Leaders fart first
Most leaders think it's their job to always be right. To be the authority and always have the answers.
But authority doesn't create great teams. Environment does.
Rachel Zhang makes a compelling case for this in her talk. It's not about the individual, it's about who sets the tone. And the tone is always set by leaders.
Her argument is simple, leaders need to show vulnerability first. Admit mistakes before expecting others to surface theirs. Say "I don't know" before the team feels safe enough to.
I think there's something deeper here.
Leaders don't produce the work. They cultivate the conditions.
Vulnerability is the soil, without it, nothing takes root. You can preach psychological safety, but if you're still performing authority, your team will mirror that performance right back. And when people are busy performing, you lose the best of them.
The best work doesn't come from pressure to appear competent. It comes from fertile ground. The safety to challenge. To be wrong. To not know yet.
That's what brings a team closer to figuring it out.. together.
So who farts first in your team?