Brené Brown believes in compassionate leadership at work.
Brown, bestselling creator and analysis professor on the University of Houston who studies vulnerability and disgrace, has been consulting CEOs on what she calls “courageous leadership.”
On a current episode of The New York Times’ podcast “The Interview,” Brown mentioned her new book, “Strong Ground: The Lessons of Daring Leadership, the Tenacity of Paradox, and the Wisdom of the Human Spirit.”
One leadership tactic she has discovered would not work for long-term success is creating a way of worry in your direct experiences.
“Just because the world at large believes that you have to be a total d— to get performance out of a team, there is actually very little evidence of that over a long period of time,” she said on the podcast.
While it may be efficient, “fear has a very short shelf life,” she said. And it is a device many staff won’t tolerate — particularly younger staff.
“I think we have a new generation of people who won’t work that way,” she said. “The Gen Z-ers, you’re not going to lead them with fear for very long.”
Fear has a really quick shelf life.
Brene Brown
Researcher, speaker
Data helps Brown’s considering. According to a 2025 Gen Z and Millennial Survey from Deloitte, Gen Zers imagine a supervisor’s key function is to offer steerage and assist, encourage and inspire them, supply mentorship and assist them set boundaries to make sure work-life steadiness.
More than a 3rd, 37% of Gen Zers say their precedence at work is to benefit from the job, in line with a February 2024 survey of two,000 Gen Zers by essay writing platform EduBirdie. They’re not seeking to powerful it out and be depressing.
And Gen Z takes that philosophy with them as they take the helm as managers as nicely. “If you’re not taking any client-facing calls and you’re getting your work done and you’re at the beach, by all means, go get a tan,” Rai Tryna, Gen Z supervisor at a tech firm, beforehand told CNBC Make It.
There are ways managers can use to skirt main with worry. They can follow compassion by thanking their group for his or her arduous work if a venture has been shelved, for instance, Brown famous.
“We see a very compelling, persuasive, strong correlation between courageous and daring leadership and performance,” she said. Those who follow it see higher outcomes.
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