Judith W. Umlas proudly poses at Book Expo America with celebrated author, speaker and research professor at the University of Houston Graduate Collage of Social Work, Brené Brown. In all of her Grateful Leadership courses and keynotes, Judy references the ground-breaking working of Brené Brown on the power of vulnerability. Brown was at BEA introducing her new book called Rising Strong – The Reckoning. The Rumble. The Revolution.

The jacket of Brown’s new book says, “The physics of vulnerability is simple: If we are brave enough, often enough, we will fall. Rising Strong is a book about what it takes to get back up and how owning our stories of struggle gives us the power to write daring new endings.” This, by the way, is the message of Judy’s upcoming International Project Management Day Keynote address: From Cowardly Lion to Lionhearted Leader. Judy firmly believes that we must allow ourselves to be vulnerable in order to communicate heartfelt, profound and generous acknowledgments to all of our stakeholders who truly deserve them. Only then do people feel really valued and know that they are working in a culture of appreciation. This makes all the difference toward creating an environment of engagement, wellbeing and bottom line results.

Brown’s work is “evidence” for the power of vulnerability for the tens of thousands of people who have participated and continue to take part in Grateful Leadership and The Power of Acknowledgment sessions.