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Created page with "{{Insert top}}{{Insert quote panel | {{Dare to Lead/random quote}} }} == Introduction == {{Infobox book | name = Dare to Lead | image = dare-to-lead-brene-brown.jpg | full_title = ''Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts.'' | author = Brené Brown | country = United States | language = English | subject = Leadership; Courage; Vulnerability; Organiza..."
 
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{{Infobox book
{{Infobox book
| name = Dare to Lead
| name = Dare to Lead
| image = dare-to-lead-brene-brown.jpg
| image = dare-to-lead-brené-brown.jpg
| full_title = ''Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts.''
| full_title = ''Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts.''
| author = Brené Brown
| author = Brené Brown
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| website = [https://brenebrown.com/book/dare-to-lead brenebrown.com]
| website = [https://brenebrown.com/book/dare-to-lead brenebrown.com]
}}
}}

== Introduction ==

'''''Dare to Lead''''' is a 2018 leadership book by Brené Brown, published by Random House.<ref name="PRH2018" /> Grounded in a seven-year study, it presents four teachable skill sets—rumbling with vulnerability, living into our values, BRAVING trust, and learning to rise.<ref name="DTLAssess">{{cite web |title=Daring Leadership Assessment |url=https://daretolead.brenebrown.com/assessment/ |website=Brené Brown |publisher=Brené Brown Education and Research Group |access-date=10 November 2025}}</ref> Brown writes in a research-driven, story-rich register that pairs qualitative grounded-theory findings with practical tools such as the BRAVING Inventory.<ref name="Time2018">{{cite news |last=Luscombe |first=Belinda |title=America’s Reigning Expert on Feelings, Brené Brown Now Takes on Leadership |url=https://time.com/5441422/expert-feelings-brene-brown-leadership/ |work=Time |date=1 November 2018 |access-date=10 November 2025}}</ref><ref name="BRAVINGpdf">{{cite web |title=The BRAVING Inventory |url=https://brenebrown.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/DTL_BRAVING_102221.pdf |website=Brené Brown |publisher=Brené Brown Education and Research Group |date=22 October 2021 |access-date=10 November 2025}}</ref> It defines leadership beyond titles as the work of recognizing and developing potential, and organizes its chapters around those four skill sets.<ref name="PRH2018" /><ref name="DTLAssess" /> Commercially, Random House lists it as a #1 ''New York Times'' bestseller; in the week of 22 October 2018 it ranked first overall in U.S. BookScan with 63,823 units; and Bloomberg included it among the Best Books of 2018.<ref name="PRH2018" /><ref name="PW2018">{{cite web |last=Juris |first=Carolyn |title=This Week’s Bestsellers: October 22, 2018 |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/78398-this-week-s-bestsellers-october-22-2018.html |website=Publishers Weekly |date=19 October 2018 |access-date=10 November 2025}}</ref><ref name="Bloomberg2018">{{cite web |title=Best Books 2018: Top Picks from Business and Finance |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2018-best-books/ |website=Bloomberg |date=12 December 2018 |access-date=10 November 2025}}</ref>


== Chapter summary ==
== Chapter summary ==
Line 50: Line 54:


🌅 '''8 – Learning to Rise.'''
🌅 '''8 – Learning to Rise.'''

