I glitched my neural handshake in a pitch review today. Here's what forgetting a colleague's digital handshake taught me about leading with vulnerability. Leading a team in the chaotic climate adaptation sector requires more than just strategic thinking—it demands emotional agility. In the heat of a pitch review, I momentarily forgot my colleague’s neural handshake. The silence that followed was deafening. But it opened a space for honest reflection and repair. - **Value Unexpected Moments:** These moments of vulnerability, often seen as errors, can become significant opportunities for growth and connection. - **Practice Adaptive Leadership:** Being fluid in your approach allows for quick recovery and adaptation when faced with unexpected challenges. - **Prioritize Trust:** Restoring trust doesn’t happen overnight. It requires small, consistent steps toward rebuilding relationships, even after a minor glitch. Leadership isn’t just about handling the numbers, it’s about handling the humanity that underpins our interactions.