HomePodcastsThe Curiosity Shop with Brené Brown and Adam Grant
The Curiosity Shop with Brené Brown and Adam Grant
Vox Media Podcast Network98 episodesLatest May 28, 2026
Research professor Brené Brown and organizational psychologist Adam Grant partner on a new weekly podcast grounded in an unflinching commitment to learning and unlearning. At a time when public discourse rewards certainty over inquiry, The Curiosity Shop features two of the world's most sought-after experts on connection, change, and leadership making the case for slowing down, asking better questions, and embracing informed complexity over easy answers. Bringing together their left and right brain sensibilities — she’s a qualitative researcher; he’s a quantitative researcher — they explore some of the defining questions of our time, unpack the research reshaping how we live, lead, and love, and dive deep into the ideas, evidence, and cultural moments intriguing them the most. New episodes drop every Thursday. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.
Episodes
AI, Commencement Speeches, and Why Human Thinking Still Matters | The Curiosity ShopJun 11, 20264980In this episode of The Curiosity Shop, Brené Brown and Adam Grant use this year’s booed commencement speeches as a launching pad to explore the role of AI in our lives. They dig into what some of those commencement addresses were missing: moral imagination, emotional honesty, and real empathy for the graduates. Brené introduces the concept of being “smitten with what’s written,” the trap of polish
Why Toughness and Kindness Need Each Other | The Curiosity ShopJun 4, 20264161In this episode of The Curiosity Shop, Brené Brown and Adam Grant explore what happens when trust, vulnerability, grief, and performance collide. Using insights from the San Antonio Spurs and Gregg Popovich's leadership philosophy, they examine why caring deeply is an act of courage, how shame quietly undermines teams, families, and organizations, and how psychological safety fuels excellence. The
Exploring the Paradoxes of Human NatureMay 28, 20264652In this episode of The Curiosity Shop, Brené Brown and Adam Grant unpack the paradoxes that shape our lives, relationships, leadership, and decision-making. They explore the Abilene Paradox, the Stockdale Paradox, why groups often make decisions nobody actually wants, and how people balance gritty facts with gritty faith. The conversation moves through spirituality, teamwork, family dynamics, opti
Sober AF, Michael Scott Phobia, and How to Politely End a ConversationMay 21, 20263770Marking a major personal milestone, Brené shares what led her to 30 years of sobriety and Adam asks what it taught her about change. From there, they pivot to why Brené can’t tolerate the cringe of The Office —and Adam’s take on how to engage with it. Finally, they deliver a masterclass on the art and science of ending social interactions, sharing the ultimate shortcut to a graceful exit. This is
Are You a Preacher, Prosecutor, Scientist, or Politician?May 14, 20263660Do you find yourself defaulting to “Preacher” mode when you’re under pressure, or starting to act like a “Prosecutor” when someone challenges your ideas? Brené and Adam unpack four mental modes – Preacher, Prosecutor, Politician, and Scientist – to explore why we often cling to being right rather than getting it right. In this episode, they discuss how these defensive stances are shaping our respo
BS Disclaimers, Invisible Armies, and the Importance of the Words We ChooseMay 7, 20264098Brené and Adam discuss the power — and peril — of the words we choose. They dive into two Machiavellian communication tools that often do more harm than good: the "Invisible Army" and "BS Disclaimers". Brené explains why leading with “we” or “but” often comes across as requesting permission to escape accountability, which ultimately sacrifices trust more than anything. Adam explores how these tool
What the Return-to-Office Debate Gets WrongApr 30, 20262990In this episode of The Curiosity Shop, Brené Brown and Adam Grant dive into the return‑to‑office debate and argue that most conversations are stuck at the wrong level. Instead of asking “How many days in the office?”, they ask, “What problem are you actually trying to solve?”
They explore evidence on hybrid work, weak‑tie innovation, culture and belonging, and why some leaders still cling to “but
The Emotion Few Talk About, But Many FeelApr 23, 20263584From classrooms and locker rooms to workplaces and social media, Adam and Brené trace how shame and humiliation are used to control behavior and even fuel violence. They explore what causes shame, why our self-protective responses backfire, and how we can handle it more effectively. They also unpack the messy overlap between imposter syndrome and cultural pressures toward self-doubt.
