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

on

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.)

The TED Talks channel features the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world’s leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less). Look for talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design — plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. You’re welcome to link to or embed these videos, forward them to others and share these ideas with people you know.

TED’s videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy (). For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request at

48 Comments

  1. Kj Mason

    March 2, 2021 at 6:48 pm

    👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

  2. 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

    • 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.

    • luomanfei

      March 2, 2021 at 8:28 pm

      Three comments within the last hour talking down on her, you really seem to be hating.

  3. 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.

    • Joshua Maldonado

      March 2, 2021 at 10:04 pm

      In a way, it kind of is.

    • 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.

    • 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. 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

    • 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

  8. 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!

    • kai elyse

      March 2, 2021 at 8:12 pm

      I agree

  9. Omar Ben Hassine

    March 2, 2021 at 7:59 pm

    She looks like the asian version of Angolina jolie

  10. 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?

    • DankTendencies

      March 2, 2021 at 10:23 pm

      Oi! Ya got loiscence for that comment guv?

    • Archibald Belanus

      March 2, 2021 at 10:30 pm

      @DankTendencies well you got me

    • Jesus Tyrone Christ

      March 2, 2021 at 10:34 pm

      Aight that’s it bruv, oim calling the constable!

  11. Sam Sardar

    March 2, 2021 at 8:18 pm

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

  12. bravojr

    March 2, 2021 at 8:31 pm

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

  13. 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.

  14. 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.

  15. 김소룡

    March 2, 2021 at 9:23 pm

    Takagi san why are you here?

  16. Metamorphic Society

    March 2, 2021 at 9:39 pm

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

  17. Alan Kwan

    March 2, 2021 at 10:36 pm

    Thank you for sharing this!

  18. japol

    March 2, 2021 at 11:52 pm

    έμπαινα

  19. Pedro Ricardo

    March 2, 2021 at 11:56 pm

    Is this supposed to be a complaint vid?

    Lacração chata hein

    • Operative This is the way

      March 3, 2021 at 12:31 pm

      Is this supposed to be a stupid comment?

  20. Идущий кРеке

    March 3, 2021 at 12:47 am

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

  21. Elle

    March 3, 2021 at 12:48 am

    Thieving from Rene Brown!!

    • Operative This is the way

      March 3, 2021 at 12:28 pm

      What’s wrong with you? Sad childhood?

  22. Joseph Lane

    March 3, 2021 at 1:05 am

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

  23. melanie martinez

    March 3, 2021 at 1:27 am

    Absolutely beautiful

  24. 藤原蒙古

    March 3, 2021 at 1:38 am

    加藤純一最強

  25. 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.

  26. Apoorva Mathur

    March 3, 2021 at 6:00 am

    <3

  27. 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.

  28. 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

  29. 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!!

  30. Ciopinno soup

    March 3, 2021 at 8:26 am

    I’m just staring at her forehead and eyebrows

  31. New Tears

    March 3, 2021 at 12:23 pm

    This doesn’t really apply to most people.

  32. 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.

  33. 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.

  34. 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

  35. Big Jim

    March 3, 2021 at 9:57 pm

    Wow, are you hiring

  36. Teri Scallon

    March 4, 2021 at 1:14 am

    This is so moving and real.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Trending

Exit mobile version