The Leadership Flex That Actually Builds Trust

---

​

Hey Spark Family,

Let’s talk about a leadership flex that actually builds trust.
Not having all the answers.
Not charging forward with forced confidence.
But something far more impactful - being human.

In the leadership rooms I’m in lately, people are exhausted from pretending.
Pretending they’re certain. Pretending they’re fine.

But the best leaders I know?
They show up with clarity and vulnerability.
And that’s what earns loyalty.

The Research Is Clear

• Teams who say their leader is transparent about challenges report 3x higher trust and 2x higher engagement (Gallup, 2025)

• Leaders who admit when they’re unsure are more likely to be rated effective by both peers and direct reports (Harvard, 2024)
​
• Psychological safety increases by 43% when leaders model vulnerability in decision-making (Google Project Aristotle, 2025)

The takeaway? Teams don’t need perfect leaders.
They need real ones they can trust.

What I'm Seeing In The Field

I coach brilliant leaders who silently carry the weight of needing to “have it all together.”
They worry that showing uncertainty means losing credibility.
They fear that sharing doubt will make the team panic.

What I keep seeing instead:
The leaders who earn the most trust aren’t performing certainty.
They practice clarity in the midst of uncertainty.
They think out loud.
They invite collaboration - without offloading responsibility.

That kind of transparency doesn’t erode confidence.
It builds it.

↓

What We Teach Leaders Inside Spark Brilliance

We help leaders stop performing and start partnering.

That doesn’t mean oversharing.​
It means showing your team how thoughtful leadership actually works.

That looks like:
✔ Thinking out loud with intention
✔ Owning uncertainty without spiraling
✔ Inviting input, not outsourcing the decision
✔ Building clarity through conversation
✔ Modeling courage through honesty

Because when leaders normalize transparency, teams normalize trust.

​

🌟 Your Challenge This Week

The next time you’re unsure, try saying:

• Here’s what I’m thinking, and why.
• This is the tension I’m weighing - what would you consider?
• I don’t have the full answer yet, but I’m committed to working through it with you.

You don’t have to be perfect.
Just real, thoughtful, and honest.
That’s what people follow.

​

With gratitude,
​Jackie

​

​

P.S. – Know a leader who’s navigating a tough decision right now?
Forward this their way. A little transparency can create a whole lot of trust. ✨

Did someone forward this to you? Subscribe to get it delivered directly.