“Your thinking, attention and focus are the most sought-after commodities in the world right now,” said world-renowned speaker, researcher and author, Brené Brown.
On Tuesday, Sept. 30, the SMU Tate Lecture series hosted its second guest of the season, Brené Brown. In 2010, Brown’s TEDTalk, “The Power of Vulnerability,” went viral within a matter of weeks. The talk discusses how vulnerability is not a sign of weakness, but rather one of courage.
Before this TEDTalk, she completed her Ph.D. at the University of Houston in 2002, where she studied the power of connection. Through her research, she found that people have a lot of language for what isn’t, and not a lot of language for what is.
“When you ask people about connection, they tell you about disconnection,” Brown said. “You ask them about trust, they tell you about betrayal.”
When discussing this concept with her Ph.D. committee, the word shame surfaced repeatedly. In 2012, she delivered another TEDTalk, “Listening to Shame,” which expanded on her earlier research and explored how shame is deeply intertwined with vulnerability.
Now, she intertwines every piece of research to focus more on the leadership aspect of vulnerability in the workplace. She collaborates with a wide range of leaders— from Fortune 500 CEOs to nonprofit leaders- helping them foster more authentic, resilient and connected organizations.
“A leader’s job is to create time when no time exists,” Brown said.
Brown’s Tate Lecture focused on key stories and actionable takeaways from her latest book, “Strong Ground,” which explores how to integrate effective leadership while staying grounded in today’s often overwhelming world.
Long before pursuing her Ph.D., she worked in leadership and organizational development at AT&T. To her, a leader is someone who takes accountability for their actions and confronts harsh realities while never losing faith or hope. She says five key factors make a leader: self-awareness, critical thinking, systems thinking, anticipatory skills and emotional granularity.
She drew on the Stockdale Paradox, named after Admiral James Stockdale, a Vietnam War POW who survived years of torture by confronting the harsh realities of his situation while maintaining steadfast optimism, to highlight the importance of embracing both “gritty facts” and “gritty faith.”
Brown illustrated this concept with practical exercises, such as grounding oneself in core values to remain unmovable under pressure. For example, she described working with football players to “plant one foot in faith and one foot in family,” demonstrating how leaders can remain resilient and focused even in chaotic environments.
“I love that [Brown] discussed how to find a purpose in everything we do,” said Hunt Leadership Scholar Savannah Hunsucker.
She also stressed that leadership requires continuous practice, comparing it to building strength in a gym: situational awareness, systems thinking, and anticipatory skills must be exercised repeatedly to be effective, particularly when guiding diverse teams or navigating complex organizational dynamics.
Towards the end of the lecture, Tate Lecture Chair Jazmin Darjean took away key aspects of leadership that she wants to implement into her life as SMU’s Student Body Vice President.
“[Brown] noted that leaders should be authentic, vulnerable and courageous even when you’re unsure of an outcome,” Darjean said. “And the book was a great addition.”
Photo Caption: SMU Alum and NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth Anchor Katy Blakey interviews Brene Brown as she answers questions about her new book, “Strong Ground”
