fatigue, Njeri describes the vulnerability hangover that followed: the fear that she had revealed too much, before she had fully processed it herself. She and Julia explore how preparation, purpose and the emotional maturity of the room can help a leader decide what to share, what to hold back and when a story is ready to be told.This is a conversation about vulnerability, strength and the discipline of sharing with intention. It asks whether a leader is revealing something to create connection and change—or simply revealing for the sake of attention. The conclusion is not to become less vulnerable, but to become more conscious: vulnerability is essential to leading, but it does not require full exposure.