Brené on Strong Ground Ask Me Anything, Part 2 of 2 - Dare to Lead with Brené Brown Recap

Podcast: Dare to Lead with Brené Brown

Published: 2025-11-05

Duration: 22 min

Summary

In the final episode of the Strong Ground series, Brené Brown shares insights from her coaching experience on the above and below the line practice, emphasizing its importance for leadership and personal growth. She highlights how awareness of fear can influence our behaviors and decision-making in both personal and professional contexts.

What Happened

Brené Brown opens the episode by expressing her gratitude to Adam Grant and the listeners who contributed questions for the AMA segment. She notes that many of the questions focused on the above and below the line practice, which she believes is a crucial tool for enhancing leadership skills. To provide deeper insights, Brené shares audio from her book that discusses this practice, explaining how it can be integrated into daily life for impactful results.

Brené elaborates on her personal journey with the above and below the line concept, which she learned from her coach, Courtney. She describes how this framework has transformed her perspective on leadership and personal interactions, making her a better partner, parent, and leader. By framing fear as a pivotal line, she explains that being above the line means acknowledging fear without letting it dictate our behaviors, while being below the line means fear drives our actions often without our awareness. She also discusses the roles we adopt in these states, drawing from Stephen Cartman's and David Emerald's models to illustrate how our responses can either empower or entrap us in negative dynamics.

Key Insights

• The above and below the line practice is essential for personal and professional growth.
• Awareness of fear can significantly impact our behaviors and decision-making.
• The framework includes roles of creator, challenger, and coach versus hero, victim, and villain.
• Attribution of the above and below the line concept is important for understanding its origins and evolution.

Key Questions Answered

What is the above and below the line practice?

The above and below the line practice is a framework that helps individuals understand their reactions to fear in both personal and professional settings. Above the line, individuals acknowledge their fear but maintain awareness and control over their actions, while below the line indicates that fear is driving behavior unconsciously. This concept has received high feedback from participants in Brené's Dare to Lead program, highlighting its effectiveness in strengthening leadership skills.

How did Brené Brown learn about the above and below the line practice?

Brené learned about the above and below the line practice from her extraordinary coach, Courtney. During a coaching session, Courtney helped Brené see how her responses to fear impacted her performance and relationships. This transformative experience led Brené to realize the significance of acknowledging and managing fear, which she now teaches to others, aiming to enhance their effectiveness as leaders.

What roles do individuals assume when they are above or below the line?

When individuals are above the line, they typically embody roles such as creator, challenger, and coach, which are aligned with productive and empowering behaviors. Conversely, when below the line, they tend to fall into the roles of hero, victim, or villain, as defined in the Drama Triangle. Brené emphasizes that understanding these roles is crucial for personal accountability and fostering healthier dynamics in both leadership and interpersonal relationships.

What is the significance of fear in the above and below the line framework?

In the above and below the line framework, fear serves as the critical line that influences how individuals behave and interact. Above the line, fear is acknowledged, allowing individuals to act with awareness and intention. Below the line, however, fear drives behaviors unconsciously, leading to reactive and often negative responses. Brené stresses the importance of recognizing where we are in relation to this line to improve our decision-making and leadership effectiveness.

How has the above and below the line practice evolved over time?

The above and below the line practice has evolved through contributions from various thought leaders. Initially introduced by Robert Kiyosaki, it was further developed by Carolyn Taylor and popularized by the Conscious Leadership Group. Each of these contributors has added depth to the framework, integrating concepts from both Stephen Cartman's Drama Triangle and David Emerald's Empowerment Dynamic, thereby enriching its application in leadership and organizational culture.