From Brené | Vice President Harris Joins “Unlocking Us”!

New podcast with Vice President Harris, a note from Brené on voting, and a sisters episode on grief... [U.S. Mail box with purple leaf branches painted on and a sticker that says "I voted early!" with the American flag.] From Brené OCTOBER 29, 2024 newsletter PODCASTS A New Special Episode of Unlocking Us With Vice President Harris [Headshot of Vice President Kamala Harris on a background of colorful rays. Listen to this “Unlocking Us” podcast episode with Brené Brown and Vice President Kamala Harris on Courageous Leadership and Winning in 2024.]( Martin Luther King, Jr. defined power as “the ability to achieve purpose and effect change.” This clear definition aligns with what we’ve learned about power in our data and work. Power is not inherently good or bad. What makes power dangerous is how it’s used. Mary Parker Follett, a social worker and early 20th century management expert, proposed that genuine power is “power-with” rather than “power-over.” She explained that power-over is “coercive” while power-with is “coactive.” Over the past 20 years, I’ve witnessed how daring leadership requires power-with and dies in the hands of those who abuse power. Power-over is the opposite of courage; it’s a desperate attempt to protect a fragile ego, and it requires the use of cruelty, shame, intimidation, and retribution to maintain a culture of fear. When people use power-over, they’re telling us what makes them afraid. My observations have led me to conclude that Donald Trump is threatened by the very values that underpin democracy: Freedom, equality, and accountability of leaders to those they serve. What’s most insidious in power-over dynamics is that often those who feel powerless — especially when struggling with the fear of irrelevance in a rapidly changing world — can support the cruelty and rhetoric of power-over even when it works against their best interest. Frenzied emotional rhetoric that captures the pain of people who feel like they’re losing status is a key strategy of power-over dynamics. Why should I care about women’s health when no one gives a damn about me? In Making Change Happen: Power, Just Associates expand on Follett’s ideas by defining power-with as “finding common ground among different interests in order to build collective strength . . . and multiplying individual talents, knowledge, and resources to make a larger impact.” Power-to translates to creating real agency in individual team members and acknowledging everyone’s unique potential. I’m excited to support the Harris/Walz campaign because I believe their records demonstrate a braver approach to power — an approach defined by power-with and power-to. [Listen to the Conversation]( [Selfie of Brené smiling and holding an "I voted" sticker on her index finger. The image also has Instagram stickers that say "#TeamColin," "Vote Lizzie Fletcher," and "I'm a voter!"] ON MY HEART AND MIND We’re One Week Away From Election Day Make a voting plan, check the [early voting deadlines]( in your state, and see [what’s on your ballot](. Consider finding a way to volunteer by working at the polls or driving someone who needs a ride to cast their vote. LFG! ❤️ [Find Your Nearest Polling Place]( [From left: headshots of Ashley, Brené, and Barrett on a background of colorful rays. Listen to this conversation with Brené, Ashley, and Barrett on Grief, Laughter, and Sisterhood: Losing Our Mom and Holding On to Each Other on the Unlocking Us podcast. ]( PODCASTS Grief, Laughter, and Sisterhood: Losing Our Mom and Holding On to Each Other Ashley, Barrett, and I are back and we’re talking about loss, dementia, grief, and how we try to choose laughter and therapy over a fist fight when things get really tough. [Listen to the Episode]( Popular on the Website [Statue of a LIFFE (London International Financial Futures and Options Exchange) trader with two model babies slung across his chest.]( HIGH FIVE 5 Questions With George Gabriel and Alex Lloyd Hunter on Fatherhood, Paternity Leave, and Vulnerability by Zehra Javed [Power and Leadership resource document by Brené Brown on a wood background.]( DOWNLOADS Brené Brown on Power and Leadership [Headshot of Kelley Robinson on a background of green and blue high five hands. ]( HIGH FIVE 5 Questions With Kelley Robinson on Faith, Simultaneity, and Hope by Karen Walrond Stay awkward, brave, and kind, Follow Brené on social! If this was forwarded to you, [subscribe here.]( [LinkedIn]( [Instagram]( [Facebook]( Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. © 2024 BBEARG, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. Responses to this email are not monitored. Our mailing address is: BBEARG P.O. Box 272124Houston, TX 77277 [Add us to your address book](