HBR IdeaCast Brené Brown on Being a Steady Leader in Tumultuous Times
139 snips
Nov 11, 2025 
Join Brené Brown, a renowned researcher and author who specializes in vulnerability and leadership. She discusses the importance of steadfast leadership in times of uncertainty, urging leaders to 'settle the ball' and make thoughtful decisions. Brown emphasizes the value of authenticity under political pressure and introduces her concept of 'Strong Ground,' advocating for grounded values. She also shares insights on leadership skills like pocket presence, pattern recognition, and the necessity of creating time to think before acting.
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Pause To Settle The Ball
- Leaders are making fast, non-strategic decisions because they lack skills and are pushed by scarcity and unpredictability.
- Settling the ball—pausing to think strategically—produces better decisions than reflexive action.
Apply Systems Thinking First
- Use systems thinking to design decisions that allow feedback and permeability across boundaries.
- Slow down to red-team, premortem, and align tech and business strategy before rushing to deploy.
Choose Productive Urgency
- Favor productive urgency over reflexive haste by prioritizing action that maximizes impact.
- Take time to align risk-taking with strategy instead of defaulting to action-over-impact.
