Vulnerability used to be seen as a gateway for people to attack and criticize CEO's and brand leaders. Smart CEO's use their flaws as a branding strategy and leverage them to place themselves as open, real, and humanized leaders. When you're a CEO, you're now in the public eye whether you like it or not. How Steve Madden turned criticism into credibilityIn a recent interview, Steve Madden, the Founder of Steve Madden Ltd., was asked what he thinks when people call his brand a knockoff. Steve Madden took this jarring question as an opportunity to leverage his authenticity and elevate his brand.