As the author of nine books, Brené Brown has been a household name in the business leadership space for years now. But this year, 2025, she said communication is more important than ever.
Brown has emphasized the following points:
We aren't taught how to communicate well
Photo by Tuyen Vo on Unsplash We can only learn so much in a classroom and real-world experience in work environments doesn't always equate to what we learned growing up.
Good communication is vulnerable
Photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash No one said it'll be easy. In fact, it's hard to be vulnerable. The conversations should feel uncomfortable to an extent.
Communicating well can improve all relationships we experience
Photo by Everton Vila on Unsplash That goes from family life to work to school, whatever.
Use the right words and mean what you say
Photo by Product School on Unsplash This can seem obvious but every word matters.
Photo by Utilize one of three phrases frequently to show empathy
Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash The three phrases are:
- ‘It sounds like what’s most important to you in this situation is.'
- ‘It makes sense that you feel that way.’
- ‘I want to make sure I understand.'
These can validate the other person's feelings and deescalate the potential for conflict.
Be more human
Photo by Rock Staar on Unsplash At a time when AI is scary for a lot of people, and rightfully so, Brown says it's really important to embrace humanity.