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Uncertainty is Not the EnemyApr 16, 20264092Today's episode is about learning to sit with uncertainty. The episode opens with a discussion of listener questions on how to handle risk, the ingredients of a great apology, and why people stay loyal to relationships and organizations that quietly drain them. Then Brené and Adam turn to uncertainty – how our brains are wired for a threat response, what intolerance of uncertainty actually is, and
Overconfidence and the Art of Knowing YourselfApr 9, 20263584What happens when your confidence outruns your competence? Brené and Adam start with freestyle skiing champ Eileen Gu’s extraordinary Olympic press conference and use it to explore metacognition—how to notice your thinking, question it, and change it on purpose. They dig into the Dunning–Kruger effect, calibration, journaling, and feedback, discuss why we’re so bad at estimating timelines, and con
Mission vs. Ego: The Dangers of Narcissistic LeadershipApr 2, 20263779This week, Brené and Adam are live at SXSW! They explore why so many people are vulnerable to narcissistic leaders. The conversation covers the conditions that breed narcissistic leadership, the roles of shame and fear, and how to survive a narcissistic boss, and what it means to lead with mission over ego.
You can find The Curiosity Shop on YouTube and Instagram (@thecuriosityshop).
Chapters:
How This Podcast Could FailMar 26, 20264250Brené and Adam have a bracingly honest conversation about what could go wrong in their collaboration, and how to set new teams, partnerships, and friendships up for success. They discuss the science of avoiding failure and building alignment, and practical strategies for navigating differences—including their own clashing instincts around minimalism vs. maximalism and sarcasm vs. trashtalk. The ep
Brené and Adam on What They Will Never Agree OnMar 20, 20263735Welcome to The Curiosity Shop! In the inaugural episode, Brené and Adam discuss how a public disagreement about authenticity almost ended their relationship before it began. For the first time, they discuss where they went wrong, why they changed their minds about each other, and what they learned about repair and trust. They also explore what healthy authenticity looks like, and dive into the man
Welcome to The Curiosity ShopMar 15, 202627Research professor Brené Brown and organizational psychologist Adam Grant are partnering on a new weekly podcast grounded in an unflinching commitment to learning and unlearning. At a time when public discourse rewards certainty over inquiry, The Curiosity Shop will see two of the world’s most influential thought leaders make the case for slowing down, asking better questions, and embracing inform
Brené on Strong Ground Ask Me Anything, Part 2 of 2Nov 5, 20251298In the second part of an Ask Me Anything episode around Strong Ground, Brené shares an excerpt from the Strong Ground audiobook that walks listeners through the one topic that elicited the most questions — the Above/Below the Line practice. This is one of the most profound self-awareness tools we discovered!
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Brené on Strong Ground Ask Me Anything, Part 1 of 2Oct 29, 20251539In part one of an Ask Me Anything episode around Strong Ground, Brené answers questions from listeners about mindset shifts, leading from where you are, and courage and boldness in uncertain times. She highlights the importance of pausing during big decisions where action is not always impact, breaks down how to be courageous when it’s not the popular choice, and emphasizes the role of curiosity a
Brené and Adam Grant on Rewarding Effort With TimeOct 22, 20252115In the final episode of a special “Dare to Lead” series with Adam Grant, Brené and Adam discuss the problem with rewarding all effort as excellence. Instead, leaders should reward effort that is not leading to success or mastery with their time through coaching, mentoring, and sharing their own experiences of transformation and change. They also explore how to approach decisions based on how conse
Brené and Adam Grant on the Skillsets of EmpathyOct 15, 20252889In the fifth episode of a special “Dare to Lead” series with Adam Grant, Brené and Adam break down the skillsets of empathy, empathy misses, and how empathy is trickier than walking in someone else’s shoes. They discuss the way empathy can show up as being curious and caring — irreducible prerequisites for good leadership. Brené shares a powerful sentence for leaders building an empathy skillset:
Brené and Adam Grant on Empathy vs. EnmeshmentOct 8, 20251939In the fourth episode of a special “Dare to Lead” series with Adam Grant, Brené and Adam explore the attack on empathy, the difference between cognitive empathy and affective empathy, and what separates empathy from enmeshment. Brené shares a personal story that led to a breakthrough around how to stay aligned with empathy and perspective taking instead of over-identifying and finding yourself in
Brené and Adam Grant on Time Scarcity, Asking Questions, and Pocket PresenceOct 1, 20252282In the third part of a special series with Adam Grant, Brené and Adam tackle the topics of time scarcity, how a great leader doesn’t have all the right answers, but the right questions, and the difference between pocket presence and executive presence. They dig into how understanding the 5 Cs — color, context, connective tissue, cost, and consequence — of delegation and strategy operations can bui
Brené and Adam Grant on the Paradox Tug of War and Leadership TheaterSep 24, 20252186In part two of a special series with Adam Grant on Brené’s new book, Strong Ground, Brené and Adam discuss the far and near enemies of generosity, the tug of war of paradox, and sports as leadership theater. They explore how finding our strong ground offers tethering, connection, and stability, and also the platform for explosive movement and change.