== Background & reception ==

🖋️ '''Author & writing'''. Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston (Huffington Foundation Endowed Chair) and also serves as a Professor of Practice in Management at the University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business, with two decades of work on courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy.<ref name="UH2016">{{cite web |title=Huffington Foundation Endows Chair for Brené Brown |url=https://www.uh.edu/news-events/stories/2016/february/24brenebrownendowment.php |website=University of Houston News |publisher=University of Houston |date=24 February 2016 |access-date=10 November 2025}}</ref><ref name="AboutBrown">{{cite web |title=About Brené |url=https://brenebrown.com/about/ |website=Brené Brown |publisher=Brené Brown Education and Research Group |access-date=10 November 2025}}</ref> She builds the book on grounded-theory methods and qualitative data, translating them into a four-part, skills-based playbook.<ref name="Research">{{cite web |title=The Research |url=https://brenebrown.com/the-research/ |website=Brené Brown |publisher=Brené Brown Education and Research Group |access-date=10 November 2025}}</ref><ref name="DTLAssess" /> Reporting in ''The Washington Post'', Mary Beth Albright calls it a “practical playbook” informed by research with 150 global C-suite executives.<ref name="WaPo2018">{{cite news |last=Albright |first=Mary Beth |title=Brené Brown knows what makes a great leader — and most politicians wouldn’t make the cut |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/brene-brown-knows-what-makes-a-great-leader--and-most-politicians-wouldnt-make-the-cut/2018/10/15/876433ac-c7fa-11e8-b1ed-1d2d65b86d0c_story.html |work=The Washington Post |date=16 October 2018 |access-date=10 November 2025}}</ref> ''Time'' likewise describes it as a leadership manual that systematizes courage into four skills.<ref name="Time2018" /> Across the text and companion resources, Brown operationalizes trust via the BRAVING checklist and other downloadable tools for teams.<ref name="BRAVINGpdf" /><ref name="Resources">{{cite web |title=Guides & Resources (Dare to Lead) |url=https://brenebrown.com/resources/ |website=Brené Brown |publisher=Brené Brown Education and Research Group |access-date=10 November 2025}}</ref>

📈 '''Commercial reception'''. ''Publishers Weekly'' reported that for the week of 22 October 2018, *Dare to Lead* was the No. 1 book in the United States, with 63,823 BookScan units.<ref name="PW2018" /> Random House lists the title as a No. 1 ''New York Times'' bestseller, and the ''Wall Street Journal'' included it among “Five Books Executives Should Read to Prepare for 2019.”<ref name="PRH2018" /><ref name="WSJ2018">{{cite news |title=Five Books Executives Should Read to Prepare for 2019 |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/five-books-executives-should-read-to-prepare-for-2019-1543862641 |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=3 December 2018 |access-date=10 November 2025}}</ref> Bloomberg also named it one of its Best Books of 2018.<ref name="Bloomberg2018" />

👍 '''Praise'''. The ''Washington Post'' praised it as “an absorbingly actionable handbook on creating a space for better work and more fulfilled people.”<ref name="WaPo2018" /> ''Library Journal'' called it “an intriguing new approach to leadership development that combines courage, connection, and meaning,” recommending it to readers of servant-leadership classics.<ref name="LJ2019">{{cite web |title=Dare To Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts |url=https://www.libraryjournal.com/review/dare-to-lead-brave-work-tough-conversations-whole-hearts |website=Library Journal |date=1 February 2019 |access-date=10 November 2025}}</ref> ''Time'' highlighted Brown’s blend of grounded-theory rigor and warmth, noting that she “moves people rather than merely training them.”<ref name="Time2018" />

👎 '''Criticism'''. Some commentary has cautioned that the book steps into the airport-lounge style of business management and adopts pithy guru-style phrasing.<ref name="Time2018" /> Earlier profile coverage in ''The Guardian'' reflected a strand of skepticism toward Brown’s popular reach, dubbing her a “celebrity self-help queen,” a label she rejects.<ref name="Guardian2015">{{cite news |last=Cadwalladr |first=Carole |title=Brené Brown: ‘People will find a million reasons to tear your work down’ |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/nov/22/brene-brown-vulnerable-dont-suggest-she-is-peddling-self-help |work=The Guardian |date=22 November 2015 |access-date=10 November 2025}}</ref> More recently, a ''Kirkus Reviews'' assessment of a follow-on leadership volume argued that the franchise risked reading like a sales pitch and rehash of earlier books, notably *Dare to Lead*.<ref name="Kirkus2025">{{cite web |title=STRONG GROUND (review) |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/brene-brown-1/strong-ground/ |website=Kirkus Reviews |date=October 2025 |access-date=10 November 2025}}</ref>

