People & Blogs

How vulnerability makes you a better leader | Tracy Young

Visit to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more. As the founder of a startup, Tracy Young often worried that employees and investors valued male CEOs more — and that being a woman compromised her position as a leader. In this brave, personal talk, she gives an honest…

Published

4 years ago

March 2, 2021

CYBER TECH TV

Visit to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more.

As the founder of a startup, Tracy Young often worried that employees and investors valued male CEOs more — and that being a woman compromised her position as a leader. In this brave, personal talk, she gives an honest look at the constraints women face when trying to adapt to a male-dominated business culture — and shares how she developed the courage and vulnerability to lead as her complete, raw self. (This talk contains a graphic story. Discretion is advised.)

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Related Topics:Entrepreneur Equality featured gender Leadership start up TED Talk TED Talks TEDTalk TEDTalks Vulnerability Women In Business Work

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48 Comments

Kj Mason

March 2, 2021 at 6:48 pm

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

Reply
𝕮𝖚𝖈𝕶 𝕮𝖗𝖚𝖘𝖍𝖊𝖗

March 2, 2021 at 6:51 pm

lol I have found that anyone describing themselves as an empath is generally just a narcissist. Weird

Reply
- Michael Carlson
  
  March 2, 2021 at 7:25 pm
  
  It’s a shame you have to see the world so filtered though labels and judgment. If it’s comforting to you, your “findings” are not empirical.
  
  Reply
- luomanfei
  
  March 2, 2021 at 8:28 pm
  
  Three comments within the last hour talking down on her, you really seem to be hating.
  
  Reply
chocomalk

March 2, 2021 at 6:54 pm

Stop redefining words because you can’t find/don’t know the appropriate one. Being open and accepting is not being vulnerable.

Reply
- Joshua Maldonado
  
  March 2, 2021 at 10:04 pm
  
  In a way, it kind of is.
  
  Reply
- DankTendencies
  
  March 2, 2021 at 10:27 pm
  
  @Joshua Maldonado no it isn’t. It’s called having a normal well adjusted person. Not vulnerable.
  
  Reply
- Joshua Maldonado
  
  March 2, 2021 at 10:32 pm
  
  @DankTendencies it is. To be open is to be vulnerable and shouldn’t be viewed as a bad or abnormal thing. It is what makes us human. And to bottle everything up will do some damage in the long run.
  
  Reply
clearmenser

March 2, 2021 at 7:01 pm

Lady CEO comes to term with her lady-ness after some tribulations. What a sad story. Seemed more about being honestly one’s self than anything else. IMHO personal stories like this are more inspirational and less actionable. Personally I was expecting a survey of successful leaders that displayed vulnerability. Nope. Wish it had been though.

Reply
𝕮𝖚𝖈𝕶 𝕮𝖗𝖚𝖘𝖍𝖊𝖗

March 2, 2021 at 7:01 pm

Wow, this lady is really just making a public narrative out of her own personal issues. She just wanted to talk about her “torn vagina” to strangers on the Internet, weird. “As a ceo” over and over, “I am just so successful and a mother, now here is a video so you can all just appreciate me a little bit more than my own personal success”. “My family and multi million dollar business wasn’t enough”. “Please strangers and public, admire my strength”. She keeps dropping specific numbers too, we get it lady, lots of millions, many millions. So many millions of dollars and a mother. So impressive, so brave, so stunning. You had a miscarriage because you were stressed at work chasing all of those millions of dollars you keep reminding us about; that’s the moral of the story. You would’ve had another child but you wanted… how much, 178 million? Also, your business team isn’t supposed to be your personal therapist, it sounds like you need to have a therapist or husband you can talk to if your “business team” is all you have.

Reply
𝕮𝖚𝖈𝕶 𝕮𝖗𝖚𝖘𝖍𝖊𝖗

March 2, 2021 at 7:09 pm

I tried to do a drinking game where I did a shot every time she reminded us that she was a CEO, abruptly told us how many exact millions of dollars was on the line, or some graphic detail about her reproductive system. I got drunk halfway through. Also I think she needs a therapist if all she has is a “business team” to confide in. I believe from the *millions of dollars* she told us she made, I think she could afford one. Her kids will need one that’s for sure. Narcissistic mom alert.

Reply
anepileptic epileptic

March 2, 2021 at 7:38 pm

How to unsubscrube:
First click the grey subscribed button so that it is a red subscribed button
then find a ted video in the list on the right and click the three bubbles that show up when you hover over it and select not interested
click tell us why
click I dont like the video
keep doing this until the algorithm understands

Reply
- Jesus Tyrone Christ
  
  March 2, 2021 at 10:30 pm
  
  Great job buddy! You managed to write all of that down! You deserve a star sticker for that
  
  Reply
Train Kinder - Simple Leadership Hacks

March 2, 2021 at 7:46 pm

Leading is about inspiring people to become better version of themselves. And vulnerability is the best inspiration of all!