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Brené on Lock-In and Lock-Through PowerSep 23, 20253513In this special Dare to Lead episode, Brené shares one of her favorite chapters from the Strong Ground audiobook called Lock-In and Lock-Through Power. Brené uses the metaphor of a boat lock to explore the tricky work-to-home and professional-to-personal transitions that we have to navigate with our partners, children, and friends. She digs into why, at the end of a hard day, when we finally arriv
Brené and Adam Grant on Finding Our Strong GroundSep 17, 20253514In the first episode of a special series on Brené's new book, Strong Ground, Brené and Adam dig into the origins of Strong Ground, and what values clarity can mean for individuals, teams, and organizations. They take on the question of why there is so much more meaning in our lives and our work when we know who we are and what matters to us the most.
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Brené and Barrett reflect on the "Living Beyond Human Scale" Podcast SeriesMay 15, 20242686In this episode Brené and Barrett discuss their learnings on AI and social media and some of their favorite nuggets from each of the guests in the series.
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Dr. Joy Buolamwini on Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What Is Human in a World of MachinesMay 8, 20245146In this episode, Brené and Dr. Joy discuss fighting bias in algorithms, Gender Shades - the accuracy of AI powered gender classification products, and her amazing perspective on technology as a poet, artist, and scientist.
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Lisa Gevelber on Technology and AI for GoodMay 1, 20243015In this episode, Brené and Lisa discuss how we can work to close the digital divide and ensure more people have access to technology, what it means in AI speak to have a human in the loop, and the incredible ways teachers, business owners, and regular people are using AI.
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Futurist Amy Webb on What's Coming (and What's Here)Apr 24, 20244456Quantitative futurist Amy Webb talks to us about the three technologies that make up the "super cycle" that we're all living through right now: artificial intelligence, wearable devices, and biotechnology, and why, despite the unnerving change, we still need to do some serious future planning.
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Brené with Paul Leonardi and Tsedal Neeley on The Digital Mindset, Part 2 of 2Dec 27, 20223340In Part 2 of my conversation with Paul Leonardi and Tsedal Neeley, authors of The Digital Mindset: What It Really Takes to Thrive in the Age of Data, Algorithms, and AI, we talk about the importance of establishing a baseline digital literacy in our organizations and the intimate relationship between the skill sets and the mindsets we cultivate.
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Brené with Paul Leonardi and Tsedal Neeley on The Digital Mindset, Part 1 of 2Dec 19, 20222637This two-part podcast with Paul Leonardi and Tsedal Neeley is an absolute game changer. Given how often I find myself working with leaders who are knee-high in uncertainty and vulnerability around digital transformation, I thought I had a pretty solid understanding of it. But The Digital Mindset book and this conversation turned everything upside down.
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Brené with Mike Erwin on Leadership Is a Relationship, Part 2 of 2Dec 12, 20222276We’re back with Part 2 of my conversation with Mike Erwin, the founder and CEO of the Character and Leadership Center and the co-author of Leadership Is a Relationship. In this episode, we continue to dig into how the most effective leaders prioritize relationships. They give feedback that calls attention to the behaviors they want to encourage, invest in the slow work of pulling and keeping peopl
Brené with Mike Erwin on Leadership Is a Relationship, Part 1 of 2Dec 5, 20222346This is the first of two episodes with Mike Erwin, the founder and CEO of the Character and Leadership Center and the co-author of Leadership Is a Relationship, a timely book that details why leaders who prioritize relationships are more effective. It’s a conversation about the seven functions of relationship-building and the importance of prioritizing our relationships as people and also as leade
Brené with Lisa Lahey on Immunity to Change, Part 2 of 2Nov 28, 20223971I won’t lie: This conversation was hard as hell. But — I’m so grateful to Lisa Lahey and all the work she and Robert Kegan have done on the “immunity to change” theory. It explains why lasting, meaningful change is damn hard. Rather than simply talking about the process, Lisa and I actually engage in it around something I’m desperate to change (and somewhat refusing to change). She is so skilled a
Brené with Lisa Lahey on Immunity to Change, Part 1 of 2Nov 21, 20222388I don’t like to think of myself as someone who’s averse to change. But, man, am I averse to change. Enter the amazing Lisa Lahey. She is a Harvard Graduate School of Education faculty member who has built a body of work to help learners and leaders overcome the innate human aversion to change. And I thought, when I asked her to join us for a two-parter on this podcast, that we’d talk about the “im
Brené and Barrett on Building Brave SpacesNov 17, 20222177Barrett and I invite you into some research thinking and dig into the latest data on how to build brave spaces with our teams — what gets in the way of people showing up, what gets in the way of doing the work, and how judgment is the primary killer of these spaces.
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Brené with Janice Omadeke on The Mentor Method and Why Values MatterNov 7, 20223530Janice Omadeke is the creator of The Mentor Method, an enterprise software that transforms company culture through mentorship. We talk about her entrepreneurship journey, from building fan sites as a hobby to being named one of Entrepreneur magazine’s 100 Women of Influence in 2022. As The Mentor Method’s founder and CEO, Janice became one of the first 100 Black women in the United States to raise
Brené with Aiko Bethea and Ruchika Tulshyan on the Heart of Leadership, Part 2 of 2Oct 31, 20222078We are back with Part 2 with two of my friends, mentors, teachers, and co-creators, Aiko Bethea and Ruchika Tulshyan. Join us as we talk about the state of belonging work — what it is, what’s working, and what’s not working. This is a conversation about the tough work that I believe is at the heart of courageous leadership.
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Brené with Aiko Bethea and Ruchika Tulshyan on the Heart of Leadership, Part 1 of 2Oct 24, 20222968We have two Dare to Lead favorites back with us today who are really important people to me in terms of my own personal and professional growth: Aiko Bethea and Ruchika Tulshyan. We are digging into the heart of what it means to belong. What are we getting right with DEIB work? What are we still not doing well? I think this work is actually the core of real leadership, of daring leadership. It’s n
Brené with Beto O’Rourke on Brave LeadershipOct 17, 20223322I think y’all know that I’m a fifth-generation Texan, and I have another Texan with me today: Beto O’Rourke. He is running for governor of Texas, and early voting starts next week on October 24th, with Election Day coming up on November 8th. But beyond the timeliness of voting, I wanted to connect on the timeliness of brave leadership — because we really need courageous, real, authentic, empathic
Brené with Adam Grant and Simon Sinek on What's Happening at Work, Part 2 of 2Oct 10, 20222675We’re back for Part 2 of my two-episode conversation with Adam Grant and Simon Sinek. If you haven’t listened to Part 1, I suggest doing that first, because it provides the framework for the three big topics we cover here: (1) quiet quitting — what it is, what it isn’t, what we think about it; (2) engagement — how you define it, how you foster it; and (3) boundaries — not just setting them, but al
Brené with Adam Grant and Simon Sinek on What's Happening at Work, Part 1 of 2Oct 3, 20222592What’s happening in the workplace right now? In this first of two episodes with Adam Grant and Simon Sinek, we talk about what we are seeing in organizations across the world — and there are definitely some trends that emerge. And so much learning. We talk about disconnects between what we know from data and what we’re seeing practiced. We also talk about what high performers actually look like an
Brené with Erika James and Lynn Perry Wooten on The Prepared Leader, Part 2 of 2Sep 26, 20222308We’re back with the second part of a two-part series with Erika James, PhD, and Lynn Perry Wooten, PhD, about their new book, The Prepared Leader: Emerge from Any Crisis More Resilient Than Before. In Part 1, we talked about what leaders can do today to prepare for what’s next, and in this episode, we dig into more tactical strategies. I have to say that I have lived this work, and this is real. I
Brené with Erika James and Lynn Perry Wooten on The Prepared Leader, Part 1 of 2Sep 22, 20222877It’s the first of a two-part series with Erika James, PhD, and Lynn Perry Wooten, PhD, about their new book, The Prepared Leader: Emerge from Any Crisis More Resilient Than Before. It’s completely tactical and has taught me so much about leading in a crisis — and unfortunately, we have not seen our last crisis. We talk about what leaders can do today to prepare for what’s next, as they add a fourt
Brené and Barrett on Gathering Together for the First TimeMay 9, 20222623Three weeks ago, our whole company gathered together in our offices for the first time since early March 2020. In this episode, Barrett and I reflect on how it felt to be together, what surprised us, what shifted for us, and what we’ve learned so far as our team has begun to work in the same space again for the first time in more than two years.
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Brené with Kam Franklin on Joy, Conflict, and Leading Creative TeamsMay 2, 20224012I’m talking with Kam Franklin, singer-songwriter, music producer, activist, writer, and lead singer of the Gulf Coast soul band The Suffers. You know their kick-ass song “Take Me to the Good Times” from the Dare to Lead podcast. Kam and I talk about what it means to lead a creative team and what it means to set audacious goals, to fall and fail, and the power of getting back up. Kam explains the d
Brené with Ruchika Tulshyan on Inclusion on PurposeApr 25, 20224526If you come across Ruchika Tulshyan’s new book and find yourself dismissively thinking, “Another DEI book?” you do so at your own peril — and privilege. Inclusion on Purpose: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work is a transformative book. In it, Ruchika, a journalist and inclusion strategist, centers the experience of women of color and provides a framework of inten
Brené with Dr. Linda Hill on Leading With Purpose in the Digital AgeApr 18, 20223892I am talking to Dr. Linda Hill, a researcher, professor of business administration, and chair of the Leadership Initiative at Harvard Business School. She is regarded as one of the top experts on leadership and innovation, and she has done a new study on how to lead in the digital era. We talk about her findings and what leaders are wrestling with today, the qualities of a digitally mature organiz
Brené with Scott Sonenshein on Why We’ll Never Be the Same Again (and Why It’s Time to Talk About It)Apr 11, 20223482I’m talking with Scott Sonenshein, a researcher, organizational psychologist, and New York Times bestselling author, about the pandemic, the racial reckoning, and work — specifically, what it means for people going to the office for the first time, or staying hybrid, or working from home. We will never be the same again after what we’ve experienced over the past couple of years, and it’s time we t
Brené and Barrett on Why Every Leader Needs to Worry About Toxic CultureApr 4, 20222268Barrett and I have not been able to stop thinking — and talking — about an episode we did a few weeks ago with Donald Sull and Charlie Sull of CultureX: “How Toxic Work Cultures Are Driving the Great Resignation.” In that episode, we took a deep dive into an MIT Sloan Management Review article the Sulls had recently written, about what was driving the Great Resignation. In sharing their findings,
Brené with James Rhee on Kindness, Math, and the Power of GoodwillMar 28, 20224200This is a conversation about how a simple act of generosity can put someone on a new, groundbreaking course. I’m talking with James Rhee — acclaimed impact leader, entrepreneur, educator, investor, and goodwill strategist — about why kindness matters. He leads with a powerful combination of kindness and math and demonstrates how revenue doesn’t define our lives. We unpack the power of goodwill — w
Brené with Dr. Amishi Jha on Finding Focus and Owning Your AttentionMar 21, 20224597I want you to pay attention and direct your flashlight right on this podcast — you’ll understand what that means after you listen to this episode. I’m talking to Dr. Amishi Jha, a neuroscientist and the author of the bestseller Peak Mind, about attention, focus, concentration, and mindfulness — specifically how mindfulness can literally change our levels of attention.
