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 By Chris Ekeme

Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead isn’t just another leadership book, it’s a manifesto for transforming how we lead in an age of uncertainty, fear, and relentless pressure. Based on seven years of research with CEOs, military leaders, and change makers.

Brown dismantles the myth that vulnerability is weakness and argues that true courage starts with emotional honesty.

A research professor at the University of Houston, Brown became a cultural phenomenon after her 2010 TED Talk "The Power of Vulnerability" went viral. Dare to Lead (2018) distills her findings into actionable tools for leaders willing to trade armor for trust, and control for connection.

Here are 12 transformative takeaways from this groundbreaking work:

1. Vulnerability Is the Birthplace of Innovation

Brown’s research proves that teams who fear failure never innovate. Leaders who admit, "I don’t know, but we’ll figure it out," create cultures where risk-taking thrives. Pixar’s "fail early, fail often" mantra mirrors this principle.

2. Clear Is Kind. Unclear Is Unkind.

Sugarcoating feedback or dodging tough conversations isn’t politeness, it’s cowardice. Great leaders deliver clarity with compassion, even when it’s uncomfortable.

3. Armored Leadership vs. Daring Leadership

Armored leaders hide behind titles, perfectionism, and blame. Daring leaders lean into curiosity, accountability, and the courage to say, "I messed up."

4. The Myth of the Fearless Leader

No one is fearless. Brown found that courageous leaders aren’t immune to fear, they’re the ones who name it, face it, and act anyway.

5. Shame Is a Silent Productivity Killer

Shame, "I am bad", erodes performance faster than incompetence. Leaders must recognize shame triggers (like public humiliation) and foster environments of worthiness.

6. Trust Is Built in Small Moments

Brown’s "BRAVING" framework (Boundaries, Reliability, Accountability, etc.) shows trust isn’t earned in grand gestures but in daily acts of integrity.

7. The Power of "The Story I’m Telling Myself"

When conflicts arise, daring leaders pause and ask, "What’s the story I’m crafting here?" This disrupts assumptions and defuses defensiveness.

8. Curiosity > Certainty

Leaders addicted to being "right" stifle growth. Brown urges replacing "Here’s the plan" with "What if we tried this?"

9. Empathy Fuels Resilience

Unlike sympathy ("That’s terrible"), empathy ("I’m with you") helps teams recover from setbacks. Brown’s mantra: "People can’t innovate or recover without emotional oxygen."

10. Values Are Your Compass

Daring leaders name their core values (e.g., "fairness," "creativity") and use them to make decisions, not consensus or convenience.

11. The "Square Squad" Filter

Brown advises leaders to only take feedback from people who’ve earned the right, those who love you and hold you accountable. Ignore the rest.

12. Courage Is Contagious

When leaders model vulnerability, sharing struggles, asking for help, it gives teams permission to do the same. Psychological safety isn’t soft; it’s strategic.

The Unspoken Truth

Dare to Lead isn’t about being liked; it’s about being respected. It’s for leaders tired of hustling for worthiness and ready to build something braver. As Brown writes, "You can’t get to courage without walking through vulnerability."

The question isn’t "Are you a leader?" It’s "Are you the kind of leader people want to follow?" This book holds the mirror, and the roadmap.