Reply
- kai elyse
  
  March 2, 2021 at 8:12 pm
  
  I agree
  
  Reply
Omar Ben Hassine

March 2, 2021 at 7:59 pm

She looks like the asian version of Angolina jolie

Reply
Archibald Belanus

March 2, 2021 at 8:00 pm

Women should feel ashamed of making babies, like how dare they perpetuate the species like that? Do they even have a license?

Reply
- DankTendencies
  
  March 2, 2021 at 10:23 pm
  
  Oi! Ya got loiscence for that comment guv?
  
  Reply
- Archibald Belanus
  
  March 2, 2021 at 10:30 pm
  
  @DankTendencies well you got me
  
  Reply
- Jesus Tyrone Christ
  
  March 2, 2021 at 10:34 pm
  
  Aight that’s it bruv, oim calling the constable!
  
  Reply
Sam Sardar

March 2, 2021 at 8:18 pm

Very powerfull. ..for All womans. ..i liked so much your message

Reply
bravojr

March 2, 2021 at 8:31 pm

We certainly have enough Vulnerable leaders.
This propaganda is nasty and typical of TED’s reputation.

Reply
Aubrey Shelton

March 2, 2021 at 9:08 pm

I wish i had a clue wtf some of this BUSINESS lingo means! It’s like im on a completely different planet.

Reply
Matheus H.

March 2, 2021 at 9:15 pm

In the end, what counts is truthfulness, with others and yourself. It’s so simple but so hard to do it.

Reply
김소룡

March 2, 2021 at 9:23 pm

Takagi san why are you here?

Reply
Metamorphic Society

March 2, 2021 at 9:39 pm

Incredible, leading is about inspiring people. You did it, strong woman

Reply
Alan Kwan

March 2, 2021 at 10:36 pm

Thank you for sharing this!

Reply
japol

March 2, 2021 at 11:52 pm

έμπαινα

Reply
Pedro Ricardo

March 2, 2021 at 11:56 pm

Is this supposed to be a complaint vid?

Lacração chata hein

Reply
- Operative This is the way
  
  March 3, 2021 at 12:31 pm
  
  Is this supposed to be a stupid comment?
  
  Reply
Идущий кРеке

March 3, 2021 at 12:47 am

Думал на превью будет милая девушка с мягким голосом – смотрю совсем другое 😀🤔

Reply
Elle

March 3, 2021 at 12:48 am

Thieving from Rene Brown!!

Reply
- Operative This is the way
  
  March 3, 2021 at 12:28 pm
  
  What’s wrong with you? Sad childhood?
  
  Reply
Joseph Lane

March 3, 2021 at 1:05 am

You are soo strong and such a determined leader 👍 thanks you for sharing your experiences 🙏

Reply
melanie martinez

March 3, 2021 at 1:27 am

Absolutely beautiful

Reply
藤原蒙古

March 3, 2021 at 1:38 am

加藤純一最強

Reply
Un Français au Japon

March 3, 2021 at 2:57 am

You are completely true. You can not have it all in life. You have to choose.

Reply
Apoorva Mathur

March 3, 2021 at 6:00 am

<3

Reply
jparkerwillis

March 3, 2021 at 6:09 am

It’s probably why men have generally taken on the leadership role in life. Women have a different role – that of taking care of the child-rearing. You can’t rely on a woman to be a good leader when she is out and about suffering from pregnancy. Men should be taking care of women, not allowing them to do it all alone. No wonder you feel so vulnerable, because in your pride you think you can do it all by yourself.

Reply
hakyoun Kang

March 3, 2021 at 6:31 am

Almost many people don’t wanna
show their weekness
that’s so naturely
Otherwise I encourage your and
I like your so truly conversation for us
thank you again

Reply
Tiana Matson

March 3, 2021 at 7:09 am

Delivering a miscarriage at work, and then returning to the meeting like nothing happened!?! That just sounds heartbreaking!!

Reply
Ciopinno soup

March 3, 2021 at 8:26 am

I’m just staring at her forehead and eyebrows

Reply
New Tears

March 3, 2021 at 12:23 pm

This doesn’t really apply to most people.

Reply
jonasramus

March 3, 2021 at 12:32 pm

Wildly motivational. Brought me to tears. I’m a start up executive who suffers from my own types of insecurities, and I found your message to be amazing.

I also have two little girls that I hope find their own entrepreneurial spirit, and I will be watching this video with them, now and later when they are older.

Terrific job and congratulations on your success.

Reply
Carprincess

March 3, 2021 at 7:01 pm

Thank you for being vulnerable and sharing your story with us. It’s so important to be reminded that family and yourself should come first and that business can wait. Businesses are not machines, they are made out of people and we need to remember that we are only human.

Reply
Tolu1994

March 3, 2021 at 7:20 pm

Such a shame that women feel we have to be men to be successful 🙃 . Sorry that she had those experiences glad I can learn from her mistakes

Reply
Big Jim

March 3, 2021 at 9:57 pm

Wow, are you hiring

Reply
Teri Scallon

March 4, 2021 at 1:14 am

This is so moving and real.

Reply

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