Powerful Women, Powerless Moments: Why Vulnerability is a Leadership Strength
The Myth of Unbreakable Women
Some years ago, I listened to a TED Talk by a woman who had it all on paper.
A Harvard graduate
An alumna of Wharton Business School
An executive at Fortune 500 companies
A survivor of domestic abuse
That last one stopped me in my tracks.
How could someone so powerful in the world feel so powerless in her own life?
But I realized—I had seen this before. I had lived this before.
I have known women who were trailblazers in their industries but afraid to negotiate their salaries.
I have known women with doctorates who were experts in their fields but hesitant to demand respect in the workplace.
I have known women with luxury homes and high-status careers who remained silent in emotionally abusive relationships.
And the hardest part? They don’t speak up. They endure. Because they know the judgment will be different for them.
“She got all that education, and she still let—”
“She accomplished all that, and she won’t even—”
For some, a powerful woman’s vulnerability is something to be weaponized. Others see it as a contradiction. But real power is not about appearing untouchable.
Real power is in the moment a woman owns her vulnerability and refuses to let it define her.
That is when she reclaims her strength. That is when she takes up space—in her career, in leadership, and in life.
Lessons from My Failures
The Leadership Skill We Don’t Talk About Enough: Vulnerability
We are conditioned to believe that strength means never showing weakness. That leadership requires being unshakable at all times.
But the most powerful leaders are those who embrace vulnerability.
Vulnerability builds trust. The best leaders aren’t the ones who pretend to have all the answers—they’re the ones who create space for real conversations.
Vulnerability fuels growth. The moment you admit you don’t know something, you open yourself up to new possibilities, new mentors, new skills.
Vulnerability makes you a better negotiator. When you advocate for yourself—whether in your salary, your career path, or your workplace boundaries—you step into a new level of power.
So why are so many powerful women still afraid of being seen as vulnerable?
Because the world rewards their strength—but it uses their moments of struggle against them.
And that is exactly why they must own them.
Professional Tug of War
How This Shows Up in Professional Spaces
Power struggles don’t just happen in personal relationships. They happen in professional spaces too.
Women in leadership hesitate to negotiate their salaries because they don’t want to be seen as difficult.
Black women are expected to be resilient while carrying the emotional burden of entire teams.
Women who are overqualified but underpaid remain silent, fearing that advocating for themselves will cost them their seat at the table.
I have seen this. I have lived this. I have been counted among these women.
The solution isn’t to “toughen up.” The solution is to acknowledge the spaces where women feel powerless and refuse to stay powerless in them.
Passing the Crown
Reclaiming Power in Leadership and Workplaces
How do we break free from the expectation that women must always be strong?
Acknowledge the Fear, but Don’t Let It Silence You
Do you hesitate before speaking up in a meeting? Say it anyway.
Do you worry about asking for a raise? Ask anyway.
Do you second-guess yourself before applying for a leadership role? Apply anyway.
Courage isn’t the absence of fear—it’s moving forward despite it.
Stop Mistaking Overwork for Strength
Burnout is not a leadership skill.
Exhaustion is not a badge of honor.
Women are often taught that they must work twice as hard to be considered half as good. But overworking to the point of depletion is not proof of ambition—it is proof of unsustainable expectations.
Strong leaders set boundaries. Strong leaders know their worth.
Advocate for Yourself in Every Space
A woman’s voice doesn’t just matter in leadership meetings—it matters in every space she occupies.
Speak up in the workplace for fair pay, better policies, and yourself.
Speak up in career choices—stop waiting for permission to pursue the next step.
Speak up in personal life—because no title, degree, or paycheck is worth silence.
Power isn’t just what the world sees when a woman walks on stage. Power is also in what she demands behind closed doors.
Know Your Worth
Final Thought: Own Every Part of Your Power
Powerful women don’t always feel powerful.
Being vulnerable does not mean being weak.
True leadership isn’t about pretending—it’s about showing up fully, in every space.
The world may try to celebrate women for their strength while dismissing them in their vulnerability. But both are part of their power. And they do not have to apologize for either.
Women in leadership must ask for what they need.
Speak up for what they deserve.
Own their power—every part of it.
Have you ever felt powerful in one space but powerless in another? Let’s talk.
ABOUT THE BLOGGER
Dr. Sagashus Levingston is an author, entrepreneur and PhD holder. She has two fur babies, Maya and Gracie, six children (three boys and three girls), and they all (including her partner) live in Madison, WI. She loves all things business, is committed to reminding moms of their power, and is dedicated to playing her part in closing the wealth gap for people of color and women. She believes that mothering is a practice, like yoga, and she fights daily to manage her chocolate intake. The struggle is real, y’all…and sometimes it’s beautiful.
Follow her on Instagram: @infamous.mothers