One of the best leadership books I read last year was Dare to Lead by Brené Brown.
As I work with leaders through the EOS® process and as part of the LeaderWork program, I am constantly in situations where I see people display courage and speak/hear truth, and where not enough courage is there – yet. The irony is, I am like my clients – sometimes I have it and sometimes I don’t.
This book will help you rethink courage and vulnerability in such a way that, as adults, we can have more impact and let go of some of the things that are taking up too much of our brain/thought space. In EOS we call it headtrash, and the author refers to it often as the stories we tell ourselves.
This book review is simple: here are a dozen quotes I love. If you want more, there is a link at the end to the note I wrote myself to help me return to the forty-four pages that contain the nuggets of wisdom I will come back to often this year.
If you want a free copy, here is a simple way to potentially earn it. Share this on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook in the next week and tag me. From those names, I will draw 5 and send you a free copy!
Make 2020 about Courage, Vulnerability, and leading in your life!
~ Scott
P.S. Here is a link if you want to buy a copy right now.
My Favorite Quotes
All from Brené Brown:
- Calm: Creating perspective and mindfulness while managing emotional reactivity.
- We asked a thousand leaders to list marble-earning behaviors – what do your team members do that earns your trust? The most common answer: ask for help.
- In the absence of data, we will always make up stories.
- The 3 most dangerous stories we make up are the narratives that diminish our lovability, divinity, and creativity.
- Vulnerability is not winning or losing. It’s having the courage to show up when you can’t control the outcome.
- Just remember, we can’t do our jobs when we own other people’s emotions or take responsibility for them as a way to control the related behaviors for one simple reason: other people’s emotions are not our jobs. We can’t both serve people and try to control their feelings.
- The Vulnerability Armory: As children we found ways to protect ourselves from vulnerability, from being hurt, diminished, and disappointed. We put on armor; we used our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors as weapons; and we learned how to make ourselves scarce, even to disappear. Now as adults we realize that to live with courage, purpose, and connection – to be the person we long to be – we must again be vulnerable. We must take off the armor, put down the weapons, show up, and let ourselves be seen.
- Perfectionism is not self-improvement. Perfectionism is, at its core, about trying to earn approval.
- Perfectionism is not the key to success. In fact, research shows that perfectionism hampers Achievement.
- Perfectionism is not the same thing as striving for excellence. Perfectionism is not about healthy achievement and growth. Perfectionism is a defensive move.
- Confabulation: A lie told honestly.
And one from Joseph Campbell (for Star Wars fans, he consulted with George Lucas on the films):
- The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek. ~ Do you remember the scene that uses this?
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash