Dare to Lead
Operationalizing Your Values: An Example From Brené Brown Education and Research Group

We love examples when we’re trying out new processes, so here’s one from our organization, Brené Brown Education and Research Group. We share a few examples of the behaviors we expect from each other in Dare to Lead, but we’re giving you a few more here so you can get a better sense of what this looks like in action.

We are called to live into the following three values:

1. Be brave.
2. Serve the work.
3. Take good care.

Each of these has been operationalized into behaviors that we are all held accountable for demonstrating. Each behavior is evaluated on a Likert scale (5 = Always to 1 = Never) by the employee and their manager separately, and then compared in a series of one-on-one conversations throughout the year. In these conversations we identify strengths and opportunities for growth, areas where people need coaching, and places where they might offer mentoring or help to others.

“Be brave” is tied to the courage-building work presented in Dare to Lead. Here are some examples of behaviors that support this value:

• I give feedback in a respectful and daring way.
• I am aware of the emotions that are most likely to arise for me when I am in struggle.
• I understand how my emotions affect my behavior.
• I am able to reality-check the stories I tell myself during conflict/ disappointment/ setbacks.
• When there is a setback, failure, or disappointment, I’m able to identify the key learnings and share them within the team and the organization.
• I own my mistakes and discuss them in an open and honest way.
• I’m prepared to offer my point of view to the team.

“Serve the work” is about stewardship. Some of these behaviors are:

• I take responsibility for our community’s and consumers’ experience.
• I am responsible for the energy I bring to situations, so I work to stay positive.
• I take ownership of adapting to the fast pace of this environment.“Take good care” has to do with how we take care of ourselves and each other:
• I treat my colleagues with respect and compassion by responding when appropriate in a timely and professional manner.
• I practice gratitude with my team and colleagues.
• I am mindful of other people’s time.
• You can see how this process takes lofty and subjective values and makes them real and actionable.
• Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind.

“Take good care” has to do with how we take care of ourselves and each other:

• I treat my colleagues with respect and compassion by responding when appropriate in a timely and professional manner.
• I practice gratitude with my team and colleagues.
• I am mindful of other people’s time.

You can see how this process takes lofty and subjective values and makes them real and actionable. Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind.