Book Review- Dare to Lead by Brené Brown

 

First, let me share my reflections on the book.

It is a great read because it does a good job of explaining how being vulnerable allows people to "take off their armour" and have conversations with real meaning and impact. Being a leader does not mean being “correct, always”. Being vulnerable creates empathy among peers, which opens the door to trust-building —the foundation for many strong relationships to start, whether professional or personal. The book actually suggests that being a leader is less about skill and more about how a person is!

It is a great book to read in general, but especially for those budding leaders and humans-in-making.

Coming to the book review.

Dare to Lead primarily discusses daring leadership in a culture defined by scarcity, fear, and uncertainty, which requires building courage skills that are uniquely human. It focuses on developing the hearts and minds of leaders. Leaders are individuals who hold themselves accountable for recognizing potential in people and ideas and nurturing that potential. This book is for anyone ready to choose courage over comfort, make a difference, and lead.

How do you cultivate braver, more daring leaders? And, how do you embed the value of courage in your culture? The book answers these questions in four parts: Rumbling with Vulnerability, Living into Our Values, Braving Trust, and Learning to Rise. It provides actionable strategies and real examples from Brené's new research-based, courage-building programme.

My key takeaway from the book is five empathy skills:

Skill 1: To see the world as others see it, or perspective taking

Skill 2: To be nonjudgmental

Skill 3: To understand another person’s feelings

Skill 4: To communicate your understanding of that person’s feelings

Skill 5: Mindfulness

Quotes from the book-

“Who we are is how we lead”

“I 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.”

“The courage to be vulnerable is not about winning or losing, it’s about the courage to show up when you can’t predict or control the outcome.”

“Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind.”

“We fail the minute we let someone else define success for us.”