🌍 '''Impact & adoption'''. The University of Texas at Austin announced on 4 February 2020 that it would implement institution-wide courage-building training based on *Dare to Lead*, becoming the first university to adopt the program.<ref name="UT2020">{{cite web |title=Brené Brown Brings ‘Dare to Lead’ Program to UT as New Visiting Professor of Management |url=https://news.utexas.edu/2020/02/04/brene-brown-brings-dare-to-lead-program-to-ut-as-new-visiting-professor-of-management/ |website=UT Austin News |publisher=The University of Texas at Austin |date=4 February 2020 |access-date=10 November 2025}}</ref> In the public sector, the U.S. Air Force documented ''Dare to Lead'' training with the 19th Airlift Wing at Little Rock Air Force Base on 13 December 2021.<ref name="USAF2021">{{cite web |title=Building courageous leaders through deliberate development |url=https://www.18af.amc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3107493/building-courageous-leaders-through-deliberate-development/ |website=U.S. Air Force |publisher=18th Air Force |date=13 December 2021 |access-date=10 November 2025}}</ref> The brand has also extended into media and enterprise platforms: in 2024 the ''Dare to Lead'' podcast returned under Vox Media’s network,<ref name="Axios2024">{{cite news |title=Brené Brown joins Vox Media's podcast network |url=https://www.axios.com/2024/02/14/brene-brown-joins-vox-media-podcast-network |work=Axios |date=14 February 2024 |access-date=10 November 2025}}</ref> and BetterUp launched the Center for Daring Leadership with Brown as Executive Chair to scale the curriculum across organizations.<ref name="BetterUp2024">{{cite web |title=BetterUp and Brené Brown Partner to Bring the Center for Daring Leadership to Human Transformation Platform |url=https://www.betterup.com/press/betterup-and-bren%C3%A9-brown-partner-to-bring-the-daring-leadership-institute-to-the-betterup-human-transformation-platform |website=BetterUp |date=26 June 2024 |access-date=10 November 2025}}</ref>


== Related content & more ==
== Related content & more ==

Revision as of 13:54, 10 November 2025

"Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind."

— Brené Brown, Dare to Lead (2018)

Introduction

Dare to Lead
Full titleDare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts.
AuthorBrené Brown
LanguageEnglish
SubjectLeadership; Courage; Vulnerability; Organizational culture
GenreNonfiction; Self-help; Business/Leadership
PublisherRandom House
Publication date
9 October 2018
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (hardcover); e-book; audiobook
Pages298
ISBN978-0-399-59252-2
Goodreads rating4.2/5  (as of 10 November 2025)
Websitebrenebrown.com

Introduction

Dare to Lead is a 2018 leadership book by Brené Brown, published by Random House.[1] Grounded in a seven-year study, it presents four teachable skill sets—rumbling with vulnerability, living into our values, BRAVING trust, and learning to rise.[2] Brown writes in a research-driven, story-rich register that pairs qualitative grounded-theory findings with practical tools such as the BRAVING Inventory.[3][4] It defines leadership beyond titles as the work of recognizing and developing potential, and organizes its chapters around those four skill sets.[1][2] Commercially, Random House lists it as a #1 New York Times bestseller; in the week of 22 October 2018 it ranked first overall in U.S. BookScan with 63,823 units; and Bloomberg included it among the Best Books of 2018.[1][5][6]

Chapter summary

This outline follows the Random House hardcover edition (9 October 2018, ISBN 978-0-399-59252-2, 298 pp.).[1][7]

I – Rumbling with Vulnerability

🎭 1 – The Moment and the Myths.

🦁 2 – The Call to Courage.

🛡️ 3 – The Armory.

💞 4 – Shame and Empathy.

🔍 5 – Curiosity and Grounded Confidence.

II – Living into Our Values

🧭 6 – Living into Our Values.

III – Braving Trust

🤝 7 – Braving Trust.

IV – Learning to Rise

🌅 8 – Learning to Rise.

Background & reception

🖋️ Author & writing. Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston (Huffington Foundation Endowed Chair) and also serves as a Professor of Practice in Management at the University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business, with two decades of work on courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy.[8][9] She builds the book on grounded-theory methods and qualitative data, translating them into a four-part, skills-based playbook.[10][2] Reporting in The Washington Post, Mary Beth Albright calls it a “practical playbook” informed by research with 150 global C-suite executives.[11] Time likewise describes it as a leadership manual that systematizes courage into four skills.[3] Across the text and companion resources, Brown operationalizes trust via the BRAVING checklist and other downloadable tools for teams.[4][12]

