Brown’s exploration of vulnerability in workplace relationships is a core theme in her work. She defines vulnerability as having the courage to reveal your own fears, doubts, and shortcomings in order to communicate honestly with others and grow as a person and professional. Brown contrasts this approach with an “armored” persona. This psychological armor, which may manifest itself as arrogance, defensiveness, or shaming others, is a result of our egotistical instinct to protect ourselves from criticism, judgment, and failure.

One of Brown’s main arguments in Dare to Lead is that while vulnerability may feel frightening, engaging with it is an essential part of self-growth and communicating honestly with others. Brown claims that if employees do not feel safe to act vulnerably, workplaces can easily become mired with distrust and miscommunication. According to Brown, this workplace dysfunction not only results in poor mental health outcomes for staff but also often results in poorer company performance overall.

Vulnerable leadership is the answer to these problems, and Brown’s tools such as Permission Slips, Turn and Learn, and BRAVING are all ways to encourage staff to shed their “armor” and communicate vulnerably. She writes, “Our ability to be daring leaders will never be greater than our capacity for vulnerability.