Dare to Lead: The inspiring, internationally bestselling book on leadership and courage

Name: Dare to Lead: The inspiring, internationally bestselling book on leadership and courage
Rating: 4.435897350311279 (39 reviews)

Brené Brown

Oct 2018 · Random House

39 reviews

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320

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About this ebook

The original must-read, bestselling guide to becoming the best leader you can be from the critically-acclaimed author of Atlas of the Heart, Braving the Wilderness and The Gifts of Imperfection.

‘A practical and insightful guide to courageous leadership’ Sheryl Sandberg, former Facebook COO and bestselling author of Lean In

‘The ultimate playbook for daring leadership’ Scott Harrison, founder and CEO of Charity: Water

Leadership is not about titles, status and power over people. Leaders are people who hold themselves accountable for recognising the potential in people and ideas, and look to develop that potential.

Brené Brown spent the past two decades researching the emotions that give meaning to our lives. She has found that leaders in organisations ranging from small entrepreneurial start-ups and family-owned businesses to non-profits, civic organisations and Fortune 50 companies, are all 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, giving us actionable strategies and real examples from her new research-based, courage-building programme.

This inspiring book shows us that, 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 with others. We don’t avoid difficult conversations and situations; we lean into vulnerability when it’s necessary to do good work.

Written with Brown’s trademark mix of research, storytelling and honesty, Dare to Lead is a book for anyone who is ready to choose courage over comfort, make a difference and lead.

Praise for Brené Brown

‘Brené empowers us each to be a little more courageous’ The Huffington Post

‘Brené cuts through the noise and speaks to what makes us human’ Brigadier General Brook J. Leonard, United States Air Force

‘Brené has profoundly inspired our product leaders to design in and embrace vulnerability, rather than engineer it out' Danielle Krettek, founder, Google Empathy Lab

‘The master of hope’ Metro

The original must-read, bestselling guide to becoming the best leader you can be from the critically-acclaimed author of Atlas of the Heart, Braving the Wilderness and The Gifts of Imperfection. ‘A practical and insightful guide to courageous leadership’ Sheryl Sandberg, former Facebook COO and b...

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Ratings and reviews

39 reviews

ANKITA DEY

November 25, 2025

Dare to Lead is a great handbook for any leader who operates primarily from a place of kindness and empathy, serving as a guide on how to integrate compassion with necessary accountability and clarity. It talks about "armored leadership" ( avoiding tough conversations, masking expectations, or failing to give direct feedback out of a fear of hurting feelings). It focuses on the concept of "rumbling with vulnerability", provides practical skills to develop the "strong back"—setting clear boundaries and holding people accountable —without sacrificing the natural "soft front" of connection and care. It validates your emotional strengths while providing the structural courage needed to lead wholeheartedly and effectively.

Patrice Hill

January 29, 2026

"Dare to Lead" is Brené Brown's transformative masterwork that brilliantly frames 'brave vulnerability' as the very foundation of strong leadership. It doesn't just theorise; it provides practical tools and candid examples for building real connection , trust, and creativity in teams. This indispensable guide teaches leaders at every level how to face down insecurity and fear, have the tough convesations, and place courage at the heart of team culture. A proper game-changer for modern leadership.

Khanya Meluleki

October 26, 2022

the book is very much informative and easy to understand. I wouldn't mind to recommend it to anyone, buying the book is money worth value.

About the author

Brené Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston, where she holds the Huffington Foundation Endowed Chair at the Graduate College of Social Work. She also holds the position of Professor of Practice in Management at The University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business. She is the author of six #1 New York Times bestsellers and the host of two award-winning podcasts. In 2024, she was named as the executive director of The Center for Daring Leadership at BetterUp. She lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband, Steve. They have two children, Ellen and Charlie, and a weird Bichon Frisé named Lucy.

Brené Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston, where she holds the Huffington Foundation Endowed Chair at the Graduate College of Social Work. She also holds the position of Professor of Practice in Management at The University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business. She...

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