📈 Commercial reception. Publishers Weekly reported that for the week of 22 October 2018, *Dare to Lead* was the No. 1 book in the United States, with 63,823 BookScan units.[5] Random House lists the title as a No. 1 New York Times bestseller, and the Wall Street Journal included it among “Five Books Executives Should Read to Prepare for 2019.”[1][13] Bloomberg also named it one of its Best Books of 2018.[6]

👍 Praise. The Washington Post praised it as “an absorbingly actionable handbook on creating a space for better work and more fulfilled people.”[11] Library Journal called it “an intriguing new approach to leadership development that combines courage, connection, and meaning,” recommending it to readers of servant-leadership classics.[14] Time highlighted Brown’s blend of grounded-theory rigor and warmth, noting that she “moves people rather than merely training them.”[3]

👎 Criticism. Some commentary has cautioned that the book steps into the airport-lounge style of business management and adopts pithy guru-style phrasing.[3] Earlier profile coverage in The Guardian reflected a strand of skepticism toward Brown’s popular reach, dubbing her a “celebrity self-help queen,” a label she rejects.[15] More recently, a Kirkus Reviews assessment of a follow-on leadership volume argued that the franchise risked reading like a sales pitch and rehash of earlier books, notably *Dare to Lead*.[16]

🌍 Impact & adoption. The University of Texas at Austin announced on 4 February 2020 that it would implement institution-wide courage-building training based on *Dare to Lead*, becoming the first university to adopt the program.[17] In the public sector, the U.S. Air Force documented Dare to Lead training with the 19th Airlift Wing at Little Rock Air Force Base on 13 December 2021.[18] The brand has also extended into media and enterprise platforms: in 2024 the Dare to Lead podcast returned under Vox Media’s network,[19] and BetterUp launched the Center for Daring Leadership with Brown as Executive Chair to scale the curriculum across organizations.[20]

Related content & more

YouTube videos

Load video
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TED – Brené Brown: The Power of Vulnerability (21 min)
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"Dare to Lead" by Brené Brown – Summary in 8 Minutes (8 min)

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References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Dare to Lead by Brené Brown". Penguin Random House. Random House. 9 October 2018. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Daring Leadership Assessment". Brené Brown. Brené Brown Education and Research Group. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Luscombe, Belinda (1 November 2018). "America's Reigning Expert on Feelings, Brené Brown Now Takes on Leadership". Time. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "The BRAVING Inventory" (PDF). Brené Brown. Brené Brown Education and Research Group. 22 October 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Juris, Carolyn (19 October 2018). "This Week's Bestsellers: October 22, 2018". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Best Books 2018: Top Picks from Business and Finance". Bloomberg. 12 December 2018. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  7. ↑ "Dare to lead : brave work, tough conversations, whole hearts". WorldCat. OCLC. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  8. ↑ "Huffington Foundation Endows Chair for Brené Brown". University of Houston News. University of Houston. 24 February 2016. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  9. ↑ "About Brené". Brené Brown. Brené Brown Education and Research Group. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  10. ↑ "The Research". Brené Brown. Brené Brown Education and Research Group. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Albright, Mary Beth (16 October 2018). "Brené Brown knows what makes a great leader — and most politicians wouldn't make the cut". The Washington Post. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  12. ↑ "Guides & Resources (Dare to Lead)". Brené Brown. Brené Brown Education and Research Group. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  13. ↑ "Five Books Executives Should Read to Prepare for 2019". The Wall Street Journal. 3 December 2018. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  14. ↑ "Dare To Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts". Library Journal. 1 February 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  15. ↑ Cadwalladr, Carole (22 November 2015). "Brené Brown: 'People will find a million reasons to tear your work down'". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  16. ↑ "STRONG GROUND (review)". Kirkus Reviews. October 2025. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  17. ↑ "Brené Brown Brings 'Dare to Lead' Program to UT as New Visiting Professor of Management". UT Austin News. The University of Texas at Austin. 4 February 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  18. ↑ "Building courageous leaders through deliberate development". U.S. Air Force. 18th Air Force. 13 December 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  19. ↑ "Brené Brown joins Vox Media's podcast network". Axios. 14 February 2024. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  20. ↑ "BetterUp and Brené Brown Partner to Bring the Center for Daring Leadership to Human Transformation Platform". BetterUp. 26 June 2024. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
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