Why Vulnerability Is Your Most Underrated Hiring Tool
Let’s be honest: most hiring processes are designed to minimize risk—not build connection.
But if you’re building a Salesforce team that actually works, you need more than skill checks and resume scans. You need trust. And that starts way earlier than most leaders think.
Vulnerability isn’t soft. It’s strategic.
It’s one of the most powerful tools you have as a hiring manager—and most people never use it.
David Kestenberg—former CIO and enterprise transformation leader—calls it out as one of the most underutilized leadership levers in hiring. And he’s right.
When you lead with honesty and openness, you flip the script. Candidates stop performing. Real conversations happen. Better decisions follow.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
Be Honest About Why You’re Hiring
You know the job title. Great. But can you explain why this role exists?
Is it because someone quit? Because the last hire didn’t work out? Because you’re growing faster than expected?
Most leaders dodge this part. But when you lead with the why, you show candidates they’re walking into something real. You’re not filling a seat. You’re building something that matters. That’s credibility—and it changes the whole tone of the interview.
Don’t Just Hire Who You Know
Referrals are great. But let’s not kid ourselves—familiarity is comfortable. And comfort clouds judgment.
Moving fast is no excuse to skip fit checks. When you default to “I know a guy,” you risk baking in problems before Day 1. You hire someone who might not scale. Or someone who quietly blows up your team culture.
Slow down. Hire with intention. You’ll thank yourself later.
Stop Performing. Start Listening.
Too many interviews are just two people trying to impress each other. That’s a waste of everyone’s time.
The best way to get real answers? Go first. Be open. Say the hard thing first.
Candidates will match your energy—and that’s when you find out who’s actually a fit.
Culture Isn’t Catered. It’s Potluck.
You can’t fake culture, and you can’t force it. It’s not a vibe. It’s an outcome.
The teams that last aren’t full of clones—they’re built with people who bring something real. Background, energy, rhythm. That stuff doesn’t show up in a skills matrix. You have to invite it in.
When people feel safe being themselves, they stay. They perform. They trust each other. That’s the win.
Lead With Vulnerability. It Pays Off.
If you want real alignment, trust, and retention—you have to go deeper than a job description.
Be honest. Be real. And expect the same in return.
Because in this market, vulnerability isn’t weakness. It’s your edge.
Building a Salesforce Team?
We help teams hire faster—with less risk and way more clarity.
If you’re ready to do it differently, let’s talk.