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Brené with Dr. Donald Sull and Charlie Sull on How Toxic Work Cultures Are Driving the Great ResignationMar 7, 20224315I’m talking with Dr. Donald Sull and Charlie Sull about an article I came across in the MIT Sloan Management Review titled “Toxic Culture Is Driving the Great Resignation.” As we know, between April and September of 2021, more than 24 million American employees left their jobs, an all-time record. Donald and Charlie researched what’s driving the Great Resignation. It is both revealing and confirmi
Brené with Megan Reitz and John Higgins on Leading in an Age of Employee ActivismFeb 28, 20224416I’m talking to Megan Reitz, a professor of leadership and dialogue, and John Higgins, a researcher and author, about an article they published in the MIT Sloan Management Review titled “Leading in an Age of Employee Activism.” It’s a huge topic in every organization I talk to, and I can say, as an employer and an activist — leading a team filled with organizers and activists — that this is definit
Brené with Debbie Millman on Why Design MattersFeb 21, 20224394I’m talking with Debbie Millman — designer, author, educator, curator, brand strategist, and host of the long-running, multi-award-winning podcast Design Matters — about her new book, Why Design Matters: Conversations with the World’s Most Creative People. It’s a conversation about creativity with one of the most creative people in the business, where she answers a lot of direct questions like, Wh
Brené with Dan Pink on The Power of RegretFeb 14, 20224435Dan Pink is one of my favorite researchers and writers. In this episode, we dig into one of my least favorite feelings (but one of my best teachers): regret. In his new book, The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward, Dan shares findings from two large studies on regret. It’s fascinating. One big takeaway: We have more regrets about the things we did NOT do than the things we did
Brené and Barrett on the Great AwkwardJan 24, 20222178We’re back! It’s 2022, and we’re all talking about “returning to the office” at some point. There are a lot of unknowns, and it’s going to be awkward. In this episode, Barrett and I discuss how our organization is going to gather again, as well as what we are seeing in companies across the country. We talk through a few of the toughest questions, debunk some “remote working” myths, and discuss wha
Brené with America Ferrera on Identity and Integrated Leadership, Part 2 of 2Dec 13, 20212445My conversation with America Ferrera was so good that I didn’t want it to end, so here we are with the second episode with the renowned actor, director, producer, activist, and leader. We continued our discussion about the importance of integration and how transformative it can be to bring all of our identities to our leadership journey — and in the process, the conversation goes where really neit
Brené with America Ferrera on Identity and Integrated Leadership, Part 1 of 2Dec 6, 20212543I’m talking with America Ferrera — actor, director, producer, activist, and leader — in the first of a two-part series about leading with your whole self. I have done a lot of work with integration and leadership over the past decades, and I hadn’t heard it so clearly captured and explained as America did in this episode. Every transformational leader I’ve ever worked with refuses to compartmental
Brené with Dr. Laurie Santos on Creating Meaningful Connection at WorkNov 29, 20213446Dr. Laurie Santos is a professor of psychology and the head of Silliman Residential College at Yale University and the host of the popular podcast The Happiness Lab. We talk about her experiences with university students and how it connects with the research that I’ve done for my new book, Atlas of the Heart. We discuss how that data predicts what we can expect when we return to the workplace, as
Brené with James Clear on Atomic Habits, Part 2 of 2Nov 22, 20213413It’s Part 2 of our two-part episode with James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, which has sold more than 5 million copies worldwide and been translated into more than 50 languages. In Part 1 of our series, we talked about building systems to create habits, and in this episode, we talk about how and why habits are atomic and how to build a habit or break a habit. We also look at our environments and
Brené with James Clear on Atomic Habits, Part 1 of 2Nov 15, 20213120Even before James Clear and I met, I knew this would be a two-part series. I just had so many questions for the author of Atomic Habits, which has sold more than 5 million copies worldwide and been translated into more than 50 languages. Not surprisingly, this turned out to be exactly the type of conversation I’d anticipated. In Part 1 of our series, we talk specifically about developing identity-
