OwnTrail: How would you define vulnerability?
Lizzie Ann Jones: Vulnerability means finding strength in uncovering, defining and sharing the most uncomfortable parts of your story.
OwnTrail: Vulnerability in the workplace is something a lot of us struggle with. What are the most common reasons you see people holding back because of, and how do you suggest they move through these fears?
LAJ: One of the most common reasons people hold back in the workplace is because they subscribe to a false narrative of who they “should” be as a professional.
For example, many ambitious women I’ve encountered in the high-tech industry hold back from talking about their desire for motherhood because they believe that this is the antithesis of what it means to be a successful career woman. That’s why I appreciate communities like OwnTrail, which redefine being a strong, ambitious career woman looks like (hint: we come in many forms!)