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

In her #1 New York Times bestsellers, Brené Brown has taught us what it means to dare greatly, rise strong, and brave the wilderness. Now, based on new research conducted with leaders, change makers, and culture shifters, she’s showing us how to put those ideas into practice so we can step up and lead.

Leadership is not about titles, status, and power over people. Leaders are those who hold themselves accountable for recognizing the potential in people and ideas and for developing that potential. This is a book for everyone who is ready to choose courage over comfort, make a difference, and lead.

When we dare to lead, we don’t pretend to have the right answers; we stay curious and ask the right questions. We don’t see power as finite and hoard it; we know that power becomes infinite when we share it, and we work to align authority and accountability. We don’t avoid difficult conversations and situations; we lean into the vulnerability that’s necessary to do good work.

But daring leadership in a culture that’s defined by scarcity, fear, and uncertainty requires us to build courage skills that are uniquely human. The irony is that we’re choosing not to invest in developing the hearts and minds of leaders while at the same time scrambling to figure out what we offer that machines can’t do better and faster. What can we do better? Empathy, connection, and courage, to start.

Brené Brown spent the past two decades researching the emotions that give meaning to our lives. Over the past seven years, she’s found that leaders in organizations ranging from small entrepreneurial startups and family-owned businesses to nonprofits, civic organizations, and Fortune 50 companies are asking the same questions: How do you cultivate braver, more daring leaders? And how do you embed the value of courage in your culture?

Dare to Lead answers these questions and gives us actionable strategies and real examples from her new research-based courage-building program. 

Brown writes, “One of the most important findings of my career is that courage can be taught, developed, and measured. Courage is a collection of four skill sets supported by twenty-eight behaviors. All it requires is a commitment to doing bold work, having tough conversations, and showing up with our whole hearts. Easy? No. Choosing courage over comfort is not easy. Worth it? Always. We want to be brave with our lives and work. It’s why we’re here.”