Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. (A Dare to Lead Book)

by Brené Brown

define a leader as anyone who takes responsibility for finding the potential in people and processes, and who has the courage to develop that potential.

Daring leaders must care for and be connected to the people they lead.

empathy is the most powerful connecting and trust-building tool that we have, and it’s the antidote to shame.

Daring leaders work from the assumption that people are doing the best they can; leaders struggling with ego, armor, and/or a lack of skills do not make that assumption.

Every small gesture I make in support of a colleague puts one marble in the jar. But any time I undercut a colleague—any time I betray trust—a huge handful of marbles goes out of the jar.

The only way I can get anything written at all is to write really, really shitty first drafts. The first draft is the child’s draft, where you let it all pour out and then let it romp all over the place, knowing that no one is going to see it and that you can shape it later.