Brené with Dr. Maya Shankar on Courage in the Midst of ChangeNov 8, 20214510I am talking with Dr. Maya Shankar, a cognitive scientist who served as chair of the Social and Behavioral Science Team during the Obama administration and served as the first behavioral science adviser to the United Nations. We talk about what happens when change knocks us off our charted path. How do we get back up? How do we figure out who we are without that path? And how do we start building
Brené and Barrett on BRAVING Trust, Part 2 of 2Nov 1, 20213021Barrett is back to talk more about trust and how we approach it at our company. We call it BRAVING trust — BRAVING is the acronym we use for the seven attributes of trust. And in Part 2 of this two-part series, we really dig into the core elements of BRAVING: boundaries, reliability, accountability, vault, integrity, nonjudgment, and generosity. We talk frankly about awareness, experiences, and ha
Brené and Barrett on BRAVING Trust, Part 1 of 2Oct 25, 20212489In this episode, Barrett Guillen, chief of staff at Brené Brown Education and Research Group, is joining me to talk about trust, what trust means, and how we approach it at our company. We call it BRAVING trust — BRAVING is the acronym we use for the seven attributes of trust. We have shared this with organizations all over the world, and today, we’re going to dig into what we’ve learned about pra
Brené with Liz Wiseman on Impact PlayersOct 18, 20214268Liz Wiseman is an author, a researcher, and an executive adviser, and we are talking about her new book, Impact Players: How to Take the Lead, Play Bigger, and Multiply Your Impact. Liz has done research across organizations around the world, talking to managers about what impact players look like, what sets them apart, and how they contribute. With this research, she gives us language to recogniz
Brené with Jodi-Ann Burey and Ruchika Tulshyan on Imposter SyndromeOct 11, 20214369I’m talking with Jodi-Ann Burey and Ruchika Tulshyan about imposter syndrome and the articles they have written together on the topic, including “Stop Telling Women They Have Imposter Syndrome,” which is among the Harvard Business Review’s top 100 most-read articles in history. We talk about the contexts in which imposter syndrome was originally defined, as well as how it continues to be defined a
Brené with Charles Feltman on Trust: Building, Maintaining, and Restoring ItOct 4, 20213369Charles Feltman is the author of The Thin Book of Trust: An Essential Primer for Building Trust at Work, which is based on his nearly three decades of work with individuals and teams to build, maintain, and restore trust. I have used his definitions of trust and distrust in every book I’ve written, because they are practical and actionable and, at the same time, deep and meaningful. It was importa
Brené with Barrett Guillen on The Hardest Feedback I’ve Ever Received, Part 2 of 2Sep 27, 20212465This episode is the second of a two-part series on feedback, and Barrett is back to take it to the next level and dig into engaged feedback with me. As you know, Barrett is chief of staff for Brené Brown Education and Research Group and one of my sisters, and together, we go through the 11 elements of the Engaged Feedback Checklist. It’s a practical tool, and we talk about the real and tangible wa
Brené with Barrett Guillen on The Hardest Feedback I’ve Ever Received, Part 1 of 2Sep 20, 20212835This episode is the first of a two-part series on feedback, and I’m talking with my sister Barrett Guillen, chief of staff for Brené Brown Education and Research Group, about professional feedback. We get very honest about the feedback that we have received over the years, as well as how it felt, what we’ve tried to do about it, where we slip up, and where we’ve made strides.
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Brené with Amy Cuddy on Pandemic Flux SyndromeSep 13, 20213943I’m talking to Dr. Amy Cuddy, social psychologist, bestselling author, award-winning Harvard lecturer, and expert on the behavioral science of power, presence, and prejudice. We discuss her recently published Washington Post article, “Why This Stage of the Pandemic Makes Us So Anxious,” and how working through this collective, constant pandemic flux affects us as individuals and as leaders. We als
Brené with Charles Duhigg on Habits and ProductivityJul 12, 20215567As I’m writing a book and thinking about habits that are getting in my way of being more productive, I call upon Charles Duhigg, who is a New York Times bestselling author on habits and productivity with The Power of Habit and Smarter Faster Better: The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and Business. We talk about how we are in an interesting time to think big picture about what we’re doing well
Brené with Priya Parker: A Meeting MakeoverMay 24, 20214143This episode is the second of a two-part series with Priya Parker, master facilitator, strategic adviser, and the author of The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters. We hold a weekly meeting in our organization that doesn’t seem to be serving everyone in a consistent way, so Priya helps me figure out what’s going on and why.
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Brené with Priya Parker on How We Return and Why It Matters, Part 1 of 2May 17, 20213904Join me for Part 1 of a two-part series with Priya Parker on gathering together again. Priya is a master facilitator, a strategic adviser, and the author of The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters. We talk about the big and small challenges we’ll see when we return to workspaces, the need we’ll have to use our creativity and ingenuity to figure out how to be together, and the opportun
Brené with Patrice Gordon on Reverse MentorshipMay 10, 20213220I’m talking with Patrice Gordon about reverse mentorship, a practice that sets up a junior team member, often a member of an underrepresented group, to mentor senior staff. Patrice did a TED talk last fall on how reverse mentorship can help create better leaders, and I loved the approach. We talk through best practices and how to set up a program that provides psychological safety for individuals
Brené with Doug Conant on Finding & Telling Your Leadership StoryMay 3, 20214496Doug Conant is the only former Fortune 500 CEO who is a New York Times bestselling author, a Top 50 Leadership Innovator, a Top 100 Leadership Speaker, and one of the 100 Most Influential Authors in the World. We talk about the principles and practices in the new book he co-authored with Amy Federman, The Blueprint: 6 Practical Steps to Lift Your Leadership to New Heights, as well as how to create
Brené with Michael Bungay Stanier on The Advice Trap and Staying Curious Just a Little LongerApr 26, 20214259Michael Bungay Stanier is the author of six books, including The Coaching Habit and The Advice Trap. We talk about taming our Advice Monsters — you know, those insatiable things that fuel our need to offer advice and answers when curiosity and good questions are way more powerful. We also share a very vulnerable, impromptu role play, where I ask him for help on a real issue that I’m struggling wit
Brené with Dr. Angela Duckworth on Grit and the Importance of Trying New ThingsApr 19, 20214420I’m talking to Dr. Angela Duckworth, professor, founder and CEO of Character Lab, and author of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. We dig into what grit is, but also what grit is not. We talk about taking the windy path, the danger of oversimplifying complex ideas, and why ruling out what does NOT bring you joy is part of finding what does.
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Brené on Armored versus Daring Leadership, Part 2 of 2Apr 12, 20211976This is Part 2 of our two-part series on daring leadership, where I unpack four more common types of armor that we use to self-protect when we’re in fear. These barriers include creating a fitting-in culture versus a belonging culture, fostering a scarcity-based culture versus modeling that we are enough and have enough, leading reactively versus leading strategically, and resisting change versus
Brené on Armored versus Daring Leadership, Part 1 of 2Apr 5, 20212531The greatest barrier to daring leadership is not fear; the greatest barrier is armor, or how we self-protect when we’re in fear. This is Part 1 of a two-part series where I unpack the most common types of armor, including being a knower versus being a learner, tapping out of hard conversation versus skilling up and leaning in, and using shame and blame to manage others versus using accountability
Brené with Dr. Pippa Grange on Fearing LessMar 29, 20214697This episode feels like a conversation with an old friend who happens to be an expert on fear, anxiety, and perfectionism. Pippa is a highly sought-after sports psychologist, a culture coach, and the author of the bestselling book Fear Less: How to Win at Life Without Losing Yourself. As the head of people and team development at the Football Association, she worked closely with the England team f
Brené with Emily and Amelia Nagoski on Burnout and How to Complete the Stress CycleMar 22, 20213838Dare to Lead is Unlocking Us this week. Burnout. We’re all experiencing it and we’re all desperate for a way through it. In this episode, I talk to Drs. Emily and Amelia Nagoski about what causes burnout, what it does to our bodies, and how we can move through the emotional exhaustion. This has been a game changer for me and for my family!
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