Be Willing To Be Seen

Right before March, I always find myself reflecting on Women’s History Month. It’s a moment to pause and recognize the women who came before us and the ones walking alongside us, shaping what leadership looks like in real time.

This year feels different.

Just a few weeks ago, I lost my closest friend of 25 years, Nakia R. Wright. We grew up in our careers together, encouraging each other, celebrating the wins, and holding space for the losses. Nakia was a dynamic, committed leader, but more than that, she was honest, courageous, and deeply human.

And that’s what I keep coming back to.

Leadership is not about perfection. It never was.

We often chase the finish line, trying to get there faster and stronger. We measure success by outcomes and overlook the small steps that shape us. The hard conversations. The missteps. The moments where we question ourselves and choose to move forward anyway.

Those moments matter.

Nakia lived that. We both did. We didn’t wait until we had it all figured out to lead. We led while we were still becoming.

That’s the work.

For so long, leadership has been framed as certain. But in my experience, leaders who make the greatest impact are the ones who are willing to be seen fully. Honest. Imperfect. Courageous.

That’s where trust is built.

Brené Brown’s The Gifts of Imperfection has stayed close to me for years. Not because it offers easy answers, but because it tells the truth: Vulnerability isn’t weakness; it’s courage.

And I believe that more deeply now than ever.

Leadership requires us to show up as we are, not five years from now, not when everything is perfectly aligned, but today. In this moment. With what we have and what we’ve learned.

I’ll say it plainly: You are enough.

Not when you achieve more. Not when you fix everything. You are enough now.

That’s not a consolation. That’s the foundation.

And if there’s anything I carry forward in this season, it’s this: We don’t have to lead perfectly to lead powerfully. We just have to lead with courage.

Article written by Marci D. Thompson, chief executive officer of SMPS and the SMPS Foundation. She can be reached at marci@smps.org.