Inspired by the book Dare to Lead by Brené Brown.
Behind every machine and process in manufacturing are people whose trust and effort determine success. Leading those people takes more than technical know-how. It requires a certain trait that might traditionally be seen as weakness, especially in manufacturing. That trait is vulnerability.
Brené Brown reminds us that vulnerability is not weakness, but rather the place where innovation, trust, and accountability are born. Vulnerability takes courage, and it’s what lies at the heart of daring leadership.
In manufacturing, where decisions often carry safety, quality, and financial implications, vulnerability shows up when leaders admit they don’t have all the answers, ask for help, and invite collaboration instead of control.
Brené Brown writes:
“You can choose courage, or you can choose comfort, but you cannot have both.”
It’s tempting to lean on certainty and authority to stay comfortable. But daring leaders choose discomfort in service of connection, innovation, and trust. They step into ambiguity with openness, knowing that real leadership isn’t about having it all figured out. It’s about showing up and listening with the same intensity that you bring when you desire to be heard.
The Everyday Work of Daring Leadership
In our world, daring leadership isn’t abstract. It’s an intentional choice of putting in the gritty, hard work of…
- Naming problems without blaming people
- Recognizing the human behind the work
- Encouraging frontline team members to share concerns and continuous improvement ideas without fear
- Living our values of hungry, humble, smart, especially when the pressure is on
- Helping team members navigate ambiguity and complexity to reach a solution
- Not settling for “good enough” but relentlessly pursing “better” even when it’s uncomfortable
- Leading change with empathy and transparency and admitting when we don’t have all the answers
- Making people feel safe enough to stretch, stumble, and try again because this is when real growth happens
Brown calls this “rumbling with vulnerability.” We call it building better. To us, this means building an industry and an organization that think and operate differently.
As our Chief People Officer, Tracey Fletcher, says:
“As leaders, we believe the most important thing we can do is to help others realize their full potential. That doesn’t come from easy, comfortable conversations. We must be willing to step into discomfort to help others grow. Couple that with building a high-trust relationship and that’s where we can make a real difference.”
Why Manufacturing Needs Daring Leaders
Our industry needs more leaders who are brave enough to put down their armor, embrace vulnerability, and dare to lead in a way that unlocks real growth. Because when leaders choose courage, teams thrive, companies grow, and industries are reinvented for the better.
How Do You Choose To Lead?
When was the last time you chose courage over comfort at work and what ripple did it create?
At PJWS, we believe learning doesn’t stop in the classroom or even on the job. Many of our leaders and team members grow through reading, and the ideas we’ve gathered from authors over the years have shaped how we think, lead, and build our business. That’s why we’re launching a new series: Books for Building Better
Each post will explore a book that’s helped us improve—from leadership and engineering to culture and strategy—and the ways we apply those lessons. Have a book that’s inspired you? Share it with us at: wallbank@pjws.com
Concepts and selected quotes adapted from Dare to Lead by Brené Brown are used under fair use for commentary and educational purposes.