Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts.

by Brené Brown

First, when we’re feeling that edge, instead of asking ourselves “What’s the quickest way to make these feelings go away?,” ask, “What are these feelings and where did they come from?” Second, figure out what brings you real comfort and renewal,

like for you to work on your curiosity and critical thinking skills. You’re often quick with answers, which can be helpful, but not as helpful as having the right questions, which is how you’ll grow as a leader.

The three parts are goal, pathway, and agency. We can identify a realistic goal (I know where I want to go),

and then we can figure out the pathway to get there, even if it’s not a straight line and involves a Plan B and scrappiness (I know I can get there because I’m persistent and

will keep trying in the face of setbacks and disappointment). Agency is belief in our ability to stay on that path until we...

it. Reward clarity and kindness and real conversation, and teach hope instead.

If you find yourself leading a team or culture in which criticism outweighs contribution, make a conscious and resolute decision to

stop rewarding the former.

it is common for leaders to leverage fear and then weaponize it to their advantage. Unfortunately, it’s been an easy formula throughout history—in politics, religion, and business—that if you can keep people

afraid, and give them an enemy who is responsible for their fear, you can get people to do just about anything. This is the playbook for authoritarian leaders here and around the globe.

In the short term it’s relatively easy for leaders to stir up scarcity and promise to deliver more certainty with easy an...

Daring leaders acknowledge, name, and normalize discord and difference without fueling divisiveness or benefiting from it.

When we are managing during a time of scarcity or deep uncertainty, it is imperative that we embrace the uncertainty. We need to tell our teams that we will share as much as we’re able when we’re able.

There is incredible relief and power in naming and normalizing fear and uncertainty.

True belonging doesn’t require you to change who you are; it requires you to be who you are.

Zigzagging is a metaphor for the energy we spend

trying to dodge the bullets of vulnerability—whether it’s conflict, discomfort, confrontation, or the potential for shame, hurt, or criticism. I tend to zigzag in times of vulnerability—like when I need to make

a difficult call, I’ll write a script, then I’ll convince myself that the following morning is definitely better, then I’ll draft an email because that would clearly be superior...

out. And I still need to mak...

In those moments, we need to stop and breathe—bring clarity and awareness to what we’re trying to avoid—then

get clear about what needs to be done to step into vulnerability.

“Leaders must either invest a reasonable amount

The difference between leading from hurt and leading from heart is not what you’ve experienced or are currently experiencing, it’s what you do with that pain and hurt.

own our hard stories and rumble with

them,

When we deny our stories of struggle, they own us.

when we don’t understand that the willingness to risk hurt or failure is courage, or we don’t have the skills to rumble and recover, it’s easy to reach for the armor and weapons at the mere whiff of vulnerability.

Don’t fixate, don’t ruminate, don’t get stuck.

“To induce curiosity about a particular topic, it may be necessary to ‘prime the pump’ ”—to use intriguing information to get

folks interested so they become more curious.