Brené Brown on Being a Steady Leader in Tumultuous Times

HBR IdeaCast

Harvard Business Review

Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Communication, Marketing, Business, Business/management, Management, Business/marketing, Business/entrepreneurship, Innovation, Hbr, Strategy, Economics, Finance, Teams, Harvard

4.4 • 1.9K Ratings

🗓️ 11 November 2025

⏱️ 33 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Leadership takes daring and steadfastness even in the best of times. In eras of shaky political, economic, and social stability, researcher and author Brené Brown argues it is more important than ever to stay true to your values, make thoughtful decisions, and avoid succumbing to external pressures. The podcast host and University of Houston research professor shares what she's learned in her latest studies and explains how to avoid reactivity as an organizational leader navigating a distrusting and disconnected world. Brown is author of Strong Ground: The Lessons of Daring Leadership, the Tenacity of Paradox, and the Wisdom of the Human Spirit.

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0:47.5	So today's guest is the renowned researcher and author Bernay Brown.
0:51.5	It's probably best known for her work on vulnerability, for her book Dare to Lead.
1:11.5	It's really interesting to talk to her now because, like many of us, she is struggling with this moment in time. She does not feel like we're okay in our culture, in our business lives, and that we're disconnected and distrustful. So what she's calling for, for herself and anyone who wants to go along with her on the ride, is to do the hard work to find your balance, find your true North,
1:14.2	to lead from your values and not your fear.
1:19.4	I mean, that sounds a lot like my recent conversation with Rangay Gulati about how leaders find courage in uncertain times. And that often does involve turning inward first, figuring out
1:25.6	your purpose and your personal story and your support network,
1:29.6	and then taking action based on that thinking. Yeah, and look, Bernay is always entertaining.
1:34.6	She's quick with metaphors and lessons from culture, from sports. She talks, for example,
1:39.0	about how the best leaders learn to develop a kind of pocket presence like football quarterbacks have, right?
1:45.1	We have a brief moment to size up the risk, to size up the situation, and make the best
1:50.3	response. And what's interesting is she argues this phenomenon is not just a natural gift,
1:55.7	but is observable and measurable. That is something I would love to learn. So I can't wait
2:00.1	to hear this conversation.
2:01.7	I would also like to learn it. So it's the type of argument that illuminates Bernay Brown's latest book,
	...

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