I recently attended the Brene Brown LIVE event in Australia. WOW. I came away committed to sharing the top 5 things I learned and to support you to apply these learnings in agriculture and beyond. In the last two decades researcher, Dr Brene Brown has become recognised as one of the greatest leadership thinkers (and doers!) of our time. Through her research she has found that strong leaders rely on a sense of belonging and ‘connection’ with others. She often describes this ‘connection’ as ‘the energy that is needed between people when they feel seen, heard and valued – when they can give and receive without judgement. We certainly need more of this in agriculture.
“Courage is contagious.” Brene Brown
Here are 5 lessons Dr Brene Brown talks about with her work that are givens for effective leadership. And I’ve added some things you can do to become a more effective leader. Treat it like a checklist if you like. Read through, tick off the ones you use confidently and then spend time thinking about, learning about and implementing the ones that are new to you. Success comes to those who are brave enough to try something new.
We need brave and courageous leaders in agriculture.
| Lesson | In agriculture we need to… |
| BE VULNERABLE “Vulnerability is the birthplace of connection.” Brene Brown | Say when we don’t have the answer, rather than pretend we do. Share emotions and feelings – this is a strength and opens up for others to connect with you. Ask others to stay open and curious – especially when they have views of difference. And in tough conversations – battle, war or warrior like language and behaviour is not useful. |
| LEAN INTO COURAGE “Daring leaders are never silent about hard things.” Brene Brown | Put our hands up to have our say. Be part of committees, projects and conversations. Contribute more than we criticise. Show up (regardless of whether we have a position like Director, Chair, etc). Stay inside a tough topic – stay at the table – contribute rather than criticise. |
| DARE TO BE YOU “Opt in to having your arse kicked a little.” Brene Brown | Be authentic – only by being authentic can you develop trust with others. Show up as we are – not try to be someone we aren’t – this actually causes disconnection. Ask others to contribute as they are and show we value this. Acknowledge to ourselves (andothers) it’s ok to be brave and afraid at the same time. |
| BUILD TRUST “Put more value on getting things right rather than being right.” Brene Brown | Understand that trust underpins all effective relationships. Recognise that trust is the long game and the one we want to be in. Building lasting relationships based on trust – do what we say we will. Know that trusting relationships are required for change to occur. |
| SHOW COMPASSION “Empathy is not connecting to an experience. Empathy is connecting to the emotions that underpin an experience.” Brene Brown | Be kind, be compassionate and be empathetic. Listen to others. Put ourselves in the shoes of others. Put self-interest to the side. |
Brene Brown is one of our favorite authors / speakers here. So much so that I became a certified facilitator of her The Daring Way work/ programs. I use it everyday in our work. Please reach out here if you’re interested in her work too.
Interested in her books? We have 4 Brene Brown books on our RuralScope recommended reading list Click here.
I hope to see you soon.
