Jason Weeman talks authentic leadership and the power of vulnerability

In Leaders in Learning, we sit down with influential guests and dive deep into the world of learning to discover the qualities that define exceptional leaders. Through these collective stories, we’ll piece together the bigger picture of what it means to be a leader in learning.?

In episode 3, we connect with Jason Weeman , Leadership Development Consultant at LinkedIn .

Jason has spent the past 20+ years leading teams and developing leaders. He’s a leadership coach and consultant, L&D expert, father, and self-professed “vulnerability machine.” And he brings that vulnerability, openness, and emotional exploration to our conversation. (To any Brené Brown fans out there, this episode’s for you!)

You can catch the full conversation in episode 3, or keep reading for key takeaways from our chat.

Authentic leadership

When we sat down with Jason, he kicked off the conversation with a pretty powerful statement. “Leadership shows up in everything we do.”?

In his professional and personal experience, the best way to show up as a leader is to show up authentically.?

Looking back, he realizes this is something he’s always done (even if he didn’t know it at the time). He’s come to understand that his authentic leadership resonates with people—as a leader,? coach, and dad.?

He noticed that this authentic approach to leadership is now seeping into all aspects of his life, including his parenting style. He shows up coach-like, and curious, creating space for his kids to explore what's possible. As his kids have grown older, they've begun to see the value. He comments, "It's strengthened the relationships in a way that I think is so powerful."

Authenticity and curiosity come up a lot in our conversation, including in this next key takeaway.

Great leaders have these 3 things in common

When you’ve been in L&D developing leaders as long as Jason has, certain truths reveal themselves. Here’s one he shared with us: Great leaders have these three things in common.?

• Authenticity: They’re honest, transparent, and act with integrity
• Compassion: They’re empathetic, kind, and understanding
• Curiosity: They’re open-minded and interested in understanding different perspectives?

There you have it. The recipe for effective leadership, summed up in these three traits.?

It sounds simple enough, but it can be difficult because there’s a vulnerability involved that some people (and, in some cases, organizations) aren’t ready for or comfortable with (yet). Yet, there’s strength in vulnerability. It makes leaders more relatable and allows them to build trust and connect in a way that fosters growth and development. And that's a good thing!

Which leads us to our next highlight...

Good intentions (gone wrong)

As Jason points out, there really can be too much of a good thing—especially when it comes to good intentions in leadership. This concept came up when discussing the cost of ‘bad leadership.’?

Jason highlighted there's also a cost to a well-intended leader showing up and supporting their team to a fault. He explains, that by “rescuing and almost saving them from some of these painful learning experiences…they're actually inhibiting their ability to grow.” And, even though it comes from a good place (you could even say a place of compassion), it can be detrimental, leading to missed learning opportunities, creating dependency, and eroding trust and confidence.??

As a leader, there’s a fine balance between stifling growth and supporting it. Rather than (over)protecting employees, leaders should provide guidance, encouragement, and resources to help them navigate challenges. In Jason’s words, “It’s about progress, not perfection.” When you create a supportive environment where failure is seen as a natural part of the learning process, employees can learn from their experiences and grow professionally.

Balancing new tech with learner needs

Another balancing act we explored is the one between new technology and learner needs.?

Jason observes, “It’s almost like the human desire we have to have the new thing…drives us to make decisions. And sometimes we make these decisions just based on the initial feeling instead of really taking a step back to understand the impact that it has.”?

He cautions that while L&D professionals might be ready for new technologies based on the work they do, employees might not be ready for it. He reminds us not to get distracted by shiny, new things but rather to make sure any new technology you’re introducing first and foremost supports the needs of the learners and the business.

BONUS! Hot take on remote vs. co-located leadership

Jason has made a career out of building relationships and developing leaders, so we couldn’t NOT ask for his opinion on whether this had to happen in person, or whether it could happen remotely (aka WFH).?

The long answer is a bit more nuanced (TLDR; it involves blended experiences), but his short answer is, “It can happen from anywhere.” (But again, he points out, there’s a balance.)

This is just a taste of what we explore with Jason. He revisits key moments in his career—including being disrupted at Blockbuster, leading during Apple’s boom, and learning about learning at LinkedIn—and shares lessons learned along the way. Catch it all in the full-length episode.?

If you’ve got questions or thoughts about anything we covered in this highlight or in episode 3, let us know in the comments. And, if you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to Leaders in Learning so you’ll never miss an episode.