Which leadership practice helps ensure resilience by demonstrating vulnerability and encouraging help-seeking?

• A. Lead by example by sharing vulnerability to issues that require professional help
• B. Demand absolute perfection and silence
• C. Dismiss mental health resources
• D. Avoid discussing mental health

Answer: (A)

Leading with vulnerability and encouraging help-seeking signals psychological safety in the team. When a leader openly shares struggles or acknowledges that some issues may require professional support, it shows that it’s okay to talk about mental health and to ask for help. This normalizes help-seeking, reduces stigma, and invites team members to seek support early, which helps individuals cope better during stress and strengthens the group’s resilience overall. In contrast, demanding perfection and silence, dismissing mental health resources, or avoiding mental health discussions push problems underground, increase fear and stigma, and hinder people from getting the support they need, which weakens resilience.