Leading with Authenticity and Vulnerability: Brené Brown & Adam Grant

In this Authors@Wharton conversation, Brené Brown joins Wharton Professor Adam Grant to discuss themes from her new book "Strong Ground" and her lifelong work on courage, vulnerability, and leadership. Brown explains her grounded theory research roots and how asking meaningful questions helps uncover what people truly care about. She and Grant explore how courage stems from vulnerability, why authentic leadership requires curiosity and care, and how identifying core values—and living by them—anchors resilience and integrity. Using sports metaphors like the “tush push,” Brown illustrates how being grounded in values provides both stability and momentum for growth. The talk is insightful, funny, and filled with practical wisdom for leaders, students, and anyone striving for purpose-driven courage. This event was hosted on September 22, 2025. Founded in 2012 by Professor Grant, Authors@Wharton was designed to foster deeper intellectual exchange and spark dynamic conversations among students, faculty, staff, and alumni—beyond the classroom. Hosted by the McNulty Leadership Program, this series continues to inspire dialogue and exploration at the intersection of ideas and leadership. Learn more: https://whr.tn/3mA9VvW ABOUT THE SPEAKERS Adam Grant is an organizational psychologist, best-selling author, and the Saul P. Steinberg Professor of Management at the Wharton School. Brené Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston, where she holds the Huffington Foundation Endowed Chair at the Graduate College of Social Work. She also holds the position of Professor of Practice in Management at The University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business. She is the author of six #1 New York Times bestsellers and the host of two award-winning podcasts. In 2024, she was named as the executive director of The Center for Daring Leadership at BetterUp. #adamgrant #brenebrown #wharton #leadershipinsights #leadershiptips ----- Founded in 1881 as the world’s first collegiate business school, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is shaping the future of business by incubating ideas, driving insights, and creating leaders who change the world. With a standing faculty of 241 renowned professors, Wharton has 5,000+ students across four degree programs: undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral. Each year 13,000+ professionals from around the world advance their careers through Wharton Executive Education’s individual, company-customized, and online programs – with 200,000+ others earning certificates from Wharton Online since 2015. More than 104,000 Wharton alumni form a powerful global network of leaders who transform business every day. Learn more about Wharton: https://www.wharton.upenn.edu/ Subscribe to the Wharton YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/thewhart...