In daring cultures, leadership isn’t about titles — it’s about how people show up. Dr Brené Brown reminds us that courage and vulnerability are inseparable. The “Above / Below the Line” metaphor gives us a powerful lens.

In her new book, Strong Ground, Dr Brené Brown, says that she’s come to a point in her work where “understanding how an organization invests in and thinks about their internal communication practices is critically important”.

Leaders and managers regularly attend workshops to improve communication, handle conflict, give feedback, and grow as coaches. An important question to ask is how much they are trained in Silence Intelligence.

In a recent Unlocking Us podcast episode, Brene Brown spoke to Esther Perelabout a new and different kind of AI, “Artificial Intimacy”. This formed a part of her series on the possibilities and costs of living beyond human scale.

In today’s BANI environment, avoiding uncomfortable truths can feel like the safer choice. Researcher Gustavo Razzetti reminds us, “safety doesn’t come from silence—it comes from trust, candour, and courage.”

The world of work is changing fast. As AI reshapes industries, budgets tighten, geopolitical events shake systems, the most valuable skills today and tomorrow aren’t technical; they’re human.  

Dr Brené Brown’s research found that having clearly named Values, and living into these Values with specifically named behaviours, is vital in developing brave leaders and courageous cultures. She was shocked to find that less than 10% of the organisations she worked with had a clear set of Values that most people could name. And the desired behaviours underpinning these Values were even less clear.

Today I arrived in Rome, by chance on the same day as Pope Francis’s funeral. As millions tune into the service globally, world leaders are gathered to pay respects to a man who embodied humility and a deep respect for human life. A man who prioritised calling a parish in Gaza daily. He cared. He was kind. 

Over the past five years, I’ve had the privilege of taking almost 1000 people through the Brené Brown Dare to Lead ™ curriculum. One of the questions I am often asked is “how can our leaders use a coaching approach to bring to life the frameworks taught in Dare to Lead?”

Brené Brown, renowned researcher and storyteller on vulnerability, courage, and leadership, introduces the concept of Rumble Language in her book Dare to Lead. This framework provides a way to have tough conversations with openness, clarity, and curiosity. But what exactly is Rumble Language, why is it useful? Let’s dive in.

Like many others, my latest book read has been THE LET THEM THEORY by Mel Robbins. I first heard about the book when one of my daughters read it and said it had ‘changed her life and perspective’, so I grabbed a copy at the Brisbane airport en route to Bali, and yes I finished reading it on the flight. I couldn’t put it down!

Shame is an unspoken epidemic, the secret behind many forms of broken and toxic behaviours. We feel the impact of shame in our homes, our families, our workplaces and our communities. Dr Brené Brown, whose TED talk on vulnerability became a viral hit, explores what can happen when people confront their shame head-on.

Power. The undiscussable word. From the moment you receive a promotion, the people around you will start behaving subtly differently. Suddenly there’s a status threat, no matter how small, that triggers people to be more considered in what they’re willing to share with you.

It’s no co-incidence that organisms and organisations share similar names. Both rely on their environment to provide feedback that allows for dynamic adaptation to changing conditions, and support growth, development, and survival. Without feedback, organisms would be unable to maintain the stability and flexibility needed to thrive in their environments. And it’s the same for organisations.

I recently had the privilege of hearing a keynote address from the CEO of a large construction business here in Australia. Inspiring a hall full of aspirational year nine leaders, Brook Monahan shared a number of Guiding Principles that have shaped his life, and his leadership. As I sat there listening to Brook, I felt called to capture these Guiding Principles in a blog, so we can all share in the inherent wisdom of his words. Three (3) simple words sum up his message: “Character is fate”.