BOOK REVIEW

# Grounded leadership and the work of trust: Reviewing Brené Brown’s Strong Ground

Published in[Phoenix Scholar](/research/publications/phoenix-scholar.html)  
[Volume 9 Issue 1, Page 110](/research/publications/phoenix-scholar/vol-9-issue-1.html), Fall, 2026

https://doi.org/10.64657/MDBM4945

---

## Author

Melinda Kulick, Ed.D.

---

## Abstract

At a time when work across U.S. institutions is increasingly shaped by burnout, distrust, rapid change, and change fatigue, Brené Brown’s_Strong Ground_offers a timely synthesis of what durable leadership and healthy organizations require. Rather than siloing workplace strategy, leader development, and organizational wellness, Brown presents them as interdependent conditions of institutional trust. Her central concept, grounded confidence, is not a performance style or personality trait, but a disciplined leadership practice rooted in self-awareness, courage, emotional regulation, trust, strategic thinking, and communication (Brown, 2025a). Brown also extends the book’s practical application through companion online resources that include reflection tools and implementation materials for readers and organizations (Brown, 2025b). As a result,_Strong Ground_is more than a conventional leadership book; it offers a compelling framework for how institutions might respond more effectively, strategically, and humanely to the pressures shaping contemporary organizational life.

[Download PDF](https://www.phoenix.edu/content/dam/edu/research/doc/phoenix-scholar/volume-9-issue-1.